Australian Defence Force Chaplaincy Opportunities

Army Chaplains provide broad-based pastoral care to members of the Army and their families, administering spiritual support while advising Command on matters of personnel welfare.

Army Chaplains are called to live out their faith by serving beside those who serve our nation; through pastoral care, spiritual/ religious ministry, supporting welfare and morale on a full-time or part-time basis. Their commitment is to stand beside soldiers and their families regardless of the challenges they face or the environment they are in.

The Chaplain’s role extends well beyond the community model of a religious leader. Whereas a civilian religious leader ministers to their own faith group, the Army Chaplain provides support to all Army personnel and their families, regardless of their faith tradition or non-faith perspective.

As members of Army, chaplains are expected to act as part of a unified, multi-faith team providing leadership in the practice of faith, spiritual and religious observance and ceremony.

The chaplain’s role can be divided into five primary functions:

• Spiritual ministry or support
• Religious ministry or support
• Pastoral Care
• Provision of Advice
• Character Formation and Development

Applicants for appointment to the Royal Australian Army Chaplains Department are required to:

• be from an endorsed faith group represented within the current religious diversity of Australian Army personnel.
• hold a faith group recognised degree of at least three years full-time at the Bachelor level of Australian tertiary recognised standards, with a range of faith group specific subjects.
• provide documentation of appropriate faith group training, certification and endorsement.
• have at least two years of faith group pastoral care ministry experience.
• be deemed suitable by the appropriate faith group and be endorsed by their RACS member.
• satisfy the entry criteria applicable for Australian Army officers. This includes passing physical, medical and psychological screening.
• have approval of the Director General Chaplaincy – Army or their representative to initiate recruiting.

Full-time Chaplains are employed by the Australian Defence Force and are required to offer unrestricted service and may be posted periodically anywhere in Australia.

Part-time Army Chaplains undergo the same formal training as full-time Army Chaplains, but their commitments are different. For example:

• a weekly parade one night per week of 3 hours (if your unit parades at night)
• part of one weekend per month (if your unit has a weekend activity)
• a nine-day exercise per year

Full-time chaplains are to complete their initial training within the first year of service and part time in the first two years of service:

Specialist Service Officer Training (3 weeks)

Support Chaplaincy Training (3 weeks)

Full-time Chaplains at entry level are paid $111,220 pa, before tax.

All Part-time Reserve pay and allowances are tax-exempt.

The pay rate for a part-time new entry Chaplain on appointment is $304.71 per day.

Chaplains are expected to parade in uniform, which is provided initially free of charge.

When Reservists undertake ordinary Reserve service, as well as when volunteering for continuous full-time service, the Government has an ADF Reserves Employer Support Payment (ESP) Scheme. The ESP financially assists employers and the self-employed to offset the costs and consequences of releasing Reserve members for Defence service.

Also note it is legislated that ADF Reserve service personnel are provided with two weeks leave above and beyond their annual leave.