chaplains assigned to the unit. These chaplains
are referred to as assistant chaplains. Also, the
command chaplain performs duties similar to a
department head or division officer in relation
to managing RPs and other enlisted personnel
that may be assigned duties in the office of the
chaplain.
in these resource guides are selected from
publishing houses supervised by memebers of
the Armed Forces Chaplains Board. The RP
will probably be tasked by the command
chaplain to obtain material from these three
sources in order to provide a standardized
religious education program for command per-
sonnel and their dependents.
PASTORAL COUNSELING
RELIGIOUS LITERATURE
The chaplain is concerned with the well-
being of all command personnel and their
families and is available to counsel and advise
individuals on religious, personal, and morale
matters as well as other areas of concern. In the
performance of their duties, chaplains visit per-
sonnel and their families to assist in times of
bereavement, domestic crisis, and on occasions
when religious guidance is requested. The
chaplain maintains liaison with community,
social, religious, health, and welfare agencies
and makes these resources available to military
families when requested. It is imperative that the
RP maintain a current listing of resource agen-
cies in order to ensure that referral information
is continually available for the chaplain.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Religious education programs for military
personnel and their dependents have tradition-
ally been provided at commands whenever a
substantial dependent population existed. Unity
and continuity in such religious education is
made difficult by frequent transfers of military
families. The various and unique denomina-
tional requirements also influence the religious
education programs that are provided for depen-
dent children of military personnel. For these
reasons, the Navy, Army, and Air Force make
available religious education curricula and
materials designed especially for military
religious education programs. The curriculum
for dependent children at Navy and Marine
Corps shore activities is usually selected from the
following three resource guides:
Cooperative Protestant Religious Education
Curriculum,
a Catholic Curriculum and
Resource Guide, and a Unified Jewish Religious
Education Curriculum. The materials described
The command usually has a supply of
religious literature in book and pamphlet form
available for use by its personnel. Pamphlet
racks containing such literature are likely to be
found at the entrance to the chapel, in the
offices of the chaplain and RP, and at other con-
venient places. Many stations also have libraries
with sections devoted to religious books and
novels.
THE COMMAND RELIGIOUS
PROGRAM ABOARD SHIP
It is expected that those personnel who are
serving aboard naval vessels will have religious
programs made available on a regular basis; this
includes providing the sacraments and ordi-
nances of their faith groups. A variety of
arrangements have been made to ensure that
naval personnel are afforded the right to the
ministrations of their religion. Chaplains are
assigned to specific ships and squadrons to pro-
vide this ministry. The chaplain may also be
transferred to other ships to conduct worship
services when operations permit. The Navy
Department is now assigning RPs to ships with
chaplains to provide professional support in the
areas of religious programming and administra-
tion.
When a ship with only one chaplain is in
port, the chaplain provides services for person-
nel of other faith groups by arranging to have
other chaplains or civilian clery invited aboard
to conduct services or by sponsoring church
parties. At sea, the chaplain provides for those
of other faiths primarily by supervising lay
leadership programs for these groups.
Special kits containing prayer books, re-
corded sacred music, and other equipment have
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