Need info on military chaplains

I've never been a Military Chaplain, but I just thought I'd let you know, the Marines don't have Chaplains - they have Navy Chaplains for both Navy and Marines.

We live next to a Marine Air Station in North Carolina, and have had Navy Chaplains speak at our church from time to time.

 

I would be interested to know more about this from people other than a recruiter.

I have feel led to believe I need to join the military to become a chaplain, but I don't have enough schooling yet. They require a Bachelor's degree and I am only just now working on my Associates.

I am just praying and holding out for what God is trying to show me in the direction I need to go in my life.

Jamie

 

I both served in the military and play golf with a Christian, disillusioned chaplain.

1) Real Christian chaplains have to compromise the word of God in order to preach to all Protestants in the audience (IMO).

2) The chaplain I play golf with says that the Catholic chaplains have a "lock on Bear Creek." Know what that means? On every base there has to be a Catholic chaplain to offset the one Protestant who may or may not be a liberal chaplain (usually is). This, for all practical purposes, puts them in control of assignments and policy!

3) You obviously offer communion (and thereby assumption of salvation) to those who are "unworthy ... not detecting the body of Christ" because the congregation is a "mixed bag."

4) I knew a Baptist chaplain in Homestead AFB. He was a member of our offbase SBC church. He was a godly man. I met socially with him often. I did not get the impression from him that he was "muzzled" at that time (1986-89) so that might be mitigating testimony.

My hats off to you if you are willing to sacrifice your career for your principles before you are even hired. It will be hard going but listen to LtCol Ollie North's testimony. There are Christians "in the ranks," even Generals. And our troops need Jesus. Just don't go in with any false impressions.

skypair

 

I have known three Army chaplains, all Southern Baptist. Two retired with the rank of full colonel. They both had marvelous productive careers which they enjoyed thoroughly. After retirement, they held many successful interim pastorates. Their testimony is very positive concerning military chaplaincy. The third is still in the Army with the rank of brigadier general. I have not seen him for several years but I know he loves God, he loves the Army and he loves the chaplaincy. So don't believe you have no future as a chaplain unless you are Catholic. These men know better.

 

Here in the UK there is an organisation called SASRA (The Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Scripture Readers Association). This was formed way back in 1838, though of course no airmen then! The Scripture Readers are not chaplains, but personal evangelists. They have to have served in the armed forces themselves. Maybe there is something similar in the U.S. The SASRA website is at: http://www.sasra.org.uk/ In fact, I have just visited it, and seen a link to what looks like a similar organisation in America: http://cmfhq.org/ That site in turn gives a link to the Chief of Army Chaplains site: http://www.chapnet.army.mil/

I hope this is useful.

 

If you are serious about becoming a military chaplain you will have to attend an approved/accredited seminary. In fundamental circles the only one I know of is Tennessee Temple in Chattanooga. They are approved for military chaplains as are the 6 SBC seminaries.

The Army’s chaplaincy training program is based at Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC. I know they do a lot with CIU (Columbia International University, formerly Columbia Bible College).

You can visit their website at:

http://www.usachcs.army.mil/

During my time in the military I met several wonderful, saved, biblically sound chaplains including southern and independent Baptists who worked very hard at ministering to soldiers. I also met many chaplains who did not fit that description at all. If you go through with this you will be blessed with many opportunities to minister to soldiers and their families. You will also have to put up with a giant bureaucracy, limits on your speech, and be forced to associate with other chaplains of non Christian faiths including Islam, and now even Wicca. Pray about it and be certain your calling is from God. I will pray for you also.

From the link above:

 

There is an article in this month's American Legion by a Chaplain in the Pennsylvania National Guard if you are interested. He was deployed for 18 months.

LINK