wfn.org | Army chaplains serve God, country in a diverse ministry

[NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG]

Jan. 16, 2001       News media contact: Tim Tanton·(615)742-5470·Nashville,
Tenn.  10-71BP{011}

NOTE: This report is accompanied by two sidebars, UMNS stories #012 and
#013. 

By Davie Burgdorf* 

FORT JACKSON, S.C. (UMNS) -- They stand as true Christian soldiers, serving
God and country. They are the nation's military chaplains, an often
forgotten part of ministry.

During war and peace, military ministry is an essential part of serving the
nation and meeting the spiritual needs of those in the armed services.
Chaplains face a unique ministerial challenge, not the least of which is
helping people come to grips with a job that could require them to kill
their fellow human beings.

Just like their civilian counterparts, military chaplains on active duty
fill the vital roles of preacher, teacher and counselor. Soldiers come to
chaplains with problems not found in other occupations, and questions such
as, "How can I be a Christian in the Army?"

Chaplain (Col.) Greg Hill, a member of the United Methodist Church's
Peninsula-Delaware Annual Conference and the U.S. Army Chaplain Center and
School staff at Fort Jackson, said military ministry is complex and one of
the most active young adult ministries around.

The soldiers that chaplains serve are generally between ages 17 and 50, and
most of them are on the younger end. Ministering to young people can pose
many challenges. In addition to preaching in different settings, including
knee-deep in mud, chaplains have the jobs of "life consideration" counselor,
marriage counselor and family counselor.

They often serve as mentors and guides for young soldiers who are dealing
with the world beyond high school for the first time.

"We help people mature," said Chaplain (Maj.) Mike Charles, a member of the
Holston Annual Conference.

Because the military provides one of the few workplaces that has a spiritual
leader, chaplains play a special role in dealing with work-related issues. 

"The chaplain is the only person who can go through the chain of command
with impunity," Hill said. "There is a trust. Soldiers can go in with a 99
percent confidence that confidentiality will be kept." Chaplains are
protected by the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which ensures
confidentiality.

"We work carefully," Charles said. "There is a professional status and
relationship there."

With a smaller military, the operational tempo of the armed services "is
greater than at any time in history," Hill said. Separation during
deployments can put strains on families, and chaplains are often the ones
who address those problems.

Adding to the strain is the fact that the military has an acute shortage of
chaplains, especially United Methodist and Roman Catholic. 

More diversity is also needed. Of the 224 United Methodist preachers on
active duty or in the National Guard and Army Reserves, less than five are
African Americans and even fewer are female clergy, Hill said.

Hill attributes the decline to two major changes.

First, the United Methodist Church went through a period when it questioned
its involvement in military service. Although the church's resistance to
military service has dissolved, there remains a lack of focus on ministries
beyond the local church, Hill said.

"The United Methodist Church is focused on the local church," he said. Even
in appointments, the chaplaincy is labeled "outside the local church," he
said.

Second, the average age of seminarians has increased significantly. Since
many of the newest preachers are entering the ministry as a second career,
most of them are older than the military's maximum age of 40.

Requirements

In addition, the Army places its own hurdles. Chaplains must meet
educational, age and physical standards to serve. They must also have the
endorsement of their denomination.

Basic requirements of a military chaplain include U.S. citizenship, being
younger than age 34 or getting a waiver up to age 40, holding a
baccalaureate degree, being a graduate or student of a seminary or
theological school, being approved by a recognized ecclesiastical endorsing
agency, being physically qualified and being able to receive a favorable
National Security Agency check.

Of those requirements, age and endorsement are the highest hurdles. "Church
endorsement is difficult," Hill said. "It's more difficult than becoming an
elder."

Because one must be an ordained elder to serve as a United Methodist
chaplain, it usually takes 10 years -- four years of undergraduate, three
years of seminary and three years as a probationary member -- to be
qualified to serve. Clergy members who went straight through school would be
nearly 28 years old before they could enter military ministry.

For those entering the clergy later in life, the timetable can put them even
closer to being too old to serve, Hill said. "They have to go through the
endorsement process quickly."

Once selected for the program, a minister is commissioned a first lieutenant
and put through the chaplains' officer basic course as a chaplain candidate.
Upon completion, the chaplain is promoted to captain.

"The Army recognizes the professional preparation of chaplains," Hill said.
For that reason, chaplains are promoted to captain more quickly than other
officers, usually within six months of being promoted to first lieutenant.

All chaplains are required to send an annual report to their bishop
outlining their ministry.
Although their conference membership doesn't change, the Book of Discipline
allows chaplains to be affiliate members of an annual conference or local
charge conference.

More information is available by contacting the Section of Chaplains and
Related Ministries, Division of Ordained Ministry, United Methodist Board of
Higher Education and Ministry, P.O. Box 340007, Nashville, TN. 37203-0007;
phone: (615) 340-7411; e-mail: scrm@gbhem.org; Web site:
www.gbhem.org/ordmin.html.

# # #

*Burgdorf is editor of The Advocate, the monthly publication of the United
Methodist Church's South Carolina Annual Conference. This story originally
appeared there in slightly different form.

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United Methodist News Service
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