Some military units, especially the Army National Guard, are struggling to recruit for chaplains, which is a position seen as crucial to morale. Currently, there are about 200 positions are open in the Army National Guard and 45 in the Air National Guard.
Chaplains have a unique role to play in the military. They serve as more than ministers for soldiers in harm's way. They are confidants, counselors, and arbitrators. In many places, like Iraq and Afghanistan, unit commanders have used military chaplains to communicate with local secular and religious leaders. Many chaplains serve intimately with soldiers, oftentimes even within arm's reach of them in war zones.
The point here is that chaplains are integral to the lives of many soldiers, which makes the shortage in the Guard a cause for concern. Hopefully, more religious leaders and/or chaplains from other sectors of society will consider serving for the Army and Air Guard and help sustain our soldiers during their endeavors in serving the U.S.A. I especially urge Unity ministers who feel so called to do what they can to promote military chaplaincy in Unity circles.
Nomaan Merchant of the Associated Press has the story at Faith in Public Life.
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