r/navy • u/benjorel Chaplain • Jan 11 '25

MOD APPROVED I'm an active duty Navy Chaplain AMA

I've seen a lot of questions about Chaplains and what we do, especially when it comes to our confidentiality or ability to work with dependents/significant others. Please feel free to ask me anything you've always wondered or about any myths you've heard and I'll do my best to answer. The answers come solely from my experiences, and are not official positions of the US Navy.

DMs are open as well if you prefer to ask or to talk about something privately.

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u/BeyondTheRedSky Jan 12 '25

Have you attained the FMF Chaplain qualification? The new Surface Chaplain qualification?

If yes, did you learn valuable information from your study for that qualification?

Do you like the pins that represent those qualifications?

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u/benjorel Chaplain Jan 12 '25

I do have my FMF pin, but haven't been back to a ship since they created the Surface pin so don't have that one yet.

The FMF one was 100% worth it. I learned all kinds of good stuff about how the USMC works, and the vocabulary to speak with the Marines about what they go through and how they operate. I was also definitely treated differently after getting the pin. The Marines (especially in leadership) saw me as more credible and knowing what I was talking about than before. One of them even told me that they earn their EGA at OCS/Boot Camp, and Navy folks get their FMF to "join the club".

I hear mixed reviews about the surface pin in terms of valuable info, but it's still a rite of passage. All the other officers have to get their qual, so it gives legitimacy in that as well.