Every day, the men and women of the United States armed forces are ready to protect our country.
They bravely stand between us and the enemies who want to cause a level of destruction some people could not imagine.
However, who is available for them when they need support during difficult times?
Chaplains provide soldiers, sailors, airmen and other American military personnel with spiritual support and encouragement to boost their morale.
They do this in addition to the traditional responsibilities of most clergy, such as delivering sermons during religious services, participating in weddings and funerals, and providing prayer and counseling.
“In every soldier’s life they are going to face a circumstance that is bigger than they are,” said Darrell Sydnor, pastor of The Rock Missionary Baptist Church in Indianapolis and a retired Army major. “When you find yourself facing a problem that big, you need a source outside of yourself that you can go to when you are not confident.”
While he was in the Army, Sydnor was assigned to manage postal operations in Southeast Asia. However, he also accepted his call to ministry while overseas and served as an associate minister who operated much like a chaplain. He was authorized to conduct services alongside the chaplain in his unit.
“Chaplains are the ones who connect people to their faith and give you the opportunity to reflect on where you come from and where your spirituality is in relation to where it needs to be,” Sydnor said. “They help soldiers bridge that gap and connect their jobs, their families and their faith.”
According to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Defense, chaplains and their assistants are described as providing “spiritual support to soldiers, both in a deployed environment and back at home. They are part of a support network for soldiers going through a hard time or just needing someone to share their thoughts or concerns.”
In the Army, a Unit Ministry Team includes a chaplain, who is a commissioned officer, and at least one enlisted soldier known as a chaplain assistant.
Due to the variety of demands on today’s U.S. military, there is a greater need for chaplains than ever before.
In fact, some officials say that new chaplain recruits are needed immediately to prevent a shortage of qualified chaplains in the armed services. Many chaplains who started serving after the Vietnam conflict or during the Gulf War era have reached the military’s mandatory retirement age of 62.
Currently, the Army, Navy and Air Force all have positions available for chaplains in active duty assignments around the world, as well as opportunities in reserve and National Guard units. The Navy also provides chaplains to the United States Coast Guard and the Marine Corps.
After contacting a local Army recruiting office, the Recorder was told that there are currently no Army chaplain recruiters in the Indianapolis area, although there is a U.S. Army Recruiting Team – North Central, based in Chicago.
The recruiter directed the Recorder to the Army’s official website, goarmy.com. Viewers can visit the website and see information about how to become a chaplain, both as an enlisted soldier and through the Army’s officer training program.
Those who are interested in opportunities with the Air Force, Navy and National Guard can also visit official websites for those branches to find information about chaplain service.
Anyone who chooses to become a chaplain would be serving in the armed forces at a time when they have become more spiritually diverse. America’s military has long sought Christian and Jewish chaplains of different denominations, and in April the Department of Defense officially recognized 221 other religions including Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Unitarianism, paganism and agnosticism, along with Wicca, druidism and other faiths.
Service members can also join recognized groups for atheists and humanists.
In recent months, military chaplains from Indiana have been recognized with prominent awards after serving with distinction.
Earlier this year Lt. Col. Obadiah Smith Jr., a chaplain with the U.S. Air Force, was awarded with the Sagamore of the Wabash by former Gov. Mike Pence for his recent service on the Veteran Affairs Commission, which advises the governor and legislators on matters related to military and veteran issues. It also administers a $9 million Military Family Relief Fund for veterans.
In a recent interview, he called the experience “humbling” and said it has “been a delight to serve a population that is often forgotten in the confines of traditional ministry.”
Smith, who is from Anderson, Indiana, and has served around the world as an ordained minister with the Church of God, has received military honors such as the Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal, as well as other premier awards, such as the Indiana Black Expo Governor’s Award for Civic Leadership.
Smith noted that being a chaplain offers both challenges and rewards, especially when it comes to helping reservists deal with stress.
“There are multiple issues,” Smith said. “But we’re humans and we undergo stress. For me and my team, that gives us the opportunity to have a visible presence and relational connectivity.”
For more information, visit the following sites:
Army — goarmy.com/chaplain
Air Force — chaplaincorps.af.mil
Navy — navy.mil/local/chaplaincorps
National Guard — nationalguard.com/chaplain
