Okay, you’ve been through the paperwork and your packet went before the chaplain candidate appointment board. You were approved and you’ve received your appointment packet, sworn the oath of office, and mailed the papers in. You’ve received your commission and your letter of appointment to the IRR. Now what?
Education
The most important thing you can do as a chaplain candidate is to continue your education. The chaplain candidate manager requires that you complete at least nine hours of coursework each semester (full-time status); eighteen completed hours per academic year is the prerequisite for candidate training. So, if you drop out of school or drop below full time, don’t expect to stay in the program.
Additionally, by October 1 of each year, you should submit ARPC Form 1046-1 to the candidate manager. This form must be signed by your school registrar, stating that you are enrolled full-time in a qualified educational program. This form provides a waiver from active duty. If you do not file this form, you are subject to being called up; if you are called up to active duty–and as a chaplain candidate, you are not yet branch-qualified to serve as a chaplain–you could be required to fulfill your military obligation in another branch. This is theoretical, of course, because the Army doesn’t want chaplain candidates on active duty who have yet to complete the requirements of branch qualification (whether chaplaincy or some other branch). If you happen to be a prior service officer who is now in the candidate program, I strongly urge that you keep this form updated! It may save you the headache of a mistaken callup (because you are already qualified in some other branch).
Church
The second most important thing for you to do as a chaplain candidate is to meet the qualifications for ordination by your denomination. This varies by denomination, obviously. However, it is important that you are involved in a local church now. It is also important that, as soon as possible, you become involved in your local section, district, presbytery, deanery, diocese, or council. If no one in your denomination knows you, except for your endorser, the possibility of you gaining ministry experience is very little.
If you happen to work in ministry while in seminary, verify with your endorser whether this ministry may meet your denomination’s requirements for chaplaincy endorsement. Most denominations require ministry experience to be completed after seminary in order for you to be endorsed as a chaplain. In fact, the Army itself prefers this sequence and, if you are endorsed without post-seminary ministry experience, your endorser will be required to provide a written statement affirming that he is endorsing you without such post-seminary experience.
Training
Perhaps the sole reason you became a chaplain candidate was to complete military training. See upcoming installments of this series for information about training opportunities (CHOBC and Practicums).
Surviving
The mere fact that you now have a gold bar on your collar doesn’t mean you know what being an officer is about or how to survive in military life. If you’ve had prior service, you have a leg up. Either way, read the forthcoming post in this series entitled Surviving in the Army.
Leave a comment