The previously-covered bronze statue of a Chaplain comforting a Soldier has now taken its place in a memorial at Fort Jackson. Fort Jackson is the relatively new location of the US military’s combined Chaplain school. The memorial also includes a wall naming the 294 fallen Chaplains and Chaplain assistants since the Revolutionary War.
A Chaplain candidate recently explained what motivated her to join the US military Chaplaincy:
[Doretta] Fortenberry spent quite a bit of time visiting with battle-weary, solace-seeking soldiers [during a deployment to Iraq].
“They knew I was a Christian and would come ask me spiritual questions,” Fortenberry said. “We ended up losing six soldiers while we were there. Soldiers started to come to me trying to understand, questioning the deeper meaning of life, why does this happen, what happens when you die? Death was a real reality, and still is, for soldiers.”
It became obvious to Fortenberry that she could combine military with ministry.
“All of a sudden, there it was,” Fortenberry said. “This is what God Read more
One question asked repeatedly is whether it’s better to go Air Force or Navy if one wants to fly or be a fighter pilot. The FAQ of this site answers this question (as well as many others), but there’s interesting and relevant information from the graduation of the class of 2011 that just occurred.
USNA:
Class Size: 1035
Pilot Training (incl. “Marine Air”): 305 (30%)
Naval Flight Officer: 75 (7%)
Similar to the prior story from Afghanistan, US troops in Haiti also found a local religious leader with whom to worship.
Father Glenn Meaux, originally of Abbeville, La., was able to minister to Louisiana National Guardsmen and other troops deployed in Task Force Bon Voizen in Haiti. Father Meaux moved to Haiti in the late 1980s, and the senior enlisted leader of the Task Force knew he was there. The unit’s Chaplain was able to find Father Meaux on the internet and arrange for him to minister to the American forces there: Read more
Like the Air Force, the US Navy pays its aviators a monetary bonus to encourage retention (though it doesn’t always work, as the Air Force acceptance rate showed).
This year, due to high retention levels, the Navy altered its bonus plan; as stated now, the only aviators who will get the previous years’ $25K bonus per year are F/A-18 Hornet pilots. All others will get a bonus specific to their airframe: Read more
Some people live under the false impression military officers are perfect. While the nature of their profession often leaves little room for error, the men and women who make up the military officer corps are as fallible as the next person.
Military Chaplains, who often enter the military as 1LTs or Captains, have been known to give incorrect military guidance. Despite their role as spiritual leaders, they’ve also been known to dispense incorrect theology. Military lawyers, or “Judge Advocates General (JAGs),” are similar. They, too, often enter the military as higher officers, or have accelerated promotions through the lower ranks. Their advanced age, education, and rank often gives them credibility — even if it isn’t earned. They, too, have been known to give military advice or guidance to commanders that is inconsistent with the law.
Which brings us to today.
Michael Weinstein, a former JAG himself, recently published a letter Read more
As previously noted, US Army Chaplain (Capt) Pratima Dharm has reportedly become the US military’s first Hindu Chaplain. One point of curiosity was the Chaplain’s badge; she had reportedly worn the Christian cross “until this year.”
In an article at the Huffington Post, US Air Force LtCol Ravi Chaudhary explains his role in helping Dharm represent Hinduism as opposed to Christianity (which, incidentally, she doesn’t reject under the “inclusive” Hindu spirituality). (Chaudhary, a Hindu US Air Force C-17 pilot, was highlighted here just a few months ago; he currently serves in the Pentagon.) He notes the discussion of the “religious identifier” Dharm was to wear — a particularly interesting endeavor, since Hinduism doesn’t really have exclusive religious symbology: Read more
The US Air Force reported an F-16C crashed in Wisconsin. The pilot is safe after ejection and is being “medically evaluated.” The aircraft belonged to the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s 115th Fighter Wing in Madison.
As is common, the Air Force will investigate the mishap and report the results some months from now.