It is a very hard Nut to Crack!
BECOMING A MILITARY CHAPLAIN http://www.pastoralcounseling.org/career/military-chaplain >> Steps to Become a Military Chaplain To become a military chaplain, you must meet all of the requirements to be ordained and be recognized as a chaplain. This includes earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree, completing all certification requirements, and meeting all the requirements of the U.S. military. Listed below is a summary of the steps required to become a military chaplain: Earn a bachelor’s degree, preferably in a closely related field such as religion, divinity, counseling, psychology or theology./li> Complete a master’s degree in religion or theological studies. Must be a U.S. citizen if applying for active duty or the National Guard. Become ordained- You must have ecclesiastical endorsement from your faith group. Become certified- Certification entails that you are qualified intellectually, morally, emotionally and spiritually to complete your duties. Apply and be accepted to the U.S. Chaplain Corps. Meet all requirements necessary to join the corps, including specific fitness, health, age, and fitness requirements. Must have two years of full-time professional experience, which has been verified by your endorsing agency. Religious Requirements To become a chaplain in the military, you must first become an ordained minister within your faith group. Ordination requirements vary from church to church, but the basic tenents involve demonstrating that you have the intellectual, moral, spiritual and emotional qualifications to serve. A formal training program is almost always part of the ordination process- for some, this is a bachelor’s degree; other churches do not require a degree but have their own educational courses. After meeting the education and training requirements of your faith group, most candidates will enter into a review process, sometimes called an "endorsement" or "certification" process, whereby members of the clergy validate that you meet all minimum requirements. Remember- The U.S. Chaplain Corp requires a bachelors degree and a graduate degree to serve as an active duty chaplain. If your faith group does not have these educational requirements for ordination, you will still need to meet the minimum standards of the U.S. military before applying. Education Requirements for Military Chaplains Becoming a military chaplain involves meeting strict educational requirements. All candidates must earn a bachelor’s degree in religion or a closely related field, and a graduate degree in religion or theology. Religious studies involve an examination of the scripture, learning about other religions and belief systems, and examining the history of the church. You may also take courses in communication, counseling, and leadership, especially if your program offers a focus on Ministry. Important: As a military chaplain, you will encounter military personnel, families and civilians who are members of other denominations or faith groups, so you must be sensitive to religious pluralism and be able to provide for the free exercise of religion. Understanding religious diversity and the concept that different belief systems have the ability to co-exist is an important part of religious studies. If you plan on becoming a military chaplain, you may want to augment your undergraduate degree with courses in psychology, especially grief counseling and traumatic therapy. You may also want to take history courses or a course that examines the military. These courses aren’t required, of course, but they can be helpful. Because the military does require chaplains to meet certain physical and health conditions, you may want to take more than the required physical education courses, or sign up for one of the university’s sports teams in order to begin conditioning your body to meet these requirements. Earning a Master's Degree To become a certified chaplain, and in some cases, to become an ordained minister, you will need to hold a master’s degree. Generally, this is a Master’s of Divinity or Theology, but some universities offer other graduate degrees in Religion. These programs offer more advanced studies in religion, including in-depth studies of the Bible and church history. Again, some of these programs, especially those that are aimed at preparing students for church leadership, will go into psychology, communication and counseling. Accreditation The university from which you receive your undergraduate and graduate degree must be accredited. This means that an independent third party accrediting body has completed the process of reviewing the university and its program for quality assurance and quality improvement. Both federal and state governments regard accreditation as a reliable endorsement of academic quality. Important: Don't make the mistake of earning credit hours from a program without accreditation. The learnings you take from the program may have some value to you, but they will not be acknowledged by most employers. The best resource to check on university or program accreditation is the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). For graduate degrees, most of the religious programs and seminaries