The Air Force Chaplain Corps provides spiritual care and the opportunity for Airmen, their families, and other authorized personnel to exercise their constitutional right to the free exercise of religion. This is accomplished through religious observances, providing pastoral care, and advising leadership on spiritual, ethical, moral, morale, core values, and religious accommodation issues.
A Global Ministry
Air Force people live and work around the world serving our country. Chaplains serve side-by-side with them, leading worship services and observances, providing pastoral care, and advising leadership as they magnify the Air Force Chaplain Service vision of Glorifying God, Honoring Airmen, and Serving All.
Interfaith - Multicultural Air Force
Life as an Air Force chaplain is both exciting and rewarding. As members of a multicultural community, chaplains provide ministry to persons of their own faith group, yet also act as guardians of the free exercise of religion for all Air Force members and their families.
Core Values
Chaplains combine the roles of clergy and military officer while upholding the standards of the Air Force Core Values: Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do. Each year about 35,000 new people enter the Air Force. Not all share the same values. The ministry and officership of the chaplain helps instill the personal ethical standards that provide a strong foundation for the Air Force Core Values.
Candidate Programs
The Air Force Chaplain Candidate Program is an exciting opportunity for you as a seminary student to evaluate your own adaptability and potential for commissioning as a chaplain. The focus is on experiencing ministry in the Air Force during summer tours of active duty. As a chaplain candidate, you will draw on your background, education, and experience to function as part of an Air Force chapel team. Upon entering the program, you will be commissioned a Chaplain Candidate, Second Lieutenant. When you graduate from seminary and are endorsed by your denomination you will be eligible for reappointment as a chaplain in the USAF Reserve. The Requirements for a Chaplain Candidate are:
- Full-time seminary student in good standing.
- Ecclesiastical Approval from endorsing agency for your denomination (application kit cannot be sent to you before your ecclesiastical approval is received at HQ AEPC/HC). Call Chaplaincy Services at 1-800-233-8962. CH (LTC) Dwight Jennings, USA (Ret).
- An undergraduate degree from an acceptable or an accredited institution (120 semester hours) and an MDiv or equivalent degree of 72 semester hours.
- Be able to complete approximately 100 days of active duty training during at least two separate vacation periods prior to graduation or within 90 days following graduation from seminary.
- Applications are accepted after enrollment in seminary, and must be completed prior to the beginning of the third semester before graduation.
- Less than 35 years old at time of commissioning (usually 6 months from date application is received at HQ ARPC).
- Meeting Air Force requirements for commissioning as a second lieutenant in the Reserves. You can be commissioned after the Air Reserve Personnel Center favorably reviews at least one semester or quarter of your seminary work.
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TWO-YEAR PROGRAM
- Year One
- 5 weeks of training (Commissioned Officer Training and Chaplain Candidate Familiarization Course)
- 50 days at an active duty Air Force Base (stateside)
- Year Two
- 50 days at an active duty Air Force Base (stateside)
THREE-YEAR PROGRAM
- Year One
- 5 weeks of training (Commissioned Officer Training and Chaplain Candidate Familiarization Course) PLUS 33-35 days at an active duty Air Force Base (stateside)
- Year Two
- 33-35 days at an active duty Air Force Base (stateside)
- Year Three
- 33-35 days at an active duty Air Force Base (stateside)
The Benefits:
- Ministry opportunity in the Air Force
- Supervised ministry experience (with approval of your seminary)
- 2nd Lieutenant pay and benefits
- Possibility of moving into Reserve Chaplain position or perhaps active duty
- Fringe benefits. While on active duty, you receive free medical, dental, legal, and other services. You are also entitled to monetary savings through the commissary and base exchange. Certain other benefits, such as space-available travel on military aircraft within the continental United States, are available to you year round.
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