Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy

Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy
Emblem of the Navy Chaplain Corps
since May 16, 2022
United States Navy Chaplain Corps
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
TypeMilitary chaplain
AbbreviationCHC[1]
Member ofArmed Forces Chaplains Board
Reports to
SeatThe Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Term length4 years
Constituting instrument10 U.S.C. § 8082
FormationNovember 5, 1917
First holderCAPT John B. Frazier
DeputyDeputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy/Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps
WebsiteOfficial Website
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The Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy (CHC) is the highest-ranking military chaplain in the United States Navy and head of the United States Navy Chaplain Corps. As part of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and Department of the Navy, the CHC is dual-hatted as the Director of Religious Ministries (N097) under OPNAV.[1][2] In these capacities, the CHC is the principal advisor to the secretary of the Navy, the chief of naval operations and, where appropriate, the commandant of the Marine Corps and commandant of the Coast Guard "on all matters pertaining to religion within the Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard."[3] For administrative and personnel matters, the CHC reports to the chief of naval personnel.[4]

The position was created in 1917 to "provide a system of appointing qualified and professional chaplains that meet the needs of the Navy".[5][6] The nominee, as decided by the president of the United States, must be an active-duty officer of the Chaplain Corps above the rank of commander who has served in the Corps for at least eight years. The CHC serves for a 4-year term, but the president may terminate or extend the appointment at his pleasure.[4] By statute, the officeholder holds the two-star rank of rear admiral while serving as Chief.[4]

The current CHC is Rear Admiral Gregory N. Todd, a Lutheran, who assumed office on May 16, 2022.[7]

  1. ^ a b "United States Navy Flag Officers (Public), May 2022" (PDF). MyNavyHR. April 30, 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 30, 2022.
  2. ^ SECNAVINST 1730.1B Archived March 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ OPNAVINST 1730.1D Archived August 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b c 10 U.S.C. § 8082 - Chaplain Corps and Chief of Chaplains.
  5. ^ "Chief of Chaplains Roster". Naval History and Heritage Command. June 7, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  6. ^ Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) John Osborne (April 17, 2007). "Ceremony Establishes Naval Chaplains School". U.S. Navy. Naval Personnel Development Command Public Affairs. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ "Webcast: Change of Office for the Chaplains". DVIDS. Retrieved May 16, 2022.