In a little-reported story, US military chaplains from across the country mobilized to try to serve and bring peace to service members assigned to the Navy Operational Support Center in Chattanooga, where five troops were killed last month:

“We are here because we want to be here for the Sailors and Marines,” said Lt. Cmdr. David Hicks, a Navy chaplain from Charleston, South Carolina.”

Lt. Joel DeGraeve, Navy chaplain from Columbus, Ohio: “To reach out to each other and build each other up when we’re having life struggles is the real church.”

“Through counseling, prayer, encouragement and good solid advice and being able to comfort them at a time like this are things we have been doing everyday,” said Lt. Cmdr. Dan Reardon, Navy chaplain from Meridian, Mississippi.

Military chaplains provide a service, perspective, and ministry that few others can, and ministries like this demonstrate the need for faith leaders in military uniforms.

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