When talking about military religious freedom, much of the focus is naturally on chaplains.  Often left unmentioned is the assistant, bodyguard, and companion of military chaplains: his chaplain’s assistant.

As noted in a recent Marine article, chaplain’s assistants not only support activities at home, but they are also the armed protectors of the unarmed chaplain when deployed:

Religion has always been important to 19-year-old Seaman Apprentice Jacob L. Brown, a religious program specialist…

When he learned that he could pursue it while serving his country, he jumped at the chance…

Religious program specialists are sailors who provide administrative and logistical assistance to chaplains, but when their chaplain’s life is in danger, their responsibility transforms form clerk to bodyguard.

SA Brown is actually a member of the US Navy. The Marines do not have their own chaplains; their chaplains are actually Navy officers.  SA Brown is likewise from the Navy.

The Navy recently graduated a new group of Religious Program specialists, known as “RPs.”  (The Navy term “RP” does not stand for “religious protector,” as atheist Marine SSgt Paul Loebe recently claimed, as entertaining as that may sound.)

In an Air Force article, Chaplain assistant Staff Sgt. George Mena noted the career field is “critically manned” (undermanned) because some might not know what its about:

“A lot of people get the misconception that you need to be religious and that this job is a special duty assignment,” Mena said.

As has been noted here many times before, US military chaplains go everywhere with US troops — even to the front lines (despite some ignorant comments to the contrary).  When they are in combat, chaplains remain unarmed non-combatants.  Given that the enemy often fails to recognize that, Chaplains’ assistants provide invaluable protection to an invaluable resource.

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