FY27/FY28 Chaplain Corps In-Service Procurement Program (CHC ISPP) Applications

1.  Purpose. This MARADMIN, in coordination with
reference (d), announces the Fiscal Year (FY) 27 and 28 
Chaplain Corps In-Service Procurement Program (CHC ISPP) and
provides specific guidance for Marine Corps applicants. Applications
for this board must be received no later than (NLT) 15 January 2027.
Applicants must familiarize themselves with references (c) through
(g) prior to applying.
2.  Background. The CHC ISPP provides a unique commissioning pathway
for highly qualified Active Component (AC) and Active Reserve (AR)
Marines to transition to the Navy and serve as Navy Chaplains. 
3.  Eligibility requirements. Per reference (c), basic program
eligibility includes:
3.a.  United States citizenship.
3.b.  Age: 21 to 42 years old. Must be able to complete 20 years of
service by 62nd birthday.
3.c.  Rank: Enlisted personnel in the paygrade of E-5 or above;
Officers in the paygrade of O-3 or below.
3.d.  Time-in-Service: 4 to 10 years of Active Duty service for 
enlisted personnel; 2 to 8 years for officers, measured at the time
of official acceptance.
3.e.  Education: Baccalaureate degree of not fewer than 120 semester
hours from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at
least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
3.f.  Physical: Must meet physical fitness and body composition
standards and maintain eligibility for expeditionary environments
and world-wide assignments.
4.  Application procedures to ensure a complete package.
4.a.  Self-nomination letter: Submit a self-nomination letter to the
Chairman, Chaplain appointment and retention eligibility advisory
group (CARE-AG) explicitly stating the intention to begin the 
program in either the fall or spring semester of academic year 
27/28 or fall semester of academic year 28/29.
4.b.  Transcripts and Evaluations: Include the last three observed
fitness reports (FITREPS) and official transcripts for all
Undergraduate and Graduate education.
4.c.  Endorsement: Applicant's Department of Defense (DoD) listed
Religious Endorsing Organization (REO) must submit a DD form 2088
endorsing them for participation in the CHC ISPP. A list of REO's
may be found at https://prhome.war.gov/m-ra/mpp/afcb/endorsements/.
4.d.  Educational Institution: Verify that the desired educational
institution(s) meets the education requirements of the REO, the 
Navy, and the CHC ISPP.
4.e.  Interviews and Appraisals: 
    (1) Applicants must contact the CHC ISPP management team to
schedule a required interview with an O-6 Navy Chaplain and verify
the interview form (NAVCRUIT 1131/5) is submitted.
    (2) Schedule a command interview and verify all appraisal forms
(NAVCRUIT 1131/5) and the Commanding Officer's recommendation form
(OPNAV 1420/1) are submitted.
4.f.  USMC requirement: Applicants must submit an Administrative
Action (AA) form requesting an inter-service transfer/conditional 
release from the Marine Corps, accompanied by a completed dd form
368 and an endorsement from an O-5 or higher Commander to Manpower
Management Separation and Retirement Branch (MMSR-2), via the
appropriate organizational mailbox (OMB):
4.f.1. Enlisted applicants: smb_manpower_mmsr2e@usmc.mil
4.f.2. Officer applicants: smb_manpower_mmsr20@usmc.mil
4.f.3.  Requests received more than 12 months prior to the
applicant's expiration of active service (EAS) will normally be
disapproved.  Exceptions to policy will be reviewed on a case by
case basis.
4.f.4. Applicants must be in a full duty status and not subject to
any pending disciplinary action, adverse administrative action,
administrative separation proceedings, civilian or military 
investigation, or legal hold. Applicants must maintain eligibility 
for inter-service transfer throughout the application and selection 
process.
4.f.5. Upon approval, MMSR-2 will provide an approved DD form 368,
"request for conditional release," to the applicant. This release 
will be executed to facilitate enlistment or commissioning into the
U.S. Navy if selected. USMC enlisted applicants will enlist as a 
Navy Officer Candidate (OC), and USMC officer applicants will be
commissioned as designator 1940 in the Navy.
4.f.6. MMSR-2 must receive a copy of the applicant's Navy enlistment
or commissioning orders no later than five working days prior to
execution to allow sufficient time to make the necessary adjustments
to the service member's expiration of active service (EAS).
4.g.  Submission: All applications and authorized supplemental
correspondence must be submitted directly to the CHC ISPP management
team at navychcispp@us.navy.mil NLT 15 January 2027.
5.  Selection process and post-selection guidance.
5.a.  After the close of the application window, CARE-AG will
convene the selection board. Results will be published via ALNAV
message.
5.b.  Upon notification of selection, selectees must accept
appointment in writing to the CHC ISPP manager.
5.c.  Selectees must notify their REO and apply to their desired
educational institution. Upon acceptance, submit the graduate
program course of instruction to the CHC ISPP manager for approval
to ensure compliance with ref (f).
5.d.  Upon course approval, complete enrollment requirements.
5.e.  Selectees must ensure all interservice transfer, 
commissioning, enlistment, redesignation, and/or obliserve
requirements are met IAW the required timeline for issuance of 
orders and matriculation.
5.f.  Ensure all reporting requirements are met during program
participation.
6. Complete program information can be found at: 
https://www.navy.mil/resources/navy-chaplain-corps/
chaplain-corps-in-service-procurement-program/.
7.  Release authorized by MajGen Fridrik Fridriksson, Director, 
Manpower Management.