The Latin cross for Christianity; The Star of David atop two stone tablets representing Judaism; The Crescent moon for Islam. These are distinctive religious symbols of the monotheistic faiths, and there’s a good chance you have seen them embroidered on Army chaplains’ uniforms, located on the right hand side above their nametags. Regardless of their ranks, they are all called chaplains. Perhaps you have attended chapel services or sought spiritual guidance or general counseling from your chaplain. But, have you ever wondered why chaplains serve in the U.S. Army?
General George Washington established the Army Chaplaincy during the Revolutionary War in 1775 because he wanted to leverage military leaders’ intangible assets, including strong sense of spiritual purpose, character, and morale through the service of ordained clergymen. Recognizing the importance of clerical identity, Washington charged chaplains to carry out two of his strategic leadership goals: Ensure the free exercise of religion for his troops and equip Soldiers with sufficient moral fitness to win the war. So, it came to be that chaplains have served in the Army for the last 245 years alongside the troops, and they have served in every war the U.S. Army fought in the years since then. To date, nearly 300 chaplains died in battle, and nine chaplains earned the Medal of Honor.
February is a special month for Army chaplains because something memorable happened on Feb. 3, 1943, at the height of World War II. The U.S. Army transport ship, Dorchester, was sailing across the Atlantic, carrying more than 900 troops and civilian workers. Dorchester was hit by the German submarine U2, creating a chaotic pandemonium. There, four Army chaplains from three different faith traditions remained aboard the ship, steadfastly tending their flocks by calming frightened Soldiers, helping them find their way to the deck of the ship, and giving out their own life jackets for others. They were Alexander D. Goode (Jewish), John P. Washington (Catholic), George Fox (Methodist), and Clark V. Poling (Dutch Reformed).
In doing so, they were united in the holy mission of living out the truth of God’s supernatural love by ultimately giving up their lives while serving the Soldiers and Sailors of the torpedoed Dorchester that sank into the icy water. Historian Lyle Dorsett reports that, “with utter disregard of self, having given away their life jackets to men with them, the four chaplains stood hand in hand to the God they served for the safety of those men who were leaving the stricken ship on all sides of them.” Their ultimate sacrifice represented the embodiment of altruism, a core value of chaplain identity. The story of these four chaplains gripped the “imagination of the nation,” and powerfully conveyed that “their loved ones were ministered to by faithful chaplains right up to the moment of death.”
Since the founding of the Army Chaplaincy in 1775, chaplains have leveraged intangible assets of power by courageously and faithfully discharging their duties of sustaining the souls of Soldiers and moving them to a moral high ground in the concrete reality of war. They endured the toughest tests of character in myriad combat situations by serving others sacrificially. Another historian Warren Armstrong observes that chaplains are in a very real sense the morale officers of the Army, who have made an inestimable contribution to the success of the United States war effort.”
Following in this tradition, the 10 chaplains at NTC/Fort Irwin are united to serve Soldiers of all faiths (to include no faith) by “bringing God to Soldiers and Soldiers to God.” That is to say that, as pastors in uniform, the NTC/Fort Irwin chaplains are here to serve the hearts and minds of Soldiers, civilians, and their families. So, please seek your chaplain today. Thank you and blessings!