GENERAL REQUIREMENT FOR FEDERAL CHAPLAINCY
The Chaplaincy Committee seeks out, evaluates and sends out exemplary pastors and seminary students to serve as chaplains for the U.S. military branches, Veterans Affairs hospitals and federal correctional institutions. Although the settings may be different federal chaplains have many of the same responsibilities as other church pastors: preaching the Gospel, leading worship, administering the sacraments, performing weddings, burying the dead, counseling, and teaching. Yet because of the unique settings of their agencies, they carry out their ministry immersed in the everyday world of military members: patients, family and staff at hospitals; and correctional officers and workers at prisons.

Chaplain Manual (pdf)

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
A. Institutional.  (Ministers seeking placement in medical fields, i.e. hospital, educational, hospice, or prison-settings, etc.)

  • College/University undergraduate studies, normally having a Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 120 semester credits.
  • Post Graduate studies in theology, Bible and counseling (most hiring institutions will expect or require a M.Div. or the equivalency)
  • Clinical Pastoral Education ( of 1-4 units, depending on the respective institution)
  • Ministerial Credential from the E.C. Church, a License leading to Ordination or Certificate of Ordination
  • Practical Ministry – (normally a minimum of two years) within a local church or other qualifying ministry
  • Ecclesiastical Endorsement (may or may not be required)

B.  MILITARY (Chaplains seeking service within a branch of the military – i.e. Army, Air Force, Navy, or Army National Guard or Reserve component)

  • US Citizenship (the only exception may be from the Army National Guard)
  • College Degree (120 semester units-min.) from an accredited educational institution
  • Post-Graduate Degree (or equivalency) of between 72-90 hours from an accredited evangelical theological institution. The US Navy requires 2 of 3 years study be on-campus, not on-line.
  • Age limitations (which vary with each branch)
  • Satisfactory physical fitness and absence of medical complications
  • Absence of moral waivers
  • Practical ministry (for active duty chaplain accessions)
  • Ministerial Credentials from the E.C. Church
  • Ecclesiastical Approval or Endorsement
  • Attendance at Chaplain School
  • Attendance at Basic Officer Course