There are many professionals with specialized skills who work within Navy Medicine to include Navy Chaplains. These chaplains participate in one of three Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs that are designed specifically for clinical settings. One of these programs, The Navy’s Pastoral Care Residency (PCR) Program, is considered the cornerstone of intensive clinical formation for chaplaincy.
Each year a limited number of chaplains are selected for the competitive program, which helps prepare them to support expeditionary medical units and operational forces across the fleet.
“Many chaplains come into the Navy with pastoral experience, but not all have had training in clinical pastoral care. Through CPE they gain hands-on training every day. They meet with patients, families, and provide care directly,” said PCR program instructor Lt. William Bevins, assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Portsmouth.
“Beyond patient care, chaplains are also there for the medical staff. Medical professionals carry heavy emotional burdens in their work, and chaplains can help them process those experiences immediately or as they occur rather than weeks or months after.”
The PCR program is a full-time, immersive, year-long assignment and occurs over a period of four quarters. Each quarter a chaplain will earn one CPE credit. Residents participate in structured group settings, individual clinical supervision, intensive group relations training, and they receive robust continuing education in clinical pastoral arts and sciences.
Ultimately, PCR provides training chaplains would not receive in a Seminary. Upon completion, a chaplain will earn an additional qualification designator (AQD 1440), which prepares them to serve in Navy Medicine billets, including expeditionary medical assignments.
“This training helps us learn the terminology and language used by doctors, nurses, and corpsmen that helps us better understand what is happening when they interact with patients,” said PCR resident, Lt. Jay Perez, currently assigned to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth during the program.
“In an operational environment, those patients would be Sailors, Marines, or Coast Guardsmen. Understanding the medical context helps us advocate for them and communicate more effectively with the medical team.” According to PCR Director, and Naval Medical Forces Atlantic Chaplain, Capt. David Jeltema, the program not only fulfills the international requirements for CPE but also prepares chaplains for the unique challenges of Navy Medicine.
“Navy Medicine serves patients who often come to us during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives—when they receive a difficult diagnosis, experience an accident, or face a serious health crisis,” said Jeltema. “Because of this, it is essential we have chaplains trained specifically to minister in healthcare settings.” While the program provides specialized skills, according to Perez it also helps strengthen and encourage the residents. “Through this process we have grown in our friendships and in our calling as chaplains,” he said. “In operational environments, many chaplains serve alone. Here we have the opportunity to grow together—iron sharpening iron.”
Just as iron is sharpened through friction, the residency program refines chaplains through honest peer feedback and reflection.
During the program, once a chaplain has provided care, they are required to write out their encounter from their perspective, to include what happened externally and what they were experiencing internally. Following this, their peers may ask questions such as: why did you ask that question? Why did you respond that way? Did your response really address what the patient shared? This kind of feedback allows chaplains to reflect on their ministry in ways they may never have before.
Bevins explained that while the PCR can profoundly transform chaplains, making them more authentic individuals who are better in all aspects of their lives, this, he said, must come from a place of humility and willingness to learn.
All the residents agree that moving from a hospital setting to an operational environment brings with it additional stress. As members are both away from home and dealing with the demands of the mission this program empowers chaplains to help build resiliency in the force. This preparation is particularly important in deployed and expeditionary medical environments where access to additional support resources may be limited. “Probably the biggest skill set I will take away from this is the ability to listen deeply to what people are struggling with and ask questions that help them find peace in whatever chaos life has thrown at them,” said program resident, Lt. Cmdr. Lloyd Wicker, currently assigned to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth during the program. In an operational setting, resources, such as mental health providers may be scarce. PCR program resident Lt. Lindsey Lyerly, currently assigned to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth during the program, explained, “This program teaches us to confront people where they're at and hopefully mitigate some of the struggles they’re dealing with,” he said. “Our goal is to help them get back into fighting position again. Because that's what we want to do for our warriors—we want to help them where they're at and get them back healthy.” In short, the Navy’s Clinical Pastoral Education initiative represents a growing effort to strengthen pastoral care across the fleet. Additionally, after decades of operating in partnership with outside institutions, the Navy now fully manages the PCR program, enabling leaders to shape the training specifically for the operational and expeditionary demands of Navy Medicine in various environments Sailors and Marines may be assigned. In recent years the Navy has expanded training for residents while also developing future educators who will mentor upcoming groups. Through fleet seminars, more chaplains will be able to access shorter CPE sessions, ensuring that advanced pastoral skills are disseminated throughout the corps. This unified approach, which combines full-time programs such as the PCR program with Fleet Seminars and a Supervisory Education Fellowship, strengthens the pastoral care capabilities across the Navy, better equipping chaplains to support Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and their families.
“Chaplaincy requires humility. We must recognize that we are always learning—not just intellectually but also spiritually in our walk with God,” said Perez. “This program strengthens chaplains spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. That strength helps us become better advisors to commanders and stronger supporters of the sailors and Marines we serve.”
Lyerly agreed and added, “We have an opportunity to speak truth even in the midst of pain and tragedy and hopefully provide healing and direction.”
Chaplains interested in the PCR Program should apply through the Chaplain Corps Advanced Education Program. Anyone interested in becoming a Navy Chaplain or learning more should contact Navy Recruiting Command or call 1-800-USANAVY or 1-888-NAVYCHC.
Navy Medicine – represented by more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilian health care professionals – provides enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea, and ashore.
| Date Taken: | 08.18.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.20.2026 09:41 |
| Story ID: | 572666 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 8 |
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This work, Navy Chaplain Residency Program Prepares Spiritual Leaders for Clinical and Operational Care, by Jennifer Goulart, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