are accredited by one of the following: the Association of Theological Schools, the Transnational Association for Christian Colleges and Schools, or the Association for Biblical Higher Education. Master's Program Objectives and Goals These degrees focus on teaching people how to enter the ministry and how to lead a church. As a military chaplain, you will have the same training that other ministers have. That means you’ll meet the program goals of having strong leadership skills, being able to communicate effectively, and having a strong working knowledge of the church and the scriptures. You will also know how to effectively counsel and comfort members of your congregation, knowledge that will come in handy as a military chaplain. Earning Practical Experience Military chaplains often do not have any practical experience as a military chaplain before applying for the Chaplain Corps. However, they must be endorsed by their church, and that generally means having served in some position in their community for several years. In addition to this experience, becoming a certified chaplain does require working with an experienced chaplain for several years. This provides you with practical training under a supervising chaplain and prepares you for the certification exams. Certification and Endorsement Many chaplains are certified by the Association for Professional Chaplains (APC). This isn’t always necessary, however, but it is highly recommended. The APC is the largest professional organizations for chaplains in the U.S., and being certified by the APC can open many doors. Certification requires completing a master’s degree, being ordained, and completing several units from the Clinical Pastoral Education program (some of which may be waived if your bachelor’s degree came from a CHEA-accredited university). Your church must also formally endorse you for certification. Endorsement Before you can apply to be a military chaplain, you usually need to have the endorsement of a religious organization. Generally, this is the church you are a part of. Note that some religious that do not have an established hierarchy in place that makes decisions regarding appointments may not need an endorsement. Rabbis, for example, may apply without permission or endorsement by any organization. Meeting Additional Requirements In addition to meeting all religious, education and endorsement requirements, chaplains need to be fit and in good health. The requirements may not be as strict as those laid out for personnel who will see combat, but military chaplains may serve in areas where combat could occur at any time. As such, they need to be in good physical health and shape. Those who are not may not be accepted into the Chaplain Corps or may be stationed on military bases in the U.S. rather than abroad. <<
US Airforce Chaplain Corps
http://www.chaplaincorps.af.mil/jointheairforcechaplaincorps/
https://www.airforce.com/careers/specialty-careers/chaplain >>
QUALIFICATIONS, EDUCATION AND TRAINING Required Education Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum of 120 semester hours Master of Divinity or equivalent theological degree with no less than 72 hours from an accredited institution. Pastoral Ministry Requirement Two years of religious ministry leadership experience Denominations Christian Protestant Muslim Jewish Orthodox Christian Roman Catholic Other faith groups Qualifications Must be a U.S. citizen, no dual citizenship Receive an Ecclesiastical Endorsement from a DoD-recognized endorser No violations of privileged communication and/or confidentiality No violations or compromises of noncombatant status No convictions by courts-martial or by civilian courts (except for minor traffic violations or similar infractions) No record of disciplinary action for failure to exercise sound judgement with respect to morale or welfare of subordinates No disciplinary action for engaging in an unprofessional or inappropriate relationship No record of disciplinary action for financial irresponsibility, domestic violence or child abuse Must be between the ages of 18 and 40 Personnel Status Officer* *When you join the chaplain corps, you will be commissioned as an officer. Your rank will be based on education level and experience. You have questions. We have answers. <<
The Plight of Pagans in the Military http://religionandpolitics.org/2012/06/20/the-plight-of-pagans-in-the-military/
The Unit Ministry Team Handbook: Reference Book RB 16-100 Department of the Army, US Army Chaplain Center and School, 1998 - Soldiers [The book] is designed to be a reference book for chaplains and chaplain assistants, providing in one publication a compendium of useful information in providing religious support to soldiers and family members. [In this book] the focus is on unit ministry team (UMT)
by Department of Defense
https://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&field-keywords=Unit%20Ministry%20Team%20Handbook&index=books
