Chaplain

Overview

Are you a student or alumni wondering how you can turn your passion for helping others into a rewarding career? Follow your call to serve as a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) chaplain!

The CAF offers a variety of entry plans – including our SEELM programme. Through our SEELM programme, you can pursue graduate level education while receiving a salary, health care benefits, and paid annual vacation. Best of all, you’ll have guaranteed employment after your studies.

To apply to SEELM, you must have been accepted without condition to a Graduate-level professional degree in Faith Tradition formation (MDiv or equivalent) at a Canadian university in a program recognized by the ICCMC and the CAF.

Your Role

CAF chaplains are responsible for fostering the spiritual care of all CAF members and their families, regardless of religious/spiritual affiliation, practice, and/or belief.

Chaplains have privileged access to CAF members of all ranks, have no command authority, and are prohibited from bearing arms. Their responsibilities include:

·       Provide an active and compassionate presence within bases, wings, and formations

·       Care for the sick and wounded, bereaved, and people in distress

·       Participate in military exercises and deploy with military personnel

·       Advise the military chain of command on spiritual, religious, and ethical issues affecting CAF members’ morale and well-being

·       Prepare, preside over, and administer services/rituals specific to one’s own faith/spiritual tradition

Compensation

We recognize the skills, knowledge, and experience you bring to the Defence Team. Whether you are pursuing a full-time or part-time position, CAF members receive competitive salaries, annual pay increases, and world-class benefit packages.

Our benefit packages include:

·        Medical, Dental, and Vision Care

·        Maternity and Parental Leave

·        Vacation and Paid Leave

·        Pension Plans

Starting your CAF career with the regular force? Full-time military chaplains receive a starting salary of $7,841 per month (that’s $94,092 per year!) and annual pay increments from 1 through 10.

Have other time commitments? Consider joining the reserve force! Part-time military chaplains receive a starting salary of $239.24 per day and annual pay increments from 1 through 10.

Learn more about pay by rank and military benefits here… https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/benefits-military/pay-pension-benefits.html

Essential Qualifications

·       A bachelor’s degree in any field

·       A graduate-level degree which equips and develops faith/spiritual tradition leaders

·       Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident

·       Licensing, accreditation, and/or mandating within your faith/spiritual tradition

·       Minimum of 2 years full-time, credentialed experience as a faith/spiritual tradition leader

·       Between 18 and 53 years of age

For candidates educated in Quebec: College diploma (or equivalent), and a baccalaureate degree in theology (or equivalent).

Candidates who do not meet these requirements can apply for the Subsidized Education for Entry Level Masters (SEELM) programme to complete graduate level studies and/or gain work experience as a faith/spiritual tradition leader. Selected participants will receive a salary, health care benefits, and paid annual vacation.

Learn more about the SEELM programme here… https://forces.ca/en/paid-education/speciality-programs

Training

After enrolment, Chaplains attend Basic Military Officer Qualification (BMOQ) training at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, for 12 weeks. Topics covered include general military knowledge, the principles of leadership, regulations and customs of the CAF.

Work Environment

CAF chaplains work in all military environments with members of the the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), the Canadian Army (CA), the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and Canadian Special Operations Forces (CANSOF). CAF chaplains work across Canada and may be required to go abroad during operations.

Values and Ethos

The CAF is fully committed to creating a workplace that is welcoming, inclusive, safe, and respectful – for every member of the Defence Team.

Read more about our values and ethos here… https://forces.ca/en/values-ethos/

For more information, please attend one of our webinar sessions here… https://forces.ca/en/events/

Apply on forces.ca