The White Falcon - 14.01.1994, Blaðsíða 8

Happy birthday, RPs
Fifteen years of support-
ing command religious
programs, but what
exactly is it they do?
Story by RPC(SW) Phil Knoll
On Jan. 15, 1979, the Navy religious program specialist (RP)
rating was established. As one of the Navy’s newer career fields,
RPs are frequently bombarded with the following questions:
“What do you do anyway? Do you stand watches? Do you work
any other days besides Sunday? Are you non-combatants like
chaplains?”
By design, the rating provides Navy chaplains with professional
support of the command religious program, but they are not clergy.
Only duly endorsed and commissioned chaplains are recognized
as bona fide clergy in the Armed Forces. Preaching, pastoral coun-
seling, praying and intiating any other religious rites or obser-
vances are not included in any RP job description. RPs support re-
ligious ministry, but there is no requirement that an RP must main-
tain any denominational loyalty or religious affiliation.
In their official capacity, RPs perform administrative and cleri-
cal functions similar to yeomen and personnelmen; public affairs
work simliar to journalists; supply and fund maintenance similar
to storekeepers; and facilities upkeep similar to seabees. You will
find RPs most often in traditional dungarees, khaki or Navy blues,
but they also wear the uniform of the Marine Corps and Coa^j
Guard when so assigned. At shore stations, RPs generally wi
most Saturdays and Sundays in support of their chaplains. Whi
assigned to seagoing vessels, RPs stand underway watches, must
be damage control and 3-M qualified, and are assigned to assist at
general quarters, underway replenishment stations and sea and an-
chor details.
RPs are combatants. In fact, 25 percent of active duty RPs serve
with the Marine Corps either in the Fleet Marine Force or in the gar-
rison at any given time. RPs serving with Marines are required to
complete infantry training before reporting for duty. An RP serv-
ing with the Marines must maintain weapons qualifications at all
times to serve as a bodyguard for the chaplain. According to the
Geneva Conven-
tion, chaplains are
non-combatants and
are forbidden to bear
arms.
The four RPs as-
signed to the Chapel
of Light are proud
of their rating and
are always happy to
have visitors stop
by. Next time
you’re in thechapel,
why not wish them
a happy birthday!
iV/O,
)a^M^
Military monthly pay, effective Jan. 1,1994
Years of service
Grade <2 2
0-10 6801.60 7040.70
0-9 6027.90 6185.70
0-8 S459.70 5623.50
0-7 4538.60 4845.00
0-6 336240 3694.20
0-5 2689.20 3157.50
0-4 2266.80 2760.30
0-3 2106.30 2355.30
0-2 1836.90 2005.80
O-l 1594.80 1659.90
0-3E 0.00 0.00
0-2E 0.00 0.00
O-IE 0.00 0.00
W-5 0.00 0.00
W-4 2146.20 230250
W-3 1950.60 2115.90
W-2 1708.50 1848.30
W-l 1423.20 163200
E-9 0.00 0.00
E-8 0.00 0.00
E-7 1461.60 1578.00
E-6 1257.60 1370.70
E-5 1103.40 1201.20
E-4 1029.30 1067.20
E-3 969.90 1023.00
E-2 933.30 933.30
E-l 83280 83280
8
10
12
14
16 18
20
22
24
7040.70
6317.40
5756.70
4845.00
3936.30
3375.90
2944.50
2517.90
2410.20
2005.80
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
2302.50
2115.90
1848.30
163Z00
0.00
0.00
1636.20
1427.70
1259.70
1151.10
1063.80
933.30
832.80
7(M0.70
6317.40
5756.70
4845.00
3936.30
3375.90
2944.50
2785.80
2491.20
2005.80
2785.80
2491.20
2005.80
0.00
2355.30
2143.20
1902.00
1768.20
0.00
0.00
1693.80
1488.60
1314.30
1239.90
1105.80
933.30
832.80
7040.70
6317.40
5756.70
506220
3936.30
3375.90
2999.10
2919.00
254280
2005.80
2919.00
254280
2143.20
0.00
248240
2168.10
2005.60
1848.30
0.00
0.00
1751.40
1544.40
1401.00
1288.80
1105.80
933.30
83280
7311.00
6478.20
6185.70
506220
3936.30
3375.90
3131.40
3023.70
254280
2005.80
3023.70
2623.50
222210
0.00
2570.70
2326.80
2115.90
1927.50
0.00
2093.70
1807.20
1599.90
1458.00
1288.80
1105.80
933.30
83280
7311.00
6478.20
6185.70
5355.60
3936.30
3478.20
3345.00
3187.50
254280
2005.80
3187.50
2760.30
230250
0.00
2678.70
246240
219630
2005.80
2496.90
2153.70
1865.10
1658.70
1515.60
1288.80
1105.80
933.30
83280
771600
6747.60
6478.20
5355.60
3936.30
3665.40
3533.10
3345.00
254280
2005.80
3345.00
286620
238260
0.00
2866.20
254280
227670
2088.90
255270
2210.40
1923.30
1744.20
1571.40
1288.80
1105.80
933.30
83280
7716.00
6747.60
6478.20
5623.50
4070.10
3911.10
3694.20
3427.20
254280
2005.80
3478.20
2944.50
2491.20
0.00
2999.10
2623.50
2355.30
2168.10
2610.60
2267.70
2010.30
1796.80
1599.90
1288.80
1105.80
933.30
83280
8267.70 8267.70
7311.00 7311.00
6747.60 7040.70
6185.70 6611.10
4713.60 4954.20
4203.90 4444.50
3856.50 396270
3427.20 3427.20
254280.254280
2005.80 2005.80
3478.20 3478.20
2944.50 2944.50
2491.20 2491.20
0.00 0.00
3104.40 3187.50
2701.80 2785.80
2438.10 2517.90
2248.60 2326.60
2670.60 2730.30
2327.70 2381.10
2067.30 2124.60
1857.00 1885.20
1599.90 1599.90
1288.80 1288.80
1105.80 1105.80
933.30 933.30
83280 83280
8821.50
7716.00
7311.00
6611.10
506220
4579.50
396270
3427.20
254280
2005.80
3478.20
2944.50
2491.20
366270
3290.40
2894.40
2597.10
2410.20
2783.40
2439.60
215220
1885.20
1599.90
1288.80
1105.80
933.30
83280
8821.50
7716.00
7491.30
6611.10
5355.60
4739.40
396270
3427.20
254280
2005.80
3478.20
2944250
2491.20
3801.60
3400.50
2999.10
2701.80
2410.20
2929.20
258270
2296.80
1885.20
1599.90
1288.80
1105.80
933.30
83280
8821.50
7716.00
7491.30
6611.10
5536.60
4739.40
396270
3427.20
254280
2005.80
3478.20
2944.50
2491.20
3911.40
3506.40
2999.10
2701.80
2410.20
3043.20
2697.90
2411.10
1885.20
1599.90
1288.80
1105.80
933.30
83280
26
9371.10
8287.70
7491.30
6611.10
5808.60
4739.40
396270
3427.20
254280
2005.80
3478.20
2944.50
2491.20
4076.10
3665.40
3104.40
2701.80
2410.20
3214.20
2870.40
258270
1885.20
1599.90
1288.80
1105.80
933.30
83280
8
The White Falcon