music  in  the  country.  Most  of  these  specialists received  their  indoctrination  directly  from  the chaplains. However, this system proved to be in- adequate. In the fall of 1942 as part of an experi- ment,  Specialists  (W)  started  attending  some  of the  classes  at  the  Chaplains  School  located  in Norfolk,   Virginia   (now   located   in   Newport, Rhode Island). This experiment was so successful that the Chaplains Division decided to require all new Specialists (W) to attend a course of indoc- trination  at  the  Chaplains  School. The   8-week   course   of   indoctrination   for Specialist  (W)  training  at  the  Chaplains  School included  instruction  in:  naval  etiquette,  naval correspondence, clerical   procedures,   choir organization, rehearsal procedures, Navy Relief, music  for  services  (Protestant,  Roman  Catholic, and Jewish), military weddings and funerals, and some  practical  application  in  shorthand  and typing.  Many  of  these  same  or  similar  subjects are  being  taught  in  the  RP  “A”  and  “C”  schools today located at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. Between  April  1942  and  August  1945,  the Bureau  of  Naval  Personnel  selected  509  in- dividuals  for  the  Specialist  (W)  rating  out  of  1,455 applicants.  Approximately  350  of  the  Specialist (W) selectees attended the indoctrination course at  the  Chaplains  School.  This  training  helped Specialist  (W)  petty  officers  advance  quite  rapidly. Alfred  R.  Markin  was  advanced  to  Chief Specialist  (W)  in  February  1944  and  is  recog- nized as being the first individual to receive this rating. A total of 30 Specialists (W) were advanced to  chief  petty  officer  and  most  of  these  senior petty  officers  were  assigned  to  large  training centers and in the offices of District, Force, and Fleet Chaplains. Women  also  distinguished  themselves  as Specialists  (W)  during  the  war.  Thirty-eight “WAVES”  were  selected  to  serve  in  the  rating. Virginia  T.  Moore  was  the  first  woman  to  be selected  as  a  Specialist  (W)  and  was  subse- quently assigned duty in November 1943 in the Nation’s  Capital.  The  first  “WAVES”  to  attend the  Chaplains  School  in  June  1944  were  recog- nized  as  highly  motivated,  dedicated,  and conscientious  students. Specialists With the Marines In  February  1942,  before  the  Navy  Depart- ment had taken action in regard to Specialists (W), 1-6 the  Marine  Corps  established  a  career  field  known as  Chaplain’s  Assistant  (SSN534).  The  first marine   to   receive   the   new   classification   was Gilbert  Dean  Arnold,  who  was  made  a  master technical  sergeant,  the  equivalent  of  a  chief petty officer in the Navy. Thirty-five members of the  Marine  Corps  Women’s  Reserve  became chaplain’s assistants in addition to the 105 active duty marines. Unlike the Navy and Coast Guard who instituted the Specialist (W) rating as a war- time  measure,  the  Marine  Corps  announced originally  that  it  intended  to  retain  its  career  field of chaplain’s assistant after the war; however, it did not retain these assistants. The Commandant of   the   Marine   Corps   did   approve   the   use   of Marines  (MOS  0151)  in  1976  to  perform  duties with Navy chaplains. NOTE: Until the RP rating reaches   full   strength   in   approximately   1986, Marine  Corps  chaplain  assistants  will  continue  to be employed to assist in managing the Command Religious  Program  at  selected  locations are  not  assigned  or  at  full  strength. Specialists With the Coast Guard The  first  member  of  the  Coast receive  the  rate  of  Specialist  (W) where RPs Guard   to was  Emil Zemanuel  in  November  1943.  Thirty-five  men  and twelve women of the Coast Guard were assigned this rating; and thirty of these individuals attended the  Navy  Chaplains  School.  The  Coast  Guard assigned some of the men of this rating to ships. YEOMAN   CHAPLAIN’S PROFESSIONAL  ASSISTANT Until  1979  personnel  of  the  Yeoman  rating were  often  designated  as  the  “Chaplain’s  Clerk (YN-2525)”  whose  duty  was  to  assist  in  con- ducting the Command Religious Program. Figure 1-5  describes  the  duties  of  the  YN-2525  chaplain’s professional  assistant  designation. Before  a  Yeoman  would  normally  be  as- signed to the office of the chaplain, the command chaplain  would  have  to  justify  the  need  for  a YN-2525  billet.  This  proved  to  be  a  time- consuming process and placed the CRP in direct competition  with  other  command  departments  for the services of personnel. Unqualified personnel (those  lacking  the  YN-2525  designation)  were often  assigned  to  the  office  of  the  chaplain  as temporary  solutions  to  manning  problems.