RECRUITING RESERVE OFFICER – CHAPLAIN (RESO)
The Reserve Officer Training Program for the Chaplain Branch provides seminarians and lay theological students with taste of what it would be like to serve as a chaplain in the Canadian Forces.
Time Commitment: It is normally a two summer training experience. The program starts early to mid May and runs to mid August.
Summer One: Starts with four weeks of Basic Officer Training at the Canadian Forces Chaplain School and Centre at Borden Ontario. Your Basic Officer Training Program is tailor made for chaplains and be asured that you will receive the instruction you require to prepare you for the rest of your summer. Army, Navy, and Air Force Bases will be visited to get an idea of what chaplaincy is like in each environment. A portion of the summer will be spent as part of a chaplain team at a Cadet Camp. All of your work will be supervised by a fully qualified cadet camp chaplain.
Summer Two: You will serve from early to mid May until mid August as part of any ecumenical chaplain team on a major Canadian Forces Base. You will supervised by a senior chaplain.
Working Environment: As a RESO candidate, under the supervision of a senior chaplain, you will be in the privileged position to work within an ecumenical team ministry that ministers to all CF members and their families, regardless of rank or position. Under the direct supervision of a senior chaplain you will get a clear idea of what it means to be responsible for the pastoral care and oversight of military personnel and to respond to their spiritual and mental health needs as required. You will learn how to recognize specific psychosocial and spiritual difficulties and how to make recommendations for referral or disposition. You will learn that chaplains provide a ministry of presence and offer spiritual teaching programs; that they offer up inclusive prayers at public military ceremonies, and that they foster healthy lines of communication with other spiritual leaders in the civilian community.
You will learn that chaplains provide a ministry of presence and offer spiritual teaching programs; that they offer up inclusive prayers at public military ceremonies, and that they foster healthy lines of communication with other spiritual leaders in the civilian community.
You will learn that the chaplain is an important member of the command team of the unit and that chaplains will continue to exercise a ministry expressed through the sacramental-liturgical life of the Church. You will come to appreciate that the relationship between the chaplain and all members of the unit can be very profound, spiritually intense and privileged. It will become abundantly clear to you that only the chaplain can achieve this special trust because he or she has privileged access to all members, has no command authority, and is prohibited from bearing arms.
Related Civilian Occupations: Many institutions employing professional church workers view chaplains trained in the Canadian Forces with respect. The quality of the postgraduate studies, professional development, training and the depth of work experience, especially with young high functioning people, contribute to a professional, skilled and thoughtful professional church worker. Occupations where your skills and training as a chaplain would be welcome include:
Professional church workers
Youth ministry
Special social ministries such as street ministry
Pastoral counseling education
Hospital, School and University chaplaincies
Correction Services chaplaincy
Church Headquarters
Ecumenical organizations
Non governmental organizations
Pay: As summer employment goes, remuneration is considered quite satisfactory. When one considers that often this training can be used as a credit for field training experiences in most seminaries, few field training experiences could compete with the salaries provided by the CF. Check with your Regional Representative for the most recent pay scales.
Physical Fitness Requirements: Minimum Requirement: three pull ups, fifteen sit ups, twelve pushups, and an ability to jog 1.5 miles or 2.5 kilometers within fourteen minutes.
Completion of the Reserve Officer Training Program will qualify you to become a Reserve Chaplain after you have acquired two years of practical training within your civilian faith group.
In the event that you have any queries please call your Regional Chaplain