Religious Program Specialist
| Religious Program Specialist | |
|---|---|
Rating insignia
|
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| Issued by | United States Navy |
| Type | Enlisted rating |
| Abbreviation | RP |
| Specialty | Administration |
Religious Program Specialist (abbreviated as RP) is a United States Navy rating. Religious Program Specialists assist Navy chaplains. Religious program specialists provide support to Navy chaplains in developing programs to meet the needs of Navy and Marine Corps personnel and their families, as well as act as bodyguards for the chaplains (some of whom are unarmed on principle). RPs perform functions that do not require ordination and do no pastoral counseling. Membership in a religion is not a prerequsite to become an RP and some RPs are even atheists.
The duties performed by RPs include: supporting chaplains of all faiths and religious activities of the command; maintaining records, ecclesiastical documents and references of various faith groups; maintaining liaison with religious and community agencies; assisting in preparation of devotional and religious educational materials, and audio-visual displays; determining, developing, managing and maintaining the administrative and logistical support requirements of religious programs and facilities aboard ships, shore stations, hospitals, Marine Corps units and other sea service commands; providing physical security for chaplains during field exercises and in combat environments; operating and maintaining libraries aboard ships and isolated duty stations; performing bookkeeping and accounting functions related to Religious Offerings Fund and OPTAR fund transactions; as custodians, rigging and unrigging for religious activities; publicizing the command's religious activities; training command religious program volunteers on logistics and instruction methods; supervising chaplain's office personnel; performing administrative, clerical and secretarial duties; stocking and maintaining field mount-out boxes.
RPs must have a favorable interview by chaplain/RP screening committee. High school diploma graduate or equivalent with successful completion of 10th grade. Repeat military offenders and personnel convicted by military or civilian authorities of any criminal offense reflecting unfavorably upon their character or integrity are ineligible for the RP rating. Moral turpitude offense(s) are disqualifying. Ministers, Priests, or Rabbis are not eligible for this rating.
The idea of having a chaplain’s specialist assigned to each ship with a chaplain aboard dates from 1878. That year a committee of chaplains first made the recommendation to the Navy Department. Although the Navy Department did not immediately adopt the recommendation, successive generations of chaplains gave their support to the idea.
Finally, from 1942 to 1945, the Navy adopted the Specialist “W” rating (the “W” stood for Welfare) to address the specific wartime needs of Chaplains serving in World War II. Specialist "W"s were at that time required to: Perform clerical duties; play piano and organ for worship services; be competent musical directors; not expected to serve as religious leaders (just as it is today for RPs); and be willing to serve anywhere under any conditions.
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