BECOMING A MILITARY CHAPLAIN http://www.pastoralcounseling.org/career/military-chaplain >> Steps to Become a Military Chaplain To become a military chaplain, you must meet all of the requirements to be ordained and be recognized as a chaplain. This includes earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree, completing all certification requirements, and meeting all the requirements of the U.S. military. Listed below is a summary of the steps required to become a military chaplain: Earn a bachelor’s degree, preferably in a closely related field such as religion, divinity, counseling, psychology or theology./li> Complete a master’s degree in religion or theological studies. Must be a U.S. citizen if applying for active duty or the National Guard. Become ordained- You must have ecclesiastical endorsement from your faith group. Become certified- Certification entails that you are qualified intellectually, morally, emotionally and spiritually to complete your duties. Apply and be accepted to the U.S. Chaplain Corps. Meet all requirements necessary to join the corps, including specific fitness, health, age, and fitness requirements. Must have two years of full-time professional experience, which has been verified by your endorsing agency. Religious Requirements To become a chaplain in the military, you must first become an ordained minister within your faith group. Ordination requirements vary from church to church, but the basic tenents involve demonstrating that you have the intellectual, moral, spiritual and emotional qualifications to serve. A formal training program is almost always part of the ordination process- for some, this is a bachelor’s degree; other churches do not require a degree but have their own educational courses. After meeting the education and training requirements of your faith group, most candidates will enter into a review process, sometimes called an "endorsement" or "certification" process, whereby members of the clergy validate that you meet all minimum requirements. Remember- The U.S. Chaplain Corp requires a bachelors degree and a graduate degree to serve as an active duty chaplain. If your faith group does not have these educational requirements for ordination, you will still need to meet the minimum standards of the U.S. military before applying. Education Requirements for Military Chaplains Becoming a military chaplain involves meeting strict educational requirements. All candidates must earn a bachelor’s degree in religion or a closely related field, and a graduate degree in religion or theology. Religious studies involve an examination of the scripture, learning about other religions and belief systems, and examining the history of the church. You may also take courses in communication, counseling, and leadership, especially if your program offers a focus on Ministry. Important: As a military chaplain, you will encounter military personnel, families and civilians who are members of other denominations or faith groups, so you must be sensitive to religious pluralism and be able to provide for the free exercise of religion. Understanding religious diversity and the concept that different belief systems have the ability to co-exist is an important part of religious studies. If you plan on becoming a military chaplain, you may want to augment your undergraduate degree with courses in psychology, especially grief counseling and traumatic therapy. You may also want to take history courses or a course that examines the military. These courses aren’t required, of course, but they can be helpful. Because the military does require chaplains to meet certain physical and health conditions, you may want to take more than the required physical education courses, or sign up for one of the university’s sports teams in order to begin conditioning your body to meet these requirements. Earning a Master's Degree To become a certified chaplain, and in some cases, to become an ordained minister, you will need to hold a master’s degree. Generally, this is a Master’s of Divinity or Theology, but some universities offer other graduate degrees in Religion. These programs offer more advanced studies in religion, including in-depth studies of the Bible and church history. Again, some of these programs, especially those that are aimed at preparing students for church leadership, will go into psychology, communication and counseling. Accreditation The university from which you receive your undergraduate and graduate degree must be accredited. This means that an independent third party accrediting body has completed the process of reviewing the university and its program for quality assurance and quality improvement. Both federal and state governments regard accreditation as a reliable endorsement of academic quality. Important: Don't make the mistake of earning credit hours from a program without accreditation. The learnings you take from the program may have some value to you, but they will not be acknowledged by most employers. The best resource to check on university or program accreditation is the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). For graduate degrees, most of the religious programs and seminaries are accredited by one of the following: the Association of Theological Schools, the Transnational Association for Christian Colleges and Schools, or the Association for Biblical Higher Education. Master's Program Objectives and Goals These degrees focus on teaching people how to enter the ministry and