Foreign   Military   Personnel:  Members  of non-U.  S.  defense  establishments  who  are  on official duty with U.S. military personnel or sub- ject  to  U.S.  military  jurisdiction  by  reason  of orders,  place  of  duty,  or  residence. These  personnel,  both  military  and  civilian, may  be  referred  to  within  the  Command Religious   Program   (CRP)   as   the   command’s chapel  community. HISTORY OF THE RELIGIOUS PROGRAM  SPECIALIST  (RP) RATING As  previously  stated,  the  Religious  Program Specialist  (RP)  rating  was  officially  established on  15  January  1979.  However,  the  concept  of  a chaplain’s  assistant  dates  back  to  1878  when  a committee  of  chaplains  recommended  to  the Navy  Department  that  a  chaplain’s  assistant  be assigned   to   each   ship   that   had   a   chaplain aboard.  This  assistant  would  have  been  a schoolmaster  who  could  play  organ  music  and lead singing. Although the recommendation was not adopted, the idea was given support by suc- cessive  generations  of  chaplains. SPECIALIST  (W) Early in 1942 the Navy Department took the first steps which led to the establishment of the Specialist  (W)  rating  to  assist  Navy  chaplains. The  “(W)”  referred  to  welfare,  and  it  was decided that this rate would be established only for  the  duration  of  World  War  II.  The  first officially designated Specialist (W) in the history of the Navy was W. Everett Hendricks who was authorized  to  enlist  on  23  April  1942  with  the rating  of  Specialist  (W)  first  class.  Hendricks was assigned duty in the Office of the Chaplain at   the   Naval   Training   Station,   Great   Lakes, Illinois.  He  was  recognized  as  a  talented  musi- cian   and   choir   director   and   contributed significantly  to  the  success  of  the  famed  Great Lakes’  Bluejacket  Choir. The first publicity that was given to the new rating  by  the  Bureau  of  Naval  Personnel  (now Naval   Military   Personnel   Command)   actually appeared   in   a   directive   dated   25   June   1942 addressed  to  the  Navy  Recruiting  Service. Eleven  specialist  ratings  were  identified  in  this directive  including  Specialist  (W).  Those  in- dividuals   interested   in   Specialist   (W)   were directed to obtain information regarding specific qualifications  from  the  Chief  of  Chaplains. Following the directive which established the 11 specialist ratings, a circular was prepared and distributed  by  the  Chaplains  Division  which outlined  the  required  qualifications  for Specialist  (W).  A  college  education  was  iden- tified  as  being  desirable  for  applicants  but  not absolutely  necessary.  Every  Specialist  (W)  had to  be  able  to  play  the  piano  and  organ  for religious services and other gatherings. Also, the Specialist  (W)  was  expected  to  be  a  competent choir director. Just as RPs today cannot exercise any  of  the  ministerial  functions  of  a  clergyper- son, a Specialist (W) was not expected to serve as a  religious  leader.  The  circular  did  state  that applicants  should  be  willing  to  serve  anywhere and  under  any  conditions.  Accepted  applicants under  25  years  of  age  were  given  a  third  class rating;  those  between  25  and  28  were  given  a second class rating; and those over 28 were given a first class rating. Those personnel who enlisted directly  into  the  rating  were  sent  to  a  training station  for  naval  indoctrination  before  being assigned duties with a chaplain. The Bureau of Naval Personnel ruled against Specialists  (W)  serving  aboard  ship.  It  was decided that they would be used only within the limits  of  the  continental  United  States  and  at selected  overseas  bases.  RPs  today  are  afforded a  much  greater  variety  of  duty  assignments  in- cluding serving aboard numerous types of naval vessels. The  possibility  of  having  Specialists  (W) assigned throughout the Naval Shore Establish- ment  was  greeted  with  enthusiasm  by  Navy chaplains.  Because  of  the  constant  transfer  of personnel,   chaplains   had   found   it   difficult   to maintain qualified musicians at their commands. The   assignment   of   Specialists   (W)   helped   to solve   this   problem,   and   chaplains   throughout the  Navy  hastened  to  help  qualified  applicants become  Specialists  (W). 1-7