Navy Religious Program Specialists (RP) — the enlisted rating supporting Navy chaplains in conducting religious programming, managing chapel and religious facilities, and providing counseling support — served both aboard naval vessels and at shore commands throughout the Navy. RP ratings maintained chapel spaces aboard aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, and larger surface combatants; operated counseling and administrative offices in shipboard spaces; and managed chapel and religious program facilities at naval shore stations. The chapel spaces, counseling offices, and administrative areas aboard WWII-era and Cold War naval vessels incorporated asbestos-containing building materials consistent with the ship’s overall interior construction — asbestos floor tile, asbestos ceiling materials, and asbestos pipe insulation on overhead pipe runs. Ashore, RP ratings worked in naval station chapel buildings and administrative offices constructed during WWII and the Cold War using military construction materials with asbestos-containing products in the building construction. Religious Program Specialists accumulated background asbestos exposure from the asbestos-containing interior construction of the ships and shore facilities where they performed their ministry support duties.

Shipboard Chapel and Office Space Asbestos Exposure

RP ratings aboard ships worked in asbestos-containing spaces:

  • Shipboard chapel space construction — the chapel spaces aboard aircraft carriers, LPH/LHA amphibious assault ships, and larger surface combatants where RP ratings conducted religious programs and services were located within the ship’s interior construction using asbestos-containing building materials in the deck tile, overhead construction, and bulkhead surfaces. RP ratings conducting daily religious programs and services in these shipboard chapel spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from the asbestos-containing chapel space construction
  • Counseling and administrative office construction — the counseling rooms and administrative offices aboard ships where RP ratings supported chaplain counseling and administrative functions incorporated asbestos-containing construction materials consistent with the ship’s overall interior building specifications

Shore Station Chapel and Office Asbestos Exposure

RP ratings ashore worked in asbestos-containing chapel and office buildings:

  • Naval station chapel building construction — naval station chapel buildings and religious ministry center facilities at major naval installations were constructed using WWII-era and Cold War military construction materials with asbestos floor tile, asbestos ceiling products, and asbestos pipe insulation in the building mechanical systems. RP ratings assigned to shore commands managing chapel and religious program facilities accumulated background asbestos exposure from the Cold War-era chapel facility construction

VA Claims for Religious Program Specialists

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy vessels and at naval stations. Religious Program Specialists who served aboard naval vessels or at naval shore commands with asbestos-containing interior construction and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.