The Army.mil website has photos of a memorial held at Fort Jackson, SC, site of the US Armed Forces Chaplains Center, for US Army Chaplain (Capt) Dale Goetz, recently killed in combat.
Interestingly, the traditional “Soldier’s cross,” formed by an upended rifle, boots, and helmet, was appropriately modified with an actual cross to replace the M-16; the former was carried by the non-combatant Chaplain, the latter was not.
As previously noted, Chaplains are an integral part of the Army’s efforts to combat the trend of Soldier suicides. A recent Army press release details how Chaplains contribute to that cause:
Chaplains provide confidential counseling services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Wagner said. They refer those they counsel to other post resources when necessary. Chaplains also advise commanders during unit suicide prevention training, conducted quarterly. Read more
The Wall Street Journal has a fascinating article about Navy Chaplain (Lt) Terry Moran and his armed escort, Chaplain’s assistant RP2 Philip Chute.
Chaplain Moran is a Seventh Day Adventist. Specialist Chute is an atheist. The subtitle says it all: “This Chaplain is Protected by God…and by an Atheist…at War.”
Lt. Moran takes the Bible at its word, rejects the evolution of species and believes the Earth to be 6,000 years old. He carries a large Bible with him into the combat zone, while RP2 Chute totes writings of Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist and fierce critic of the notion that God designed the universe.
If nothing else, it appears the two have a respect for their relative roles: Read more
Updated with message from Army Chief of Chaplains.
As previously noted, US Army Chaplain (Capt) Dale Goetz was killed in Afghanistan earlier this week. He evidently died fufilling his pastoral duties as a Chaplain, “fob-hopping” to support his “congregation” of military Soldiers:
Goetz was in a convoy traveling from one forward operating base to another, where he counseled soldiers.
MSNBC reports that he was the first Chaplain killed in combat since Vietnam, not unlike the story of Sgt Chris Stout, the Chaplain assistant killed in Afghanistan in July. Notably, however, US Army Chaplain Tim Vakoc died in 2009, five years after being wounded in a similar set of circumstances: a roadside bomb on a return trip from ministering to troops.
The Army Chief of Chaplains released the following message: Read more
Reports indicate one of the four military members killed in a roadside bomb attack on Monday was Chaplain (Capt) Dale Goetz, US Army. He was apparently deployed to Afghanistan from Fort Carson, near Colorado Springs, CO.
“He had a great burden for the soldiers,” said Jason Parker, pastor of High Country Baptist Church of Colorado Springs. “His specific prayer request was to see 300 soldiers come to Christ. He was also praying for God to call 10 of those soldiers into the ministry. That was one of his specific prayer requests.
“God was using him. He was very actively witnessing. He didn’t want to be just a social worker. He wanted to see soldiers hear the Gospel and trust Christ.”
He is survived by his wife and three children.
A recently retired Army Reserve Chaplain minced few words in criticizing the proposed repeal of the policy known as “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” Chaplain (Col) Alexander Webster (USA, Ret) said, among other things:
President Barack Obama’s initiative to rescind the “don’t ask, don’t tell” statute of 1993 will, if Congress yields to him later this year, shred the social and moral fabric of our armed forces…Fortunately for the nation and its military defense, many chaplains and their civilian faith group leaders are beginning, at last, to push back on the issue.
Webster cites the ADF letter from the Chaplains and the resolutions from Chaplain endorsers opposing repeal.
The Wall Street Journal picks up on a story covered here previously: Rabbi Menachem Stern has been trying to become a US military Chaplain, but is currently unable because he wears a beard as a tenet of his faith.
The 28-year-old rabbi was notified last year that he had been accepted as a chaplain in the Army Reserve. Almost immediately, Army officials contacted him to say the acceptance was a clerical mistake, and that unless he was willing to shave his beard, he couldn’t join. As a Chabad Lubavitch rabbi, Mr. Stern refused, saying the beard is a tenet of his faith.
Stern is obviously aware of the Army’s previous exceptions allowed, including Chaplain (Col) Jacob Goldstein, who was grandfathered, and Read more
Contrary to some assumptions, Chaplains in the US military do not exist solely to serve the spiritual needs of American servicemembers. In fact, they often play a strategic role in a conflict. From Chaplain (LtCol) Ira Houck:
Chaplains are the religious leaders in the military and religious political leaders in Iraq have respect for the integrity of our office. It’s because of our position that they will tell us information about their areas of expertise that they wouldn’t share with anyone else.
While the use of Chaplains in these roles has a long history, there is a unique aspect of the cultures currently engaged by the US:
Religion is a big part of Iraqi lifestyle and politics. There is no separation of church and state here.
Read more at Chaplains provide new perspective on Iraq.