Field Manual FM 1-05 Religious Support January 2019

This publication, Field Manual FM 1-05 Religious Support January 2019, is a key integrating publication that links the doctrine for the Chaplain Corps with Army and joint doctrine. FM 1-05 provides operational guidance for commands and religious support personnel at all echelons and forms the foundation for all United States Army Chaplain Center and School curricula.

This manual contains four chapters. Chapter 1 describes religious support foundations, including the historical precedents for the Army Chaplain Corps as well as its roles, missions, and functions. Chapter 2 delineates the current operational environment, including the requirement to provide religious support across the range of military operations. Chapter 3 details the execution of religious support at the different echelons of command within our Army. Chapter 4 depicts planning for religious support across the conflict continuum using the operations process.

The principles of Army religious support doctrine presented in this manual enable chaplains and religious affairs specialists to apply creative, flexible, and innovative approaches to specific missions and operational environments. Chaplains and religious affairs specialists serving in a joint force land component command or a joint task force should refer to JP 3-0, Joint Operations, JG 1-05, Religious Affairs in Joint Operations, and other joint planning publications for further guidance. FM 1-05 is nested with JP 3-0 and JG 1-05.

The Army is the principal land force, organized, trained, and equipped to conduct prompt and sustained operations on land. The Army is responsible for deploying forces at any time, in any environment, against any adversary and must be able to operate for extended periods across the range of military operations.

In order to support the free exercise of religion within the Army, chaplain sections and unit ministry teams must be able to function within operational environments possessing a full range of threats. Chaplain sections and unit ministry teams sustain Soldiers across the range of military operations; from military engagement, security cooperation, and deterrence, to crisis response and limited contingency operations, to large-scale combat operations.

Everything the Army does for our nation is done by Soldiers who are supported by their Family members. The principles of Army religious support doctrine presented in this field manual enable chaplain sections and unit ministry teams to apply creative, flexible, and innovative approaches to specific missions and operational environments as it supports the Soldier and Family. Chaplains have served in the U.S. Army since the first days of the American Revolution and many have died in combat. These chaplains represented more than 120 separate denominations and faith groups from across America. Seven chaplains have been awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism above and beyond the call of duty. Many chaplains and religious affairs specialists have received other medals for valor. The personal needs of Soldiers, the mission at hand, their own faith, and emerging religious support doctrine, guided these chaplains and religious affairs specialists as they met the goal to uphold the free exercise of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.