FM 3-83 — Religious Affairs
FM 3-83 governs Army religious affairs doctrine, operations, planning, and execution across echelons and strategic contexts.
- Publication number: FM 3-83
- Title: RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS
- Date: 04/11/2025
- Proponent: T2COM
- Status: ACTIVE
View FM 3-83 on armypubs.army.mil
FM 3-83 covers religious affairs foundations, capabilities, core competencies, operational contexts, command echelons, and the operations process. It requires chaplain sections and unit ministry teams to plan, prepare, execute, assess, and train for religious affairs.
Applies to: FM 3-83 applies to the Active Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States and the United States Army Reserve unless otherwise stated.
Topics covered
- Religious support
- Religious advisement
- Chaplain Corps capabilities
- Unit ministry teams
- Religious affairs across command echelons
- Competition continuum
- Religious affairs training
- Religious affairs assessment
Questions and answers
What does religious support include?
Religious support is chaplain-facilitated free exercise of religion through worship, religious and pastoral counseling services, ceremonial honors for the fallen, crisis intervention, and advice to the commander on ethical and moral issues, and morale (JP 3-83). (paragraph 1-5)
What is religious advisement?
Religious advisement is the practice of informing the commander on the impact of religion on operations (JP 3-83). (paragraph 1-6)
What must chaplain sections and UMTs include?
Chaplain sections and UMTs consist of at least one chaplain and one religious affairs specialist, based on organizational requirements. (paragraph 1-7)
What clearance does a religious affairs specialist require?
The religious affairs specialist requires a secret clearance to coordinate with other staff sections within the units operations center. (paragraph 1-45)
What tools are used to assess religious affairs progress?
The primary tools used to assess progress of the units operation and the religious affairs tasks include the operation order, the common operational picture, personal observations, running estimates, and the units assessment plan. (paragraph 4-36)