ESTABLISHING A SPECIALTY

HISTORY OF THE RP 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. ESTABLISHING A SPECIALTY In 1942, the Navy Department took the first steps to establish a Specialist (W) rating to help Navy chaplains. Originally, the Navy Department decided that rating should remain in effect only for the duration of World War II. The (W) specifically referred to welfare. In February 1942, before the Navy Department had even taken action on the Specialist (W) rating, the Marine Corps established a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) known as Chaplain’s Assistant. Unlike the Navy who started the Specialist (W) rating only as a wartime measure, the Marine Corps announced that it intended to keep its specialty of Chaplain’s Assistant after the war. To qualify for the Navy’s Specialist (W) rating, an applicant had to be able to play the piano and organ for religious services and other gatherings and be a competent choir director. Consequently, most applicants for Specialist (W) had backgrounds as music teachers, professional musicians, or church ministers of music. The 8-week indoctrination course in Specialist (W) training at the Navy chaplain’s school included instruction in naval etiquette, naval correspondence, clerical procedures, choir organization, rehearsal procedures, Navy Relief, sacred music for divine services (Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Jewish), military weddings, military funerals, and the practical application of shorthand and typing. In April 1948, the Navy established the Personnel Man rating. Included in the job classification for this rating was Chaplain’s Assistant. From 1945 to 1979, the Yeoman rating furnished personnel in the Chaplain’s Clerk specialty (YN 2525) to aide and support Navy chaplains in their efforts to provide quality ministry. Before a Yeoman could be assigned to a chaplain, however, the command chaplain had to go through the lengthy and time-consuming process of justifying the need for a YN 2525 billet. Often, the chaplain’s office was in direct competition with other command departments for the services of Yeoman personnel. Frequently, the chaplain’s office had to accept unqualified personnel as a temporary solution to the command’s manning problems. As a result, the establishment of a permanent rating to support the Navy’s chaplains remained a primary goal of the Chief of Chaplains. ESTABLISHING THE RATING In 1979, the Secretary of the Navy approved the establishment of the RP rating. Stringent selection requirements were set. To request a lateral conversion from another rating to the RP rating, the applicant was required to undergo an interview and obtain a recommendation from a Navy chaplain. A commanding officer would recommend a prospective candidate for the RP rating based on several factors, including the chaplain’s endorsement. In May 1979, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) approved the insignia for the RP rating. The RP rating insignia (fig. 1) consists of a rose compass, a globe, and an anchor. The rose compass represents the direction that religion gives to life; the globe indicates that RPs serve throughout the world; and the anchor represents each RP’s tie to the sea services. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The duties and responsibilities of the RP rating include a variety of tasks. To prepare successfully for Religious Program Specialist third class, you must realize that you will be accountable for carrying out a variety of tasks in the following fundamental areas: l Religious Program Support l Religious Education l Religious Offering Fund . Library Figure 1.—RP rating insignia. x