Synopsis "Religious Ministry Lay Leader (NTRP 1-05.1) (in English)"
On 1 July 1952, Admiral Arthur W. Radford, commander-in-chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, issued "A Guide for Religious Worship and Character Development in a U.S. Ship Without a Chaplain," the first official guidance published for religious lay leaders. Prepared by the Pacific Fleet Chaplain George A. Russo's office, the document was only three pages long. It noted that commanding officers on ships without chaplains could select a volunteer to lead worship. For Protestants, the service had to be "commensurate with good taste and the spiritual needs of all worshippers." Since the days of World War II, men and women of the sea services have willingly filled the gap for their faith groups as lay leaders when chaplains were not available to meet the needs of their fellow shipmates. At the close of that war, there were only a dozen or so faith groups officially represented in the military. Today, the Armed Forces Chaplains Board officially recognizes over 200 faith groups. Religious lay leaders play a vital role within the structure and ministry of the command religious program, as they assist the chaplain and religious program specialists in meeting the religious rights of sea-service personnel. Navy Tactical Reference Publication (NTRP) 1-05.1 will assist commanders, chaplains, and lay leaders as they provide for the constitutional free exercise of religion for sea-service personnel. Recognizing that religious identity is an integral part of the members of the armed services, Congress has established that the religious requirements of service members are to be accommodated by the respective services. The Department of the Navy (DON) tasks commanding officers (COs) with the establishment of a command religious program (CRP), which accommodates the religious needs, preferences, and rights of the members of their commands, eligible family members, and other authorized personnel. Per Joint Publication (JP) 1-02, "Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms," religious support "consists of the entire spectrum of professional duties that a chaplain provides and performs in the dual role of religious leader and staff officer assisted by enlisted support personnel." Navy chaplains manage and execute the CRP on behalf of the CO. Chaplains are authorized to provide for the religious ministry support (RMS) of members of their own faith. Per Title 10 and U.S. Navy regulations, chaplains may only provide public worship according to the manner and forms of their own religious organizations (ROs). However, chaplains are also responsible for facilitating the religious requirements of all authorized users through the management and execution of the CRP. Navy policy provides several options for facilitation. Chaplains provide faith-specific religious ministry to members of the chaplain's own faith group. Contract religious ministry professionals (CRMPs) may also be retained by the CRP to meet faith-specific needs. If a chaplain cannot meet the religious requirements of an authorized user and a CRMP is not available or practicable, the command may then appoint lay leaders to meet religious requirements.
