How does a chaplin outrank any officer?

Question

I was told that a chaplin can out rank any officer in any of the arm forces is this true?

Answer 1

A Padre's rank is just as good as any rank. You speak to them differently though. You still address them as sir. You are able to talk to them in a different manner when you are receiving counseling however. Then it is more of a friend basis. When you see them on the parade ground you must salute them and address them as sir. Just because they are part of a different rank structure, you are not. You are still bound by all the courtesy of the rank structure you are a part of. If you see a captain you salute and call them sir. If they want any different they will tell you so.

Answer 2

A Chaplin (a Captain let's say..) maybe senior in rank to a Lieutenant of Infantry, like a staff officer, he holds no command authority over that Lieutenant of Infantry.  Only that Lieutenant's company commander or battalion commander or brigade commander give him orders regarding the employment of his forces.  Staff officers cannot order a junior leader to do anything, they can relay orders from the senior commander and they can advise the junior officer as to their understaning of what those orders mean, however at no time can that staff officer say "I am ordering to do this or that.." because in his/her position as a staff officer there is no command authority.  It is assumed that Chaplins and Doctors lack the background to exercise command authority over combatants.  Generally, it is suggested that they defer to those individuals who have combat arms training regardless of their actual rank.  As a rule most Chaplins and Doctors shy a way from exercising military authority whenever possible.  Chaplin Charlie might still call you over and correct you for forgetting to render a salute and the S-2 or S-3 officer will be more than happy to tell the Battalion Commander you were a little flip in your responses, he may not fire you up, but the battalion or brigade commander most certainly will....

Answer 3

A Chaplain has a rank structure just like any other officer.

While they are in seminary, they start off in the rank on 1LT.  Once they complete seminary and choose their demonimation, they are awarded CPT.

Chaplains serve as a mental and spiritual advisor to a Battalion or higher.  Sometimes a Chaplain will have more pull than a Battalion Commander...sometimes not...it all depends on the Chaplain's recommendation and how willing a commander is to listen.

Chaplains have their own Chain of Command outside their unit.  Chaplains are rated by other Chaplains within an installation and sometimes even up higher to the Chief of Chaplains.  

Answer 4

Jazzie,

Yes, it is true.

A chaplain usually starts out as an 02 or 03 (a First Lieutenant or Captainin the Army or Air Force, or a Lieutenant jg or Lieutenant in the Navy [the Navy supplies chaplains to the Marines and Coast Guard). They can go all the way up to two star generals or admiral as Chief of Chaplains for each service.

What comes into play here, Jazzy, is that chaplains hold no command authority. They can't be captains of ships, leaders of a battalion of infantry, etc.

Thus, let's say a ship is damaged and the highest ranking survivior is an 05 chaplain, but there are two 04 officers also surviving, one of the 04s would be the acting captain of the ship.

This same policy holds true for military doctors, dentists, JAG officers, and in the Navy - supply officers.  This group of officers is called "Staff Corps" officers. The combatant officers are called "Line Officers."

To address a comment above - they do answer to a commanding officer. They are assigned to units, and answer to the unit's commander.

I hope I answered your question.

"Ranger"

Answer 5

Not true.

A Chaplain is an officer in whichever branch, and carries a rank such as Lt., Capt., etc.  The only persons he outranks is a lesser-ranked officer, or an enlisted man.

Answer 6

No. Chaplains do not outrank anyone in the service. They have a lot of pull but are not in the line of command.

Answer 7

jazzie -

chaplins carry rank like other commissioned officers.  Their promotion system is separate and chaplins only compete against other chaplins for promotion.  However, a chaplin who is a captain is equal in rank to other captains.  They answer to the chain of command that exists on the military installation as well.  And, like most functional areas, chaplins have an off-installation chain of command that addresses issues regarding their profession, administering to the military's religious needs, etc.  This is true for most commissioned officer functional career or job issues.

Answer 8

In a sense they do but they stand outside the normal chain of command.

They answer only to the chaplin chain and not to the commanding officer of the unit.  

Answer 9

chaplin? like Charlie Chaplin?

CHAPLAIN!  

Answer 10

not really no.  there are very specific criteria that must be met.. much along the lines of a Doctor  being able to tell a CO that one of his  company absolutely cannot deploy due to a medical condition.  

Answer 11

No not true.

Answer 12

No.  They have their own rank like any other soldier.