HISTORY OF THE RELIGIOUS PROGRAM SPECIALIST (RP) RATING

MISSION OF THE CHIEF OF CHAPLAINS To direct, administer, and manage the Navy Chaplain Corps and implement religious ministries to meet the needs of personnel in the naval service and their dependents in their pursuit of the free exercise of religion. Figure 1-4.—Mission of the Chief of Chaplains. HISTORY OF THE RELIGIOUS PROGRAM SPECIALIST (RP) RATING As previously stated, the Religious Program Specialist (RP) rating was officially established effective 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 successive genera- tions 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 dura- tion 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 musician and choir director and contributed significantly to the suc- cess 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 1-5 specialist ratings were identified in this directive including Specialist (W). Those individuals in- terested in the Specialist (W) rating were directed to obtain information regarding specific qualifica- tions 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 identified 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 ex- pected to be a competent choir director. Just as RPs today cannot exercise any of the ministerial functions of the clergy, a Specialist (W) was not expected to serve as a religious leader. The cir- cular did state that applicants should be willing to serve anywhere and under any conditions. Ac- cepted 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 train- ing 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. Religious Program Specialists today are afforded a much greater variety of duty assignments including 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 per- sonnel, 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). Selection and Training of Specialists Most of the applicants for Specialist (W) had backgrounds as music teachers, professional musicians, or as church ministers-of-music. Many were also graduates of the leading schools of