Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy


The chief of chaplains of the United States Navy is the highest-ranking military chaplain in the United States Navy and head of the United States Navy Chaplain Corps. As part of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and Department of the Navy, the CHC is dual-hatted as the director of religious ministries under OPNAV. In these capacities, the CHC is the principal advisor to the secretary of the Navy, the chief of naval operations and, where appropriate, the commandant of the Marine Corps and commandant of the Coast Guard "on all matters pertaining to religion within the Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard." For administrative and personnel matters, the CHC reports to the chief of naval personnel.
The position was created in 1917 to "provide a system of appointing qualified and professional chaplains that meet the needs of the Navy". The nominee, as decided by the president of the United States, must be an active-duty officer of the Chaplain Corps above the rank of commander who has served in the Corps for at least eight years. The CHC serves for a 4-year term, but the president may terminate or extend the appointment at his pleasure. By statute, the officeholder holds the two-star rank of rear admiral while serving as Chief.
The current CHC is Rear Admiral Gregory N. Todd, a Lutheran, who assumed office on May 16, 2022.

List of officeholders

NamePhotoTerm beganTerm ended
1.CAPT John B. FrazierNovember 5, 1917November 1921
2.CAPT Evan W. ScottNovember 1921July 1926
3.CAPT Curtis H. DickinsJuly 1926July 1929
4.CAPT Sidney K. EvansJuly 1929July 1935
5.CAPT Edward A. DuffJuly 1935July 1937
6.CAPT Robert D. WorkmanJuly 1937July 1945
7.RADM William N. ThomasJuly 1945September 1949
8.RADM Stanton W. SalisburySeptember 1949February 1953
9.RADM Edward B. Harp, Jr.February 1953June 1958
10.RADM George A. RossoJune 1958July 1963
11.RADM J. Floyd DreithJuly 1963July 1965
12.RADM James W. KellyJuly 1965July 1970
13.RADM Francis L. GarrettJuly 1970July 1975
14.RADM John J. O'ConnorJuly 1975May 1979
15.RADM Ross H. TrowerMay 1979August 1983
16.RADM Neil M. StevensonAugust 1983August 1985
17.RADM John R. McNamaraAugust 1985June 1988
18.RADM Alvin B. KoenemanJune 1988August 1991
19.RADM David E. WhiteAugust 1991August 1994
20.RADM Donald K. MuchowAugust 1994August 1997
21.RADM A. Byron Holderby, Jr.August 1997August 2000
22.RADM Barry C. BlackAugust 2000August 15, 2003
23.RADM Louis V. IasielloAugust 16, 2003June 22, 2006
24.RADM Robert F. BurtJune 23, 2006August 26, 2010
25.RADM Mark L. TiddAugust 27, 2010August 1, 2014
26.RADM Margaret G. KibbenAugust 2, 2014July 22, 2018
27.RADM Brent W. ScottJuly 23, 2018May 16, 2022
28.RADM Gregory N. ToddMay 16, 2022Incumbent

Memorial hallway

A hallway to honor former chiefs of Navy Chaplain Corps was dedicated at the Navy Annex, in Arlington, Va., in 2004. Five former chiefs of chaplains were present at the dedication ceremony, including Barry C. Black, Alvin B. Koeneman, Neil M. Stevenson, Ross H. Trower, and David F. White.