What are you opinions on Chaplain Assistants getting "Special Treatment" from their units?

Hahahaha they are the same and usually smart enough to get over

You gotta be kidding me.....

Being a chaplain assistant is a very thankless job most of the time because the Chaplain always gets the love, attention and credit for much of the work we do. CAs often get picked on by other butthurt enlisted and treated like trash by some, just for doing their jobs, and oftentimes our jobs are far more complex and demanding than almost every other MOS. To be an excellent CA or chaplain requires intellect, willpower, empathy and strength of character, morality and honor that many in the military simply do not have.

Strip away the Chaplain Corps from the rest of the military, and I guarantee you it will completely collapse in a few years or less. You have no idea how essential we are to the mental, emotional and spiritual maintenance and health of the military and its members. The military is made up of human beings, not emotionless and soulless robots.

And what do I find here on RallyPoint? Of all the incredibly knuckle-headed things to question, whine about and complain for, I see yet another assclown whining about chaplain assistants and our supposedly easy jobs and "special treatment". Holy moly...some things never change...

I was a Cpl (E-4) in 1964 stationed at HQMC Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va, assigned duty in Bn Supply and our Chaplain Asst. was PFC ( E-2). He would come down to our self-service store and drawn forms the other office supplies. On a couple times, I saw him he wasn't squared away in his uniform. I explain to him that as Marine and being the Chaplain's Asst he should really be squared away at all times.

Seven years later, I reported for duty as a Gunny Sgt (E-7) assigned duty as Supply Chief for Marine Corp Air Station, Beaufort, S.C. Checked in with the Asst Supply Officer who was a Captain (O-3), yes it was that same PFC........small world...........so if you're an NCO yeah might want to be nice to your PFC's, you might be working for them someday.

He told me later on that he made Sgt real fast, Viet Nam helped and the Chaplain a Navy Captain (0 - 6) did help him get into OCS, but from then on he was on his own. When I worked for him we were both going to college at night to get a degree. He retired as a Captain and I retired as a 1stSgt.

An old story from an old Marine.........Semper Fi

Our Chaplin told me that Chaplins don't carry a weapon!!! Their assistant is the one who dose everything and protects the chaplain!!! I'd say let whom ever is filling this position should be left alone (as long as they stay with in regs)

In my company, the Chaplain Assistant will be on the DA 6 just like everybody else. If he has duties that conflict with that, it is his responsibility to find a replacement and get it approved.
It isn't that hard.

The same for all.

The Chaplin's assistant has a unique position which requires schedule flexibility. Folks need to focus on their assignments and let the Chaplin handle any task assigned to his assistant. Relax folks, it's not that serious.

I was a Chaplain Assistant in the GA Army National Guard.
During one of our annual training we had a soldier attempt suicide. Thankfully, one of his buddies d him in time. After we were contacted the CH and I spent most of 2 days with counseling him, working with AER, Red Cross and other agencies to help solve his problems and also communicating with his wife.

Another AT, one of our AGR soldiers had a severe heart attack in the field. The CH and I followed him to the Army hospital, and then to a civilian hospital in a large city nearby. (I wound up sitting in the vehicle for over 3 hours because I did not have the chance to turn in my firearm before going to the civilian hospital, and they would not let me in with it). After we had that resolved, we were called to participate in a live fire exercise attending to 'casualties'. Altogether, we spent more than 48 hours going back and forth. We had to take turns driving so the other could catch a cat-nap.

One time the 1SG put me on KP, and the CH had to come find me. Last time on KP.

During drill weekends we split and traveled to try and have one of us visit each units' locations each weekend. This covered about 150-200 miles.....


So, to respond to the question: What "Special Treatment"?

spec ser is exempt from all duty,on call 24/7,never know when a movie star wants to have a show for our troops especially in a combat zone.these guy work their ass off when in a combat zone.....

When I was a SPC, I thought they were getting over. Decades of service later, I see the bigger picture. Chaplains are members of the BN/BDE staff. As such, they are subject to all the demands of being in the command staff. The Chaplains Assistant functions as their driver, security detail, secretary, RTO etc... If someone from the BN is in the field, so is the Chaplain and his/her assistant. Most other soldiers in the unit are replaceable for the 2 days (CQ and recovery) the soldier is lost. The Chaplains Assistant is not.