Category Archives: Chaplain

Military, Chaplains Fight Suicide Trend

September is the US Army’s “suicide prevention month.”

The US military, and the US Army in particular, have fought a long battle to prevent servicemembers from taking their own lives.  An Army article notes the efforts of Chaplains in Iraq to fight the growing trend of suicide in the ranks:

“We want to prevent suicide, but we need to do more than just tell people to not kill themselves,” said [Chaplain] LtCol Keith Goode… “We need to give them something to live for, we need to affirm life.”

An Air Force article entitled “Life is precious” recently covered the same topic, as a commander recounted the suicide of a member of his unit:  Read more

Go On Chaplain’s Retreat. Jump Out of Airplane.

Chaplain (1Lt) Domenic Grotti recently took 28 Soldiers through two days of relationship training called Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge.  When the course was complete, the Soldiers jumped from an airplane over southern Colorado.

“It’s an analogy really,” Grotti said. “Skydiving is about faith and trust. Trusting the tool and trusting the training. You put your life at risk, and Soldiers … put their lives on the line every day with relationships and it either helps them or hurts them. So if they can trust a tool or plan to give them success then … they may put their faith in that tool.”

And to think some people call Chaplain’s retreats “boring.”

US Military Chaplain Berated, Warned Over Views on Homosexuality

While talking heads continue to declare that the repeal of the policy known as “Don’t ask, don’t tell” will have no impact on military Chaplains or Christians in the military, a US military Chaplain has just experienced evidence undermining that claim.

In an article entitled “Mounting religious liberty concerns in DADT,” the US military Chaplain, whose details are withheld to protect his career, is stationed with a foreign military service that allows homosexuals to openly serve.  (The “success” of foreign militaries in integrating homosexuals into the service is often held up as a model for future American service.)  Examples were cited that directly contradict the claims of those who support Read more

Gene Robinson Criticizes ADF for Opposing DADT Repeal

Gene Robinson, famous as the first homosexual bishop in the Anglican church, wrote an opinion piece in USA Today demonstrating the lack of understanding some opponents of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” have about the military, regulations, and the law.  In his piece, he criticizes the reply by ADF attorney Daniel Blomberg that said “religious liberty is in real jeopardy” should DADT be repealed.

First, Robinson says:  Read more

Army Integrates Chaplain Candidates with ROTC Training

In an interesting and well-received move, the US Army has begun assigning Chaplain-candidates to the US Army’s Leadership Development and Assessment Course, through which ROTC cadets train.  The commander of the school, US Army Col. Paul Wood, praised the efforts to integrate the Chaplains-to-be with the officers-to-be:

“We know chaplains as those responsible for religious services, pastoral care, and answering the difficult, solitary questions we all sometimes ask.”

“The Army Chaplaincy is…giving its candidates a place to train while assisting Army ROTC with the leadership development process. Through religious support, counseling and their ministry of presence, they play a crucial role in the making of lieutenants.”

By being alongside cadets for 29 days embedded in each regiment, sleeping in tents and under the stars, navigating the same terrain, and overcoming the same obstacles, these young candidates carry a kind of credibility that other cadre and leaders here can’t match, Wood said.

The unique program seems to have the benefits of engendering a beneficial relationship between both the officer corps and the Chaplaincy within the Army.

Stanley McChrystal to Retire, Scott McChrystal Preaches On

Never one to miss a controversy, the media is expressing shock that “the Army” would let only three hand-picked journalists attend General Stanley McChrystal’s retirement, scheduled this Friday.  They fail to fully understand that a military retirement is not a government ceremony, and the retiree can do as much or as little as he chooses, and invite whomever he pleases.

A military article also notes the continuing ministry of his brother, Chaplain (Colonel) Scott McChrystal, US Army (retired).  He recently spoke at a prayer breakfast at Read more

Unique Contract Chaplain Serves Military Community

Norbertine Father Martin Benzoni is a unique Chaplain serving the US military: he isn’t in the military.  He currently serves in El Segundo as the

first ever part-time civilian Catholic chaplain or contractor assigned there. The decision to hire contractors was made at the Pentagon level in order to cover the unique needs in the military…due to a priest shortage the Pentagon decided to sign contracts with the chaplains at all military facilities.

As noted, Benzoni is not the only contract Chaplain.  Interestingly, the contract is between the priest’s religious order and the Air Force.  For those not familiar with military contracting, this means that Benzoni is not even a federal employee.  He could be moved by his Abbot and replaced with another priest; the contract merely requires the order to fulfill the requirement of having a priest there.  In addition, according to the news article he cannot be deployed (though other contractors can be).

Chaplain Assistant First Killed in Battle in 40 years

Sergeant Christopher Todd Stout, US Army, was killed in action in Afghanistan on 13 July 2010.  He was the first Army Chaplain Assistant killed in action since 1970.  The US Army Chief of Chaplains distributed this message:

Dear Family and Friends of the US Army Chaplaincy,

It is with my deepest sympathy and my utmost respect that I must announce that on July 13, 2010 Sergeant Christopher Todd Stout, while serving as the Chaplain Assistant for the 1-508 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, was Killed in Action in Afghanistan.

This is our first Chaplain Assistant Killed in Action since 1970 during the Viet Nam War. Sergeant Stout was a military professional of the highest caliber and a devout man of God whose love for Soldiers was only surpassed by his love for his Great God and Savior Jesus Christ.  Read more

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