The Military’s Best Kept Secret
Yesterday, I spent the day on post at Fort Leonard Wood near Waynesville, Missouri. I attended a Direct Commissioning Service for Sergeant James Ferguson. As a sending church to three US Army Chaplains, this day was a special treat for me. Let me suggest the Chaplain Corps is the military’s best kept secret. Here’s why…
The Chaplains are highly trained noncombatants.
The US Army Chaplain Corps (USACC) consists of ordained clergy of multiple faiths who are commissioned Army officers serving as military chaplains as well as enlisted soldiers who serve as assistants. Their purpose is to offer pastoral care through religious church services, counseling, and moral support to the armed forces, whether in peacetime or at war.[1]
The ordained chaplains all have at least a Master of Divinity degree plus years either in pastoral ministry or specific internships. They also attend religious leaderships schools and receive other training. As representatives and ministers of various religions to the soldiers, each chaplain is a noncombatant, meaning they are forbidden to carry a weapon – it is illegal to even touch a weapon or ammunition.
Every chaplain has a ministry team partner, known as a Religious Affairs Specialist, formerly called a chaplain’s assistant. The Religious Affairs Specialists support the unit Chaplain and Commander in responding to the needs of soldiers, family members, and other authorized personnel. As an enlisted or non-commissioned soldier, they act as counselors for their fellow soldiers and provide security to Army Chaplains. Duties include preparing spaces for worship, managing supplies, and ensuring the security and safety of the chaplain during combat situations.[2]
The Chaplains provide pastoral care, counseling, and help with morale.
This group of men and women of various faiths serve every soldier in the military. Depending upon which base or post the soldier is attached, most chaplains serve up to 1,200 individuals at any one time. Some specifically work in specialty jobs such as hospital chaplains or educators in specialty schools; however, most spend their time with officers, enlisted soldiers, and their families. When the troops deploy, the chaplain deploys with them. On the battle field, the chaplain focuses on the needs of the soldier rather than winning a particular battle. The chaplain cares for those who are injured or otherwise need help.
When not in battle (which would be the majority of the time), the chaplains are available for counseling, spend time with the troops to build morale, and, on the weekends, provide religious services in various chapels for the many denominations represented by the soldiers. They offer traditional and contemporary formal services, as well as guarantee the opportunity for other religious groups to meet as well. They functionally guarantee religious freedom for each soldier.
Chaplains serve as Advisors to Commanders.
Another significant role of Chaplains relates to Commanders. Each Commander is assigned a Chaplain. The Chaplain serve as advisers to them on all matters pertaining to religion, spirituality, morale, ethics, and moral issues. This significant role plays out a bit differently between every Commander and his/her Chaplain; however, this significant role impacts every area of military life for individual soldiers.
Each Chaplain serves the Soldiers and God simultaneously within his or her personal faith.
While the chaplain is a commissioned officer, each chaplain also serves under a religious endorsement. Each military chaplain must be endorsed by a religious organization in order to serve on active duty. This religious endorsement must be maintained throughout the chaplain’s military service and can be withdrawn at any time for religious or disciplinary reasons by the religious body with which the chaplain is affiliated. The chaplain is to maintain accountability with the endorsing group and should perform his or her pastoral care consistent with the endorsing denomination.
In the case of chaplains from the Baptist Bible Fellowship International (the Fellowship), the chaplain also is accountable to his local church pastor, known as the sending church pastor. At Sonrise, we serve as the sending pastor for three US Army chaplains: Chaplain David Sisco, Chaplain Nathanael Logan, and Chaplain Cody Coolidge. Plus, Greg Sherry serves out of our church as a Religious Affairs Specialist.
Our Soldiers benefit from the ministry of the US military chaplain corps.
Regardless of denomination or religious preference, the Soldiers of the United States benefit greatly from the work of the chaplains and their specialists. From counseling to pastoral care, these men and women serve relentlessly and sacrificially. On call seven days a week, most chaplains serve a full work week, put in PT, and are on call for any other opportunities of service.
In the case of my visit to Fort Leonard Wood, Chaplain Sisco often trains right along with the Soldiers in the Battalion as they work their way through the Army’s ten-week basic training. Since it is basic training, he often does spiritual and emotional triage. Due to limited time available in basic training, he spends most of his time in the field right along with the recruits as they work their way through basic training.
Personal satisfaction and pride
Having had the privilege of training chaplains in both biblical counseling and as part of their MDiv training at Baptist Bible Theological Seminary since 1999, I have much personal satisfaction in what I have experienced with our chaplains. Just yesterday, the senior chaplain on Fort Leonard Wood upon hearing my roles as a sending pastor and professor expressed incredible pleasure in the service and training of Chaplain Sisco. He also said great things about Becky Sisco and her service alongside David.
All-in-all, what an incredible day experiencing the chaplains and specialists of Fort Leonard Wood while experiencing the commissioning service of the US Army’s newest chaplain.
Praise the Lord for those men and women serving in the military chaplain corps – the Military’s Best Kept Secret.
Please keep these special men and women in your prayer.
Chaplain David Sisco All the chaplains and specialists laying hands on the newly commissioned chaplain as he begins his service to the soldiers of the US Army.
Image Credit Personal Pictures
KevinCarson.com | Wisdom for Life in Christ Together
My husband was a chaplain in the US Army for over three decades. This is the first time I have read anything positive like this from a church leader. I am tearing up — you have validated his calling, his hard work, and all the trials of our military family. Thank you.
God bless you and your soldier husband. My hat is off and I salute all the Chaplains and their Specialists. May God bless their continued work!
I enjoyed this appropriately titled article. My father was a chaplain’s assistant (now called a Religious Affairs Specialist – he probably would have like that title!) during the Korean War.
This was an answer to my Grandmother’s prayers. She prayed that he would be kept safe and out of the battlefield and harms way. Because he could play the piano, he was assigned to travel with the Chaplain for services and play the portable organ. He often said that he was never happy his Mom made him take piano lessons until he was in Korea. At Christmas time he drove Cliff Barrows around with his jeep as Billy Graham ministered to the troops.
The Chaplains are indeed The Military’s Best Secret. God bless them as they serve in this difficult capacity.
What a great story, to God be the glory!