Religious program specialist

As an essential member of Professional Naval Chaplaincy, RPs fulfill a crucial function in administering religious ministry within the Department of the Navy (DON).

In this capacity, RPs actively support the provision and facilitation of Religious Ministry, offering assistance and care to Navy and Marine Corps personnel, as well as their families, irrespective of their backgrounds and faith affiliations.

The integration of RMTs throughout various commands and units reflects the Navy's commitment to ensuring comprehensive coverage of religious support during missions on the battlefield, at sea, and on the home front.

Shore-based RP assignments involve the operation, administration, and programming of Navy and Marine Corps installation chapels, naval hospitals, and headquarters staff commands.

Their primary responsibilities include ensuring force protection and physical security for chaplains, who, in accordance with the Geneva Conventions, are prohibited from carrying firearms.

Furthermore, within this context, the RMT serves as subject matter experts in spiritual fitness and warrior resilience, aiming to enhance the readiness and endurance of their teams to effectively sustain combat operations.

The compass symbolizes the guidance that religion provides in life, the globe signifies its accessibility worldwide, and the anchor represents its continual provision for sea service personnel.

Some of the duties and responsibilities outlined in the occupational standards and job descriptions are as follows: Religious Program Specialist (E-1 through E-4) Assist in facilitating religious ministry; support the care of service members and their families; advise the chaplain on morale, program planning, and execution; support the CRP with data collection, research, and analytics; and provide technical expertise on force protection requirements for RMTs in an expeditionary or combat environment.

Religious Program Supervisor (E-5 to E-7) Assist in facilitating religious ministry; support the care of service members and their families; advise the chaplain; advise leadership on morale, program planning, and execution; support the CRP with data collection, research, and analytics; and provide technical expertise on force protection requirements for RMTs in an expeditionary or combat environment.

In this role, the SEL oversees and coordinates RP leader support to align with the organizational objectives of the Navy and Marine Corps.

Additionally, they provide counsel to senior enlisted leaders of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard on matters related to religion.

From 1942 to 1945, the Navy introduced the Specialist "W" rating (the "W" standing for Welfare) to address the wartime requirements of Chaplains serving in World War II.

The first Marine to receive the new classification was Gilbert Dean Arnold, who was made a Gunnery Sergeant, the equivalent of a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy.

Unlike the Navy and Coast Guard who instituted the Specialist (W) as a wartime measure, the Marine Corps announced that it intended to retain its rating of Chaplain's Assistant after the war.

Between 2002 and 2004, a manpower proposal was put together that would merge the RP rating– along with CTA and LN – back into the Yeoman rating as a “right-sizing” and cost-cutting measure.

A religious program specialist (left) during the Iraq War in 2005, armed with a rifle. The RP keeps his eyes peeled for threats while escorting the Navy chaplain. As the Geneva Conventions prohibit chaplains from carrying a firearm, armed religious program specialists act as their de facto bodyguards in the field.
A RP, hands out shoes to students at a school in Djibouti. The World Emergency Relief donated 10,000 pairs. The Camp Lemonnier base chapel, were distributing the shoes to local schools, refugee camps, and churches. As well as sending them with Army Civil Affairs detachments to distribute in other African countries.
A religious program specialist during the Iraq War. When serving in the Fleet Marine Force (FMF), religious program specialists wear the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform (MCCUU) identical to the uniforms worn by their Marine Corps counterparts with the exception of "U.S. Navy" tape and US Navy rank insignias.
A religious program specialist and the MCPON in 2009.
RP's have the opportunity to go to certain combat schools of Marines. This religious program specialist is with Combat Logistics Battalion 26, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, and begins his cold weather training movement at the U.S. Mountain Warfare Training Center
Religious Program Specialist throughout history
USN Religious Program Specialist (RP) emblem, from Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Hospital website
The small metal badge, introduced in 1989, worn by religious program specialists on the left collar of their camouflage uniforms in a war zone.