ROTC Chaplaincy

There are ROTC programs on approximately 300 college campuses throughout the US, comprising over 50,000 cadets and midshipmen. Few, if any, have chaplain support.


The reason for this may not be immediately obvious. After all, 60% of all future military officers come from the university campus. The other 40% come from the academies and officer training schools, which have full-time chaplain support.

According to the Department of Defense, there are over 2,800 active duty chaplains represented across all branches. This is a significant number, until you calculate that this equates to about a 1 : 500 ratio. Recruiting shortages for chaplains makes it difficult to maintain this distribution. And when taken into consideration that the average ROTC program hosts roughly 100 cadets, who have yet to commission into the officer corps, it becomes clear to see why this is a need that is left unmet.

Still, ROTC programs have a commitment and are expected to produce exceptional individuals who are physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually ready to become officers of our military. With a lack of chaplain support, the spiritual component is relegated to the cadets themselves.

Chapel Corps is seeking to recruit, train, and mobilize reserve chaplains to serve ROTC programs on the university campus. With a pay structure and housing benefits competitive to active-duty employment, Chapel Corps is a desirable alternative employment opportunity for our Chaplain Corps veterans.