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Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-102

§8082 Chaplain Corps and Chief of Chaplains

Title 10 › Subtitle C — Navy and Marine Corps › PART I — ORGANIZATION › CHAPTER 809 — BUREAUS; OFFICE OF THE JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL › § 8082

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Navy must have a Chaplain Corps as a staff corps, run under rules the Secretary of the Navy makes. The Chief of Chaplains is chosen by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Chief must be an active-duty chaplain of commander rank or higher with at least eight years in the Chaplain Corps. The job is for four years but the President can end or extend it. While serving, the Chief has the rank of rear admiral (upper half). The Chief follows duties set by the Secretary and by law. For matters about getting, assigning, and supporting chaplain personnel, the Chief reports to and is supported by the Chief of Naval Personnel.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §8082

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Chaplain Corps is a staff corps of the Navy and shall be organized in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy.
(b)There is in the executive part of the Department of the Navy the office of the Chief of Chaplains of the Navy. The Chief of Chaplains shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, from officers of the Chaplain Corps in the grade of commander or above who are serving on active duty and who have served on active duty in the Chaplain Corps for at least eight years.
(c)An officer appointed as the Chief of Chaplains shall be appointed for a term of four years. However, the President may terminate or extend the appointment at any time.
(d)(1)The Chief of Chaplains shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy and by law.
(2)The Chief of Chaplains shall, with respect to all duties pertaining to the procurement, distribution, and support of personnel of the Chaplain Corps, report to and be supported by the Chief of Naval Personnel.
(e)The Chief of Chaplains, while so serving, holds the grade of rear admiral (upper half).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–232, § 807(a)(2), renumbered section 5142 of this title as this section. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 115–232, § 510(b), added subsec. (e). 2016—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 114–328 struck out subsec. (e) which read as follows: “The Chief of Chaplains of the Navy is entitled to the same rank and privileges of retirement as provided for chiefs of bureaus in section 5133 of this title.” 1997—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–85 struck out “, who are not on the retired list,” after “serving on active duty”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by section 807(a)(2) of Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of

Amendments

and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 8082

Title 10, Armed Forces

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102