Military Chaplain or Chaplain Candidate Application Checklist

Dear PRCC Military Chaplain or Chaplain Candidate Applicant,

We are thrilled that you believe the Lord might be calling you to military ministry. We are here to serve you as you walk through the application process towards a PRCC Ecclesiastical Endorsement, required by all branches of military service in order to be selected to serve with them as a Chaplain.

The journey to being selected by the military to serve as a Chaplain runs on two tracks.

• Track 1: The first one is with the military branch itself. You will work with a recruiter who will guide you through their unique application process. Somewhere along the way, your recruiter will ask you for a Form DD 2088, which is the Department of Defense (DOD)’s specific form notifying the military that you qualify for an Ecclesiastical Endorsement from an approved faith group.
• Track 2: Applying for and receiving an Ecclesiastical Endorsement from the PRCC. We recommend that you start on this tract as soon as you become serious about a call to serve as a military Chaplain. On average, this process takes at least two months.
  Ideally, you will want to complete your PRCC Chaplain application process well in advance of the military asking you for your DD 2088, so that will NOT be a holdup in your Track 1 process, particularly if any issues arise in your Track 2 processing that might cause a delay.

Your journey toward Ecclesiastical Endorsement with the PRCC will start with a telephone conversation with Dr. James (Jim) Carter, the PRCC Executive Director and Endorser (954) 850‐2448. Once you decide to start the actual application process, you will be sending electronic copies of all of your application documents to Gary Hitzfeld, the Administrative Support Person with the PRCC (ghitzfeld@pcanet.org ). Once he has received all of your application documents, he will forward your documents to either Mack Griffith or Don Sampson, both Associate Endorsers for the PRCC.  They will review all of your documents, and contact you about doing your personal interview, over the phone, via the internet, or in person. Once he believes your files are all in order, he will advise Dr. Carter regarding your DD 2088.

The applications for Active and Reserve Component Military Chaplains and Chaplain Candidate Applications are different, so make sure you are using the correct form. They are both available on our website at www.PRCC.co

For those Applying for Reserve Component or Chaplain Candidate Status, you will need to coordinate with your Session/Presbytery. If you are a pastor/assistant/seminary student and desire to be a Guard/Reserve Chaplain or Chaplain Candidate, you need to coordinate early on with your Session. Whether you are a pastor or not you should contact your Presbytery early in the process as well to advise them of your plans and the possibility of getting a Call to the Military Chaplaincy. In order to be considered as a Chaplain Candidate Applicant, you must be a member in good standing of a PRCC Denomination Church, and be “under care” of a PRCC Denomination Presbytery or Classis. In working with your Presbytery you may need to point out the helpful information available to them on the PRCC website www.PRCC.co “PRESBYTERY RESOURCES” for handling your unique Call.

The application process is all electronic. Do not mail any paper documents to the PRCC. Follow the instructions on the application forms. Only send your application documents to Gary Hitzfeld at Ghitzfeld@pcanet.org Do not also send them to Dr. Carter or Chaplain Griffith. Here is a checklist for you to use to insure you have completed and submitted all required documents:

1. ____Application for Endorsement (or Approval, in the case of a Chaplain Candidate)
2. ____Statement of Intent Form
3. ____Authorization and Release Form
4. ____Your Personal Testimony
5. ____”What is Reformed Theology?” Paper
6. ____”Why I want to be a Chaplain?” Paper
7. ____Background Check Authorization Form (not required for a CC application)
8. ____A full body photograph of yourself
9. ____Four Reference Forms (for AD or Reserve) or Two Reference Forms for CC ApplicantsSend your blank Reference Forms to your chosen persons, and ask them to email scanned copies to us, or fax them to us (instructions are on the forms). We will let you know when we have received them. You may need to follow up with them if they delay beyond your preferred timetable.
10. ____Send us copies of your College Transcripts
11. ____Send us copies of your Seminary Transcripts
12. ____We need the Presbytery you are a member of, or under care of, to send us a letter or emailstating that you are in “good standing” with them.
13. ____Pay your application Fee ($100 for military, $25 for CC Applicants) You may pay thatonline, essentially making an online “donation” to the www.PRCC.co. Your “gift” will beautomatically recorded as payment your required application fee
14. ____Fill out the Personal Interview Form included in the online application and send that to usas a separate document. Once all components of your packet are complete we will contact you regarding scheduling your interview. This will be the final step before your Chaplain Application Coach recommends to Dr. Carter the approval of your form DD 2088. A DD 2088, signed by Dr. Carter will then be forwarded to the Department of Defense (DOD), as well as to you. Make sure you immediately send your DD 2088 on to your Recruiter.

Do not hesitate to contact us along the way, to ask any questions you might have, or to check the status of your application. We are thrilled to be here to serve you through this daunting dual application process with both the military and the PRCC.

Dr. Donald Sampson
dsampson@pcanet.org
Cell: 703-901-1643