The Royal Army Chaplains' Department (RAChD) is an all-officer corps that provides ordained clergy to minister to the British Army. As of 2004, there are 154 serving regular chaplains (commonly known as "padres") in the British Army; these belong to either one of several Christian churches, or to the Jewish faith. Uniquely within the British Army, the Royal Army Chaplains' Department has two cap badges for its Christian and Jewish officers. Army chaplains, although they are all commissioned officers of the British Army and wear uniform, do not carry arms (and are the only officers not to carry swords on parade). Unusually, their full dress uniform is black instead of blue, and their insignia is purple. They may or may not wear clerical dog collars and vests with their uniform. At services on formal occasions, chaplains wear their medals and decorations on their clerical vestments (many chaplains have been decorated for bravery in action, including several Victoria Crosses).
Representative denominations in the RAChD
Chaplains are either classified as Jewish (currently only in the Territorial Army) or as a member of one of the following five Christian denominational groups:
However, an Army chaplain is expected to minister to and provide pastoral care to any soldier who needs it, no matter their denomination or faith or lack of it.
Most large stations have an Anglican chaplain, a Roman Catholic chaplain, and a third chaplain from another Protestant denomination. Every battalion or regiment also has its own chaplain.
Ranks
Chaplains are the only British Army officers who do not carry standard officer ranks. They are officially designated Chaplain to the Forces (CF), and will be designated as, for instance, "The Reverend John Smith, CF". They do however have grades which equate to the standard ranks and wear the insignia of the equivalent rank. Chaplains are usually addressed as "Padre" (pronounced pardray).
The Chaplain-General is usually an archdeacon in the Church of England. The Senior Roman Catholic Chaplain, who usually ranks as a Colonel, is normally a monsignor.
See also
