Application for Members Ecclesiastical Endorsement
This application is to be used for ECA members seeking ecclesiastical endorsement for appointment as a chaplain in the following:
- Armed Forces
- VA
- BOP - Federal Bureau of Prisons
- CAP - Civil Air Patrol
Education Requirements
- An undergraduate degree in any field and a minimum 72 credit-hour graduate degree from an accredited seminary recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/)
- Educational requirements for Navy candidates
- Program Authorization 110 as of May 2015
- Educational requirements for Army as of October 2018. The educational requirement of a post-baccalaureate graduate degree is a single 72 hour program. The graduate level degree cannot be a combination of smaller degrees to total 72 hours, but it must be one single degree requiring at least 72 hours. A full 72 hour graduate program provides the best opportunity for individuals to be professionally and academically developed in the areas of pastoral counseling, social work, religious administration, world religion, theology, ethics and the foundational writings from the applicant's religious tradition.
Pastoral Work Experience Requirements
- Cumulative minimum of 4,160 hours (2 years) for licensure
- Cumulative minimum of 8,320 hours (4 years) for ordination
Additional qualifications for military chaplaincy may be received from the branch of service in which an applicant is interested. A chaplain recruiter will serve as a valuable asset to assist you with your questions as to the military requirements. Also, the ECA is an affiliate member of the National Association of Evangelicals Commission on Chaplains.
Members complete the following:
- If this is the first time you are requesting a Federal endorsement from the ECA, a $100 ecclesiastical endorsement fee and $25 ecclesiastical endorsement application fee is required.
- If you are seeking another endorsement the $25 ecclesiastical endorsement fee is required along with the application.
- Complete the Application for Members Ecclesiastical Endorsement by clicking on the link and logging into your portal. The application is located under the Forms tab.
Upon approval, the ECA Military Chaplain Commission office will process the appropriate Ecclesiastical Endorsement Form.
If having difficulty completing or submitting the application online, contact the ECA office at (815) 937-0720 for assistance.
