VA Chaplains
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR VA CHAPLAINCY
Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be considered for employment as a chaplain when there are no qualified U.S. citizens
available for a position. Further information is available on-line at: http://www.opm.gov/employ/html/Citizen.htm.
(2) Ecclesiastical Endorsement:
Must possess ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months, from the designated national endorsing official of his/her faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is the written official statement of the endorsing body certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the faith group or denomination and that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. We can accept endorsements only from the nationally designated official.
If you do not know who is the ecclesiastical endorser for your faith group, please check the list on line at www.va.gov/chaplain. Select“Employment Information” then scroll down to the “List of Ecclesiastical Endorsers.” If you do not find your faith group on the list, phone the National VA Chaplain Center at (757) 728-7069.
(3) Education:
All applicants must possess the degree of Master of Divinity or equivalent educational qualifications. Equivalent
educational qualifications means possession of a bachelor’s degree of at least 120 semester hours plus completion of not less than 70 semester hours of graduate course work which included all of the following: 20 semester hours in pastoral ministry; 20 semester hours in any combination of theology, ethics and philosophy of religion; 20 semester hours in the study of sacred writings, including the study of languages in which sacred writings are/were written; 10 semester hours in religious history and/or world religions.
To meet federal requirements, education must be from college(s), university(ies), or theological institution(s) that are accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department of Education has a database of accredited institutions on the internet at: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html
(4) Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE):
In addition to the education requirements, applicants must have completed at least 2 units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) [as defined by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), the National Association of
Catholic Chaplains (NACC), or the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP)]. 800 hours of supervised ministry in a formal training program which incorporated both ministry formation and pastoral care skills development may be substituted for the required CPE.
(5) Experience:
To qualify for GS-11, you must have at least two years of professional experience, after completion of the M. Div. or equivalent, which has demonstrated both practical pastoral knowledge and skill, and ability to minister in a pluralistic setting. Supervised or guided pastoral experience completed during graduate professional education may be credited for up to one of the two years of experience. Part time experience is pro-rated by comparing the average number of hours worked to a 40 hour work week. Completion of a doctoral degree directly related to pastoral ministry may be substituted for one year of experience.
For GS-12, in addition to the requirements for GS-11, at least one additional year of professional experience, equivalent in complexity and responsibility to the GS-11 level, which has demonstrated all of the following:
(a) Ability to serve as a consultant or expert to an interdisciplinary treatment team;
(b) in-depth knowledge of related professional fields, particularly in the behavioral sciences;
(c) understanding of, and ability to respond to, the particular concerns and issues pertaining to treatment of veterans;
(d) Knowledge of the structure, regulations, practices, and programs of health care delivery systems;
(e) Ability to interpret and apply a body of rules, regulations, policies, and procedures in professional practice;
(f) Ability to develop and maintain liaisons with a variety of outside organizations.
(6) English Language Competency:
All applicants must be proficient in written and spoken English.
(7) Selective Service
Registration: By law, all males born after December 31, 1959 must have registered with the selective service
system (the draft) or have a valid exemption.
(8) Specialized Positions:
Positions with specialized clinical assignments, such as mental health or substance abuse, require additional applicable knowledge’s, skills, and abilities.
Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be considered for employment as a chaplain when there are no qualified U.S. citizens
available for a position. Further information is available on-line at: http://www.opm.gov/employ/html/Citizen.htm.
(2) Ecclesiastical Endorsement:
Must possess ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months, from the designated national endorsing official of his/her faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is the written official statement of the endorsing body certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the faith group or denomination and that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. We can accept endorsements only from the nationally designated official.
If you do not know who is the ecclesiastical endorser for your faith group, please check the list on line at www.va.gov/chaplain. Select“Employment Information” then scroll down to the “List of Ecclesiastical Endorsers.” If you do not find your faith group on the list, phone the National VA Chaplain Center at (757) 728-7069.
(3) Education:
All applicants must possess the degree of Master of Divinity or equivalent educational qualifications. Equivalent
educational qualifications means possession of a bachelor’s degree of at least 120 semester hours plus completion of not less than 70 semester hours of graduate course work which included all of the following: 20 semester hours in pastoral ministry; 20 semester hours in any combination of theology, ethics and philosophy of religion; 20 semester hours in the study of sacred writings, including the study of languages in which sacred writings are/were written; 10 semester hours in religious history and/or world religions.
To meet federal requirements, education must be from college(s), university(ies), or theological institution(s) that are accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department of Education has a database of accredited institutions on the internet at: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html
(4) Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE):
In addition to the education requirements, applicants must have completed at least 2 units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) [as defined by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), the National Association of
Catholic Chaplains (NACC), or the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP)]. 800 hours of supervised ministry in a formal training program which incorporated both ministry formation and pastoral care skills development may be substituted for the required CPE.
(5) Experience:
To qualify for GS-11, you must have at least two years of professional experience, after completion of the M. Div. or equivalent, which has demonstrated both practical pastoral knowledge and skill, and ability to minister in a pluralistic setting. Supervised or guided pastoral experience completed during graduate professional education may be credited for up to one of the two years of experience. Part time experience is pro-rated by comparing the average number of hours worked to a 40 hour work week. Completion of a doctoral degree directly related to pastoral ministry may be substituted for one year of experience.
For GS-12, in addition to the requirements for GS-11, at least one additional year of professional experience, equivalent in complexity and responsibility to the GS-11 level, which has demonstrated all of the following:
(a) Ability to serve as a consultant or expert to an interdisciplinary treatment team;
(b) in-depth knowledge of related professional fields, particularly in the behavioral sciences;
(c) understanding of, and ability to respond to, the particular concerns and issues pertaining to treatment of veterans;
(d) Knowledge of the structure, regulations, practices, and programs of health care delivery systems;
(e) Ability to interpret and apply a body of rules, regulations, policies, and procedures in professional practice;
(f) Ability to develop and maintain liaisons with a variety of outside organizations.
(6) English Language Competency:
All applicants must be proficient in written and spoken English.
(7) Selective Service
Registration: By law, all males born after December 31, 1959 must have registered with the selective service
system (the draft) or have a valid exemption.
(8) Specialized Positions:
Positions with specialized clinical assignments, such as mental health or substance abuse, require additional applicable knowledge’s, skills, and abilities.