Chaplain Aide
In Fred’s words
Chaplain aides assist the troop chaplain (usually an adult from the troop committee or the chartered organization) in serving the religious needs of the troop. They lead the troop in opening or closing prayer and mealtime blessings. Chaplain aides ensure that religious holidays are considered during the troop’s program planning process and promotes the Scouting America’s religious emblems program.
- assists the troop chaplain with religious services at troop activities
- encourages troop members to strengthen their own relationships with God through personal prayer and devotion and participation in religious activities appropriate to their faith
- tells Scouts about the Religious Emblems program for their faith at least once a year
- helps recognize troop members who receive their religious emblems, (such as at a court of honor)
- makes sure religious holidays are considered during the troop program planning process
- helps plan for religious observance in troop activities
- encourages saying grace at meals while camping or at other activities
- helps promote annual Scout Sunday or Scout Sabbath
- sets a good example
- wears the Scout uniform correctly
- lives by the Scout Oath and Law
- shows Scout spirit
Scouting America’s position card for this job
Does it count for rank?
Positions that count for Star and Life: patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader, troop guide, OA troop representative, den chief, scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, bugler, junior assistant Scoutmaster, chaplain aide, instructor, webmaster and outdoor ethics guide.
Scouts BSA Rank Requirements (Scouting America, December 2025) · Scout troop positions, Star and LifeCollected and written by Fred W. Kimball, Troop 7 Scoutmaster from 1987 to 2003, who kept the troop's website for many years. Brought here with his blessing, in his words. Rank, advancement and position-of-responsibility rules are named here in our own short words; the wording is Scouting America’s, and each one links to where it says it.