The MOS was established by General Orders No. 253, War Department, Washington, D.C., on 28 December 1909, paragraph 1, which read “One enlisted man will be detailed on special duty, by the commanding officer of any organization to which a chaplain is assigned for duty, for the purpose of assisting the chaplain in the performance of his official duties.” That meant that the assistant generally cared for the chaplains’ official property, acted as his clerk, and helped with the educational, religious, and entertainment programs. In 1866, the Army decided that a soldier found competent to teach common school subjects should be detailed to do so under the auspices of a local chaplain who often served as the schoolmaster. In 1909, the military authorized one enlisted person to be assigned to the chaplain to assist him in the performance of his official duties. Although high moral character was required, there were no other prerequisites or generally recognized criteria for performance.

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