U.S. Navy Regulations. In addition, chaplains will not stand watches other than those of duty chaplain. Now that we have briefly looked at what a Navy chaplain will not do, let’s take a closer look at some of the major duties and responsibilities of this important billet. PASTORAL COUNSELING.— The  well-being  of all   command   personnel,   their   families,   or   other authorized  individuals  must  be  the  concern  of  everyone in  the  CRP.  Chaplains  counsel  and  advise  individuals on religious, moral, personal, and morale matters, in times of joy as well as in times of bereavement, during domestic  crises,  and  during  occasions  requiring religious  direction.  Chaplains  also  refer  individuals  to resource personnel and agencies. Some professional counseling  resource  personnel  and  agencies  are  as follows: l l l Religious   Agencies (Faith Group) pastoral counselors (Faith  Group)  social  service  agencies Social  workers Family and child service centers Community   Resources Financial  counselors Psychologists Psychiatrists Child care programs Mental  health  clinics Social  service  agencies Family  service  agencies Military  Facilities Naval regional medical centers Counseling  and  assistance  centers Drug  and  alcohol  abuse  programs  (DAAPs) Family  service  centers The CRP maintains liaison with community, social, religious,  health,  and  welfare  agencies  and  makes  those resources available to military families. The   foremost   issue   involving   counseling   is confidentiality of information disclosed. Information disclosed  during  pastoral  counseling  is  protected  by  the Manual   for   Courts-Martial,   United   States   1984, Military  Rule  of  Evidence  503.  This  rule  protects communication to a chaplain, RP, or CRP staff member in specific recognition of the nature of the military chaplaincy  and  deals  only  with  communication  “made either  as  a  formal  act  of  religion  or  as  a  matter  of conscience.” PASTORAL CARE SERVICE.— Chaplains  and RPs are important team players within the medical department. Their contributions to spiritual and moral development are well-founded. Let’s look at some of the important personal characteristics a good RP should have. Sensitivity.— Experience, say many, may be the only teacher. If an RP has been foretold what to expect, knowing the art of sensitivity is easier. As an RP in the pastoral  care  service,  you  are  in  the  business  of sensitivity.     The  people  who  seek  assistance  from pastoral care need to be greeted by a sensitive person. In  the  pastoral  care  service,  you  will  encounter depressed, unhappy, or angry visitors. Do not push them further   into   that   condition.   Give   them   a   caring cheerfulness, not a bad attitude. Visiting  chaplains  and  others  have  their  own agendas. RPs need to support these agendas as best they can. One method of support is to stay in touch with admittance.  Your  knowledge  of  the  patient,  including the  ward,  command  affiliation,  and  expected  length  of stay,  would  be  timely  and  vital  information  to  any visiting  chaplain  or  clergy. Pastoral   care   service   chaplains   need   special sensitivity to be able to cope with traumatic and tragic circumstances. Imagine the following situation. You are the hospital chaplain.    You are coming from the deathbed of a child and returning to the office to perform marriage counseling. Or perhaps you are going from a series  of  tedious  meetings  to  the  task  of  preparing  an urgent brief. RPs more than anyone should be aware of their   chaplain’s   mood.     The  swing  of  his  or  her emotional shifts will be great; the RP must adjust and react to those emotional shifts. In all cases, sensitivity is the key. You can make the difference for the chaplain in  her  or  his  adjustment  through  foresight,  planning, preparation,  and  sensitivity. Resource Publications.— There are two specific references that will help you before and during your tenure in the pastoral care service:  Dorland’s  Illustrated Medical  Dictionary  and  Diagnostic  and  Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-III-R. You should be  familiar  with  these  resources. xiv