56D - Clinical Pastoral Educator

Civilian Roles Similar to Clinical Pastoral Educator

Chaplain Specialist, Clergy, Clinical Pastoral Educator, Confessor, Force Chaplain, Minister, Pastor, Priest, Rabbi, Reverend

Purpose of a Clinical Pastoral Educator

The Military provides for the spiritual needs of its personnel by offering religious services, moral guidance, and counseling. These offerings are provided to members of the Military and their families regardless of religious affiliation or beliefs.

Military chaplains administer broad religious programs designed to meet the needs of the military community. They offer spiritual care and ensure all military members and their families have opportunities to exercise their constitutional entitlement to the free exercise of religion. They provide religious services, religious accommodation, pastoral care, unit engagement, and counseling to meet the diverse needs of military members.

What a Clinical Pastoral Educator Does

Conduct worship services, liturgies, and rites for many different faiths Provide counseling, pastoral care, unit engagement, religious education, morale programs, spiritual renewal, lay leadership programs, and humanitarian outreach opportunities Serve as experts in the principles of religious diversity, religious accommodation, major faith group requisites, privileged communication, and religious program management Advise leaders at all levels on spiritual, religious, ethical, moral, morale, and quality of life matters Direct Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and other chaplain professional training programs Manage chapel operations, religious programs, and resources Advise commanders of their responsibility to provide appropriate facilities or sites for worship, rites, and counseling Conduct pastoral visitations and provide advisement and instruction pertaining to spiritual fitness for personnel and other faiths Provide professional supervision of subordinate personnel

Training Provided for a Clinical Pastoral Educator While Serving

Officers typically enter the Military after they have completed a four-year college degree; enlisted service members can transition to officer positions through a variety of pathways and earn a degree while serving. Learn more about becoming an officer, here.

Chaplains may have an education in religious studies. Job training for chaplains consists of classroom and on-the-job learning in various environments. Like other officers, they complete a comprehensive training program covering responsibilities, military structure and etiquette, traditions, and leadership development. Job-specific training content may include:

Role and responsibility of military chaplains Administration and leadership techniques Training and education methods Procedures for planning programs Pastoral counseling methods

Typical Clinical Pastoral Educator Work Environment

Chaplains in the military usually work in offices, hospitals, and places of worship. Those assigned to sea duty work aboard ships. Those assigned to land combat units sometimes work outdoors.