Margaret G . Kibben Chaplain ( Rear Admiral ( lower half ) ) Margaret Grun Kibben , USN , is a Presbyterian minister currently serving as both the 18th Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps ( CHMC ) and the Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy . She was sworn in as CHMC on July 9 , 2010 as the first female to serve in either of her present dual roles . The Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps is a position that has been filled by the officer serving as the Navy ' s Deputy Chief of Chaplains as a " dual hatted " billet since 2000 . Prior to that policy , a senior Navy chaplain holding the rank of Navy Captain served as CHMC . Education . A native of Warrington , Pennsylvania , Rear Admiral Kibben entered active duty in the U . S . Navy in 1986 following studies for a bachelor ’ s degree from Goucher College in Towson , Maryland . She received both her Masters of Divinity and her Doctor of Ministry degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary , Princeton , New Jersey . She holds a Masters degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College . Kibben was a senior fellow at the United States Institute of Peace . Military career . Kibben ’ s Marine Corps assignments have included Marine Corps Base Quantico , Virginia , where she served with Headquarters and Service Battalion , Security Battalion , the Brig , Marine Corps Air Facility and the president ’ s Helicopter Squadron , HMX - 1 . She also served with the Marines of Second Force Service Support Group Camp Lejeune , N . C . , making deployments to both Turkey and Norway . Later she was assigned to the Marine Corps Combat Development Command in Quantico as the doctrine writer for Religious Ministry . Kibben ’ s Navy assignments include the U . S . Naval Academy in Annapolis , Maryland as the first female chaplain . She was the Navy Chaplain Corps historian at the Chaplain Resource Board and the command chaplain , USS San Diego ( AFS - 6 ) , in Norfolk , Virginia . As U . S . 3rd Fleet chaplain , Kibben was responsible for the training and certification of all carrier strike group and expeditionary strike group religious ministry teams . She completed a deployment as the command chaplain , Combined Forces Command Afghanistan as an individual augmentee . Most recently , Kibben was detailed to the Office of the Chief of Navy Chaplains , first serving as the director for Force Structure and Community Management and subsequently as the executive assistant to the chief of Navy Chaplains . Role and responsibilities . According to Secretary of the Navy Instruction 1730 . 7D , the Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy advises the Commandant of the Marine Corps , the Chief of Naval Operations , and the Commandant of the Coast Guard " on all matters pertaining to religion within the Navy , United States Marine Corps , and United States Coast Guard " – but the Deputy Chief of Chaplains serves as Chaplain of the Marine Corps , " advising the CMC on religious ministry matters in reference to support , personnel , plans , programs , policies , and facilities within the USMC . " Additionally , as the Navy ' s Deputy Chief of Chaplains , Kibben is " Deputy Director of Religious Ministries , " serving as the " principal assistant to the Chief of Chaplains . " Awards and decorations . Kibben ' s personal awards include the Legion of Merit , the Bronze Star , the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars , and the Navy Commendation Medal with three gold stars .