As testament to the value that pastoral support brings Service Personnel, the Ministry of Defence has introduced Armed Forces Non-Religious Pastoral Officers (NRPO) to further bolster the support given to our Armed Forces.
The Armed Forces chaplaincies have been providing pastoral support and moral and spiritual guidance for over a century, with chaplains being an important source of welfare supporting our sailors, soldiers, and aviators whilst at home and on operations.
The pastoral support they offer is rooted in their faith or belief and all chaplains are experienced religious practitioners prior to joining the Armed Forces. The faiths and beliefs held by our Service Personnel are diverse, and this is reflected within our chaplaincies with Christian, Muslim, Sikh and Jewish chaplains serving.
Being introduced in 2024, the Non-Religious Pastoral Officer will serve as members of our chaplaincy teams. Similar to faith chaplains, the Non-Religious Pastoral Officer will provide pastoral support to all, regardless of faith or belief.
