Human Rights of Armed Forces Personnel Box 9.6: Humanist counsellors in the Norwegian Armed Forces357 The Norwegian armed forces appointed its first “field humanist’” (feltlivssynshumanisten), or chaplain, in February 2017. This is a military position. Accordingly, the holder (who has no prior military experience) undergoes military officer education and is commissioned with the rank of commander. In addition, the Norwegian Humanist Association (NHA) has been recognized as an endorsing organization for the new field humanist, meaning that membership of the Association is a requirement of the post and that the NHA certifies and oversees appointees. The role of religious representatives is to conduct religious services, provide information on religious matters and offer counselling and religious support services to service personnel. Where regular procedures do not exist or are deficient, religious representatives may also deal informally with complaints or handle social or welfare issues affecting service personnel. In nearly all countries, they also advise and assist leaders of the armed forces on matters concerning plans, policies and doctrine that affect the religious, ethical and moral well-being of armed forces personnel. Practice varies over whether religious representatives, such as chaplains, have a military rank. Only a minority of participating States reported that they accommodate special religious needs, such as dietary requirements, clothing, religious holidays and external signs of religious faith/affiliation. The armed forces of several states strive to meet religious dietary requirements (namely Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom). Only Austria, Norway and the United Kingdom allow service members to wear certain authorized religious dress or symbols. 357 154 Col. Erwin Kamp, “Checking in with a new Military Chaplain”, https://unitedcor.org/checking-new-chaplain/.