Legal Question in Military Law in Texas
Air Force Chaplain Confidentiality
Air Force chaplains (probably all military chaplains) always tout their privilege of "absolute confidentiality." This has been true for at least my 17 years of active duty (I'm not a chaplain).
Do Air Force (military) chaplains enjoy absolute confidentiality or are they subject to existing duty-to-warn statutes (Tarasoff) which apply to counselors, psychologists, and psychotherapists?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Air Force Chaplain Confidentiality
1. Ask the Chaplain first, before telling her or him anything, if in fact she or he mustreport to the Command, or testify as to whatyou say in a court martial or administrativeboard. Ask for the specific regulation givingeither the mandate to tell or the protectionyou seek. And even then, don't trust it. Bestyou go off base and seek a clergyman of yourchoice, if possible.
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