At a glance
- Officer
- Specialist
- logistics
The most important part of the Army is its people. The role of the chaplain or non-religious pastoral officer is to care for those people.
The Royal Army Chaplains’ Department recruits both religious and non-religious personnel.
Life as an Army Chaplain or non-religious pastoral officer is a calling like no other. Belonging to a remarkable organisation of young men and women, sharing your life with them and serving alongside them wherever they go brings tremendous opportunities and challenges. It is a vocation that is both demanding and rewarding.
Chaplains or non-religious pastoral officers are Professionally Qualified Officers who deliver pastoral care, provide or facilitate spiritual support and give moral guidance to the whole force and their families irrespective of faith, world philosophy or status. Chaplains wear British Army uniforms, provide leadership but do not command, are non-combatant and do not bear arms.
A list of the Endorsing Authorities recognised by the MOD and additional application criteria can be found here.
Key Responsibilities
Play a key role in improving the Army’s culture and behaviours to forge a winning team
Deliver pastoral care to everyone at home and abroad
Provide or facilitate spiritual support publicly and privately, at every level of the Army
Offer moral guidance and ethical leadership to Service personnel and the Chain of Command
Live and work with your unit and travel with them wherever they go
Opportunities to study postgraduate qualifications
Have any questions? Talk with us
Reserve (part time)
Entry requirements
Age:
From 26 years to 54 years
Qualifications:
Minimum of 2-3 years’ post-accreditation experience, or equivalent, in a full-time leadership capacity in a pastoral context.
Be (or eligible to be) endorsed by an Endorsing Authority representing your belief or faith community.
You must be under the age of 50 at the time you commission into the RAChD.
Basic physical fitness assessment:
Mid Thigh Pull 76kg
Medicine Ball Throw 3.1m
MSFT (beep test) level 8.07
Training for the role
Step 1
Initial training is completed at the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre at Shrivenham.
Step 2
Attend modules A and B at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, within the first two years of commissioning.
Qualifications you could get after training
Opportunities for study include:
Master of Theology in Chaplaincy Studies
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
Pay & benefits
You’ll be paid for all your training and other service starting at £144.72 per day. This rises by annual increment to a maximum of £229.43 per day assuming satisfactory performance and progress.
You will also:
receive additional payment in lieu of holiday pay
be enrolled into a non-contributory pension scheme
on completion of your annual training commitment (usually 27 days) and mandated tests, receive an annual tax-free lump sum (bounty) rising from £558 in year one to £2,209 in year 5
How to Apply
When you decide to apply, your local unit will help you through the process - you don't need to wait until you've finished Army Assessment to get involved.
To join, you have to apply online. The application process will take some time, but you can also ring the unit you're interested in joining - the team there will help often invite you to join them for drill nights, and you'll get support for your application.