Religious Programs Specialist (RP)

Religious Program Specialist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Religious Programs Specialist ) Religious Program Specialist Rating insignia Issued by: United States Navy Type Enlisted rating Abbreviation RP Specialty Administration Religious Program Specialist (abbreviated as RP ) is a United States Navy occupational rating . Religious Program Specialists assist Navy chaplains . Religious program specialists provide support to Navy chaplains in developing programs to meet the needs of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel and their families. RPs perform functions that do not require ordination and do no pastoral counseling. Contents 1 What They Do 1.1 RPs serve... 2 History 2.1 Specialist "W" 2.2 WAVES 2.3 W. Everett Hendricks 2.4 Chief Specialist "W" Alfred R. Markin 2.5 Chaplains Assistant (SSN534) 2.6 Personnelmen and Yeoman Chaplain’s Professional Assistant (YN-2525) 2.7 15 January 1979 2.8 Requirements to cross-rate to RP in 1979 2.9 Merger threatens rate 2.10 Still making news 2.10.1 January 23, 2004 2.11 New "A" School 3 Badges 3.1 The Compass, Globe and Anchor 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading What They Do The duties performed by RPs include: supporting chaplains of all faiths and religious activities of the command; maintaining records, ecclesiastical documents and references of various faith groups; maintaining liaison with religious and community agencies; assisting in preparation of devotional and religious educational materials, and audio-visual displays; determining, developing, managing and maintaining the administrative and logistical support requirements of religious programs and facilities aboard ships, shore stations, hospitals, Marine Corps units and other sea service commands; providing physical security for chaplains during field exercises and in combat environments; operating and maintaining libraries aboard ships and isolated duty stations; performing bookkeeping and accounting functions related to Religious Offerings Fund and OPTAR fund transactions; as custodians, rigging and unrigging for religious activities; publicizing the command's religious activities; training command religious program volunteers on logistics and instruction methods; supervising chaplain's office personnel; performing administrative, clerical and secretarial duties; stocking and maintaining field mount-out boxes. RPs must have a favorable interview by chaplain/RP screening committee. High school diploma graduate or equivalent with successful completion of 10th grade. Repeat military offenders and personnel convicted by military or civilian authorities of any criminal offense reflecting unfavorably upon their character or integrity are ineligible for the RP rating. Moral turpitude offense(s) are disqualifying. Ministers, Priests, or Rabbis are not eligible for this rating. RPs serve... On Ships With Fleet Marine Force units With Navy SEALs and SWCC With Seabees On Shore Stations At Naval Hospitals At CREDO retreat centers On Individual Augmentee assignments with Chaplains from other services History The idea of having a chaplain’s specialist assigned to each ship with a chaplain aboard dates from 1878. That year a committee of chaplains first made the recommendation to the Navy Department. Although the Navy Department did not immediately adopt the recommendation, successive generations of chaplains gave their support to the idea. Specialist "W" Finally, from 1942 to 1945, the Navy adopted the Specialist “W” rate (the “W” stood for Welfare) to address the specific wartime needs of Chaplains serving in World War II. Specialist "W"s were at that time required to: Perform clerical duties; play piano and organ for worship services; be competent musical directors; not expected to serve as religious leaders (just as it is today for RPs); and be willing to serve anywhere under any conditions. WAVES Women also distinguished themselves as Specialists (W) during the war. Thirty-eight “WAVES” were selected to serve in the rating. Virginia T. Moore was the first woman to be selected as a Specialist (W) and was subsequently assigned duty in November 1943 in the Nation’s Capital. The first “WAVES” to attend the Chaplains School in June 1944 were recognized as highly motivated, dedicated, and conscientious students. W. Everett Hendricks 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 success of the famed Great Lakes’ Bluejacket Choir. Chief Specialist "W" Alfred R. Markin Between April 1942 and August 1945, the Bureau of Naval Personnel selected 509 individuals for the Specialist (W) rating out of 1,455 applicants. Alfred R. Markin was advance