As a Navy Chaplain, I facilitate the free exercise
of religion for Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen
in the sea services. I also have the honor of providing
faith-based services for my own faith tradition.
We also advise the command on all things moral and
ethical in times of war and peace. And then we take
care of families of our service members
Hi. I'm Lieutenant Justin Bernard.
I'm the Navy's Chaplain Candidate Program Manager.
The Chaplain Candidate Program is the Navy's
sole collegiate accession program for Chaplains.
It's one of two ways to become a Chaplain in the Navy.
It is a time for seminarians and those studying to
become clergy members in their own faith traditions
to see what the Navy's all about and see what
ministry might be like for them in the Navy.
They are full-time seminary students studying to
earn a Masters Divinity Degree. In addition to that,
is to complete all ecclesiastical requirements.
So, anything that their faith tradition would
tell them that they need in order to be a
clergyperson in that faith group,
they have to complete those requirements.
While in the program, Chaplain candidates have
the opportunity to go to Officer Development
School in Newport, Rhode Island, a training
school for Officers. After that, they get to go to
the Naval Chaplaincy School and Center in Fort Jackson,
South Carolina where they receive training in
Professional Naval Chaplaincy. After that,
they have the option to follow on-the-job trainings
during the summer breaks between school.
They get opportunities to go to the fleet,
to shadow Chaplains on ships to see them in hands-on
ministry experience at places like Marine Corps
Base Quantico or Camp Lejeune.
As the Chaplain Candidate Program Manager,
I interview them. The recruiter who works with them
on a daily basis also interviews them.
And then they're sent to a Selection Board process
at the Chief Chaplain's office. Their kit would go
before the Board to see if they meet all of the
requirements of the Navy Chaplain Corps.
And, at that point, they are selected or not
selected for Chaplain service.
After the Care Board Selection process when a
Chaplain candidate is professionally recommended
for Chaplaincy, if they have already received the
training in the Chaplain Candidate Program,
then they're ready to hit the fleet.
They, in a number of weeks, would contact the detailer,
or the person that offers them their position in
the Navy, and they write their orders and tell
them where they are to go. It's usually about a one
to two-month process from the point of selection to
showing up at your first duty station.
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