THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, August 10, 1996             TAG: 9608100335
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A4   EDITION: FINAL 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                        LENGTH:   18 lines

MUSLIM CHAPLAIN IS NAVY'S FIRST, THE MILITARY'S SECOND

The Navy has its first Muslim chaplain: Lt.j.g. Monje Malak Abd al-Muta' Ali Noel Jr.

Noel, from Salem, N.J., is the U.S. military's second Islamic chaplain. Army chaplain Capt. Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad is based at Fort Bragg, N.C.

The new chaplain recently completed a Master of Divinity program at the Lutheran School of Theology and the American Islamic College in Chicago., Ill., the Navy said Friday.

In a 1995 survey, 2,400 Navy officers and enlisted personnel reported they were members of the Islamic faith, a Navy spokesman said. by CNB