RELIGIOUS PROGRAM SPECIALISTS

YN-2525 DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES “YN-2525 Chaplain’s Professional Assistant Assists chaplain by promoting the religious program and performing administrative duties. Prepares correspondence, requisitions, purchase orders, reports, and religious documents. Main- tains material, fund, and interview records. Publishes schedules of services and programs. Schedules chaplain appointments and keeps log of events. Operates office and audiovisual equip- ment. Protects privileged communications. Maintains chapel equipment and supplies. Supervises rigging according to designed liturgical practice. Follows the liturgical calendar and uses ec- clesiastical titles and terms. Figure 1-5.—Description of duties for chaplain’s professional assistant (YN-2525). Before a Yeoman would normally be as- signed to the office of the chaplain, the command chaplain would have to justify the need for a YN-2525 billet. This proved to be a time-consuming process and placed the CRP in direct competition with other command depart- ments for the services of personnel. Unqualified personnel (those lacking the YN-2525 designa- tion) were often assigned to the office of the chaplain as temporary solutions to the manning problems. Many of the individuals who worked in the office of the chaplain, those with the YN-2525 designation and those without this designation, performed admirably under difficult circum- stances. However, the pursuit of a permanent rating to assist chaplains in managing the Command Religious Program remained a primary goal of the Chief of Chaplains. RELIGIOUS PROGRAM SPECIALISTS The 101-year quest for a permanent chaplain’s assistant rating was finally realized on 15 January 1979 when the Secretary of the Navy approved the establishment of the Religious Program Specialist (RP) rating. Stringent selec- tion requirements were set, and personnel requesting lateral conversions from other ratings to the RP rating had to be interviewed and recommended by a Navy chaplain. Also, commanding officers had to recommend pro- spective candidates based on a number of factors including the chaplain’s endorsement. Personnel requesting a lateral conversion to RP had to be high school graduates or have a GED equivalent; be eligible for access to classified information; demonstrate support for the Navy’s equal opportunity program; have no speech impediments; have demonstrated the ability to write effectively; have no conviction in a civilian or military court within the past 3 years; and be willing to support persons of all faith groups or religious categories.. These requirements have not changed since the establishment of the RP rating. Based on the stringent selection requirements, it is obvious that a person must be trustworthy, dedicated, and conscientious in order to perform as a Religious Program Specialist. On 9 May 1979 the Chief of Naval Opera- tions approved the RP rating insignia which is shown in figure 1-6. It consists of a compass, a globe, and an anchor. The compass suggests the direction which religion gives to life; the globe symbolizes the fact that religious ministries are available throughout the world; and the anchor indicates that religious support is provided con- tinually for personnel of the naval services. RP Skills and Knowledge The enlisted career pattern for RPs is shown in figure 1-7. Personnel who meet certain specific requirements may apply for commis- sioning to Warrant Officer Ship’s Clerk (741X) 1-9