Many military members who deploy have “kits” of items that they take with them, some for personal reasons, other for professional.  Some military branches and specialties also issue kits with required items for the servicemembers in those fields.

Chaplains are no exception.  Over at the Army Chaplaincy Blog, Chaplain Daniel Sparks has a picture and list of the things he packs in his “Chaplain’s Kit” when he deploys.  While size and weight are certainly important, Sparks also mentions another important factor: time.  The Chaplain is from a liturgical background, and he mentions selecting an order of worship that will be brief, as he must be prepared to perform services in combat conditions.

Christian Chaplains are by no means the only ones to pack these kits.  The Navy’s Buddhist Chaplain is currently in Afghanistan, and last year there was a discussion on her website about creating a Buddhist Chaplain’s kit.  Apparently there are “denominations,” if you will, of Buddhism which make packing a “universal” Buddhist kit challenging as well.