Welcome to the Chaplain’s Corner!

Dear AWN Readers……I’m delighted to share a monthly post regarding you, your spouses, your families, and the many ways the Chaplain Corps (and our partners in care and service) can support you and those you love.

I also want you to know how privileged I am to be writing to you – the Military Spouse.

It’s not lost on me that, while we Soldiers frequently deploy to combat or go away on routine training assignments, you are the ones who stay home to fight a different kind of war in our absence – with the many unsung challenges you face while attempting to maintain some sense of normalcy for those in your households.

And, while we don’t have any awards to present you for your selfless service, no campaign medals or gallantry crosses, we Soldiers really do recognize that we would never be able to do what’s required of us without our “Better Halves” who commit themselves to serving us, our families, and, in your own significant ways, our Nation.

So, thank you for your service!  

Now, as I start this inaugural Chaplain’s Corner post, realizing that some of you may have never spoken to a Chaplain, I thought I might answer this important question:

What can you expect from the Chaplain?

For context, the Chaplain is an Army Officer who is both a Religious Leader and a Staff Advisor. We call that “providing and advising.” Chaplains are paired with Religious Affairs Specialists to make up Unit Ministry Teams (UMTs).

UMTs are assigned to nearly all units, but those of you assigned to units without a UMT may contact your Garrison Religious Support Office (RSO) for Chaplain services. 

All of us serving in the Chaplain Corps seek to live life with our Soldiers and their families, and we are honored that we are often the first points of contact when something goes wrong at work or at home.  If you have not had that kind of contact, here’s what you can expect from your Chaplain:

#1 – No Judgment:

We don’t judge. What this means is that, generally speaking, we’re really good listeners. We recognize that things are tough all over for everyone, and we genuinely care.  

“We care equally and enthusiastically for every Soldier, every family member of every Soldier, and every Army Civilian, with no exceptions.”  – Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Thomas L Solhjem, the Army’s 25th Chief of Chaplains

In fact, our business is “Caring for the Soul of the Army,” and we do this by “Investing in People, Connecting them in Spirit, and Cultivating Community.” So, we “invest, connect, and cultivate,” but we do not judge. 

#2 – 100% Confidentiality:

100% means 100%. If you or a Soldier confides anything to a Chaplain or Religious Affairs Specialist, we are mandated by law to hold that conversation in complete confidence.

We are not mandatory reporters. No other military support agency offers this level of confidentiality. This makes your UMT singularly unique. In fact, if UMTs violate this “sacred trust,” they are subject to punishment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. 

Let’s drill down even further for a moment.

Even talk of harm to self and others is 100% covered under our confidentiality. If you tell a Chaplain you are contemplating taking your life or that you are concerned that your Soldier is thinking about taking his life, that is still confidential communication and 100% protected between you and the Chaplain.

No other person has access to this information, including those in the chain of command. In other words, you can feel safe talking to a Chaplain. You don’t have to face life’s challenges alone because you’re worried about the second and third order effects of disclosing your private business to someone.

Conversations with your Chaplain stay between you and your Chaplain. So, if you, your Spouse, or child is struggling with thoughts of suicide or dealing with harmful behaviors, would you please consider contacting your Chaplain for help?  

#3 – Solution Focused Counseling:

No matter what you tell your Chaplain, you can count on no judgment. And you can expect helpful counsel. We can help you, if you let us. We provide care and options. All you have to do is call your unit Chaplain to set up an appointment.

At most installations, the team also includes Family Life Chaplains who are specially trained in dealing with all sorts of family related issues, including any sort of abuse and all forms of addiction. You can call the local Religious Support Office and ask for the Family Life Chaplain.

We Chaplains and Religious Affairs Specialists want to help our People win – personally and professionally. So, with this in mind, Chaplain counseling is “solution focused” and involves helping you to discover and apply the resources that are at your disposal to help you face and overcome your current challenges. What does this cost you?

Only time. The services provided by Chaplains are free to you and your families. And please note that I said that our teams are “solution focused,” not “religion focused.”  

#4 – Spiritually Oriented Solutions:

There’s no bait and switch. We Chaplains are often written off by some because they assume we are going to try to convert them to a particular faith or religion. That is not what we do.

In fact, the reason the military has Chaplains at all is to ensure service members and their families are able to practice their First Amendment Rights as they choose.

The First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

This amendment guarantees freedom of religion. We are not in the religious forcing business but the religious freedom business. 

I am a Christian, if you’re wondering. But I’ve had great relationships with all kinds of people who don’t believe what I believe. These relationships have included discussions and counseling with Wiccans, Pagans, Atheists, and others.

Your faith, or lack thereof, is not a pre-requisite to a healthy relationship with your Chaplain. 

At the same time, I believe that we are more than our bodies and minds, and that there really is a deeper spiritual reality that makes each of us uniquely who we are.

The Army also recognizes this reality and entrusts Chaplains to train not religion, but spiritual readiness. If you want to receive “religious counseling” from a Chaplain, you can. But know that we Chaplains are also trained to speak to you about any number of topics besides religious ones. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this first blog post from me. I look forward to sharing with you again next month at The Chaplain’s Corner!  

*DISCLAIMER  The views and opinions presented herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of DoD or the Army. Appearance of, or reference to, any commercial products or services does not constitute DoD or Army endorsement of those products or services. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute DoD or Army endorsement of the linked websites, or the information, products or services therein.

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