Military Chaplain: Roles & Responsibilities

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Benefit overview

Military chaplains are responsible for tending to the spiritual and moral well-being of service members and their families. Their responsibilities include performing religious rites, conducting worship services and providing confidential counseling.

These chaplains are commissioned officers stationed wherever there are military members, including in combat environments. They have an important role in the commander’s program for operational stress control.

How this benefit helps

The chaplain team includes chaplain assistants and religious program specialists. Both are enlisted personnel. The team’s obligations to service members and their families include:

Conducting worship and administering sacraments
Performing other religious ceremonies and services
Developing religious education programs and religious youth activities
Conducting seminars and retreats
Accompanying service members into combat
Providing combat stress support
Advising commanders on religious and moral matters
Counseling service members and their families

Chaplains are not typically licensed clinical counselors. However, they adhere to absolute confidentiality and are prepared to help people with many life challenges, including:

Work-related issues
Combat stress
Deployment
Marriage and family
Substance abuse
Grief
Finances

Military chaplains and wedding services

Consider the following as you plan your wedding ceremony:

Eligibility — All active-duty and retired service members and their dependent children, and National Guard and reserve service members (while on active duty), are generally eligible to use their military installation’s chapel for wedding ceremonies. Contact your local installation’s chaplain office for specific requirements.
Availability — Schedules for military chapels and chaplains can fill up fast, so be sure to plan ahead if you are interested in their services for your wedding. Some chaplains require an application, typically three months before your wedding date.
Ceremony — Chaplains conduct ceremonies in accordance with the manner and form of the religious organization that endorses them. If the available chaplain isn’t of your faith, you can ask for a referral to a clergy member of your desired religion to perform the service.
Premarital counseling — Many chaplains require premarital counseling before they will perform a marriage ceremony.
Fees — Weddings conducted by a chaplain are free. Military chaplains are, in fact, prohibited from accepting monetary donations. However, you can donate to the chapel fund at the installation chapel.
Marriage retreats — Consider taking part in a marriage retreat. Army Strong Bonds, the Marine Corps Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program, the Navy CREDO Marriage Enrichment and the Air Force MarriageCare retreats are chaplain-led programs designed to strengthen your relationship and help you maintain a strong marriage.

As with many aspects of military life, early planning and flexibility are the keys to celebrating the wedding ceremony of your dreams. Contact a chaplain at your installation, or find your chapel at MilitaryINSTALLATIONS under the program service “Chapels” to start planning your wedding now.

How to access this benefit

Find contact information for your installation chaplain on your installation website or by visiting MilitaryINSTALLATIONS. Select “Chapels” in the program or service section.

The Unit Chaplain: Roles and Responsibilities

Benefit overview

How this benefit helps

How to access this benefit