how to lead a church. As a military chaplain, you will have the same training that other ministers have. That means you’ll meet the program goals of having strong leadership skills, being able to communicate effectively, and having a strong working knowledge of the church and the scriptures. You will also know how to effectively counsel and comfort members of your congregation, knowledge that will come in handy as a military chaplain. Earning Practical Experience Military chaplains often do not have any practical experience as a military chaplain before applying for the Chaplain Corps. However, they must be endorsed by their church, and that generally means having served in some position in their community for several years. In addition to this experience, becoming a certified chaplain does require working with an experienced chaplain for several years. This provides you with practical training under a supervising chaplain and prepares you for the certification exams. Certification and Endorsement Many chaplains are certified by the Association for Professional Chaplains (APC). This isn’t always necessary, however, but it is highly recommended. The APC is the largest professional organizations for chaplains in the U.S., and being certified by the APC can open many doors. Certification requires completing a master’s degree, being ordained, and completing several units from the Clinical Pastoral Education program (some of which may be waived if your bachelor’s degree came from a CHEA-accredited university). Your church must also formally endorse you for certification. Endorsement Before you can apply to be a military chaplain, you usually need to have the endorsement of a religious organization. Generally, this is the church you are a part of. Note that some religious that do not have an established hierarchy in place that makes decisions regarding appointments may not need an endorsement. Rabbis, for example, may apply without permission or endorsement by any organization. Meeting Additional Requirements In addition to meeting all religious, education and endorsement requirements, chaplains need to be fit and in good health. The requirements may not be as strict as those laid out for personnel who will see combat, but military chaplains may serve in areas where combat could occur at any time. As such, they need to be in good physical health and shape. Those who are not may not be accepted into the Chaplain Corps or may be stationed on military bases in the U.S. rather than abroad. <<
US Airforce Chaplain Corps
http://www.chaplaincorps.af.mil/jointheairforcechaplaincorps/
https://www.airforce.com/careers/specialty-careers/chaplain >>
QUALIFICATIONS, EDUCATION AND TRAINING Required Education Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum of 120 semester hours Master of Divinity or equivalent theological degree with no less than 72 hours from an accredited institution. Pastoral Ministry Requirement Two years of religious ministry leadership experience Denominations Christian Protestant Muslim Jewish Orthodox Christian Roman Catholic Other faith groups Qualifications Must be a U.S. citizen, no dual citizenship Receive an Ecclesiastical Endorsement from a DoD-recognized endorser No violations of privileged communication and/or confidentiality No violations or compromises of noncombatant status No convictions by courts-martial or by civilian courts (except for minor traffic violations or similar infractions) No record of disciplinary action for failure to exercise sound judgement with respect to morale or welfare of subordinates No disciplinary action for engaging in an unprofessional or inappropriate relationship No record of disciplinary action for financial irresponsibility, domestic violence or child abuse Must be between the ages of 18 and 40 Personnel Status Officer* *When you join the chaplain corps, you will be commissioned as an officer. Your rank will be based on education level and experience. You have questions. We have answers. <<
The Plight of Pagans in the Military http://religionandpolitics.org/2012/06/20/the-plight-of-pagans-in-the-military/
The U.S. Army Chaplain's Manual
https://www.paganspath.com/usarmy.htm
The Pagan as a Professional Chaplain
http://cherryhillseminary.org/students/forms-and-resources-for-students/pagan-professional-chaplain/
Army Boots Wiccan Chaplain
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-weigant/army-boots-wiccan-chaplai_b_41781.html
Why Having A Pagan Military Chaplain Is Important
http://wildhunt.org/2008/11/why-having-pagan-military-chaplain-is.html
https://info.publicintelligence.net/CanadaChaplainManual.pdf
The army chaplain's manual, designed as a help to chaplains in the discharge of their various duties ..
by Hammond, Jonathan Pinkney, d. 1884
Published 1863
https://archive.org/details/armychaplainsman00hamm
The Unit Ministry Team Handbook: Reference Book RB 16-100 Department of the Army, US Army Chaplain Center and School, 1998 - Soldiers [The book] is designed to be a reference book for chaplains and chaplain assistants, providing in one publication a compendium of useful information in providing religious support to soldiers and family members. [In this book] the focus is on unit ministry team (UMT)
