United States Air Force Chaplain Corps

The Chaplain Corps of the United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

(USAF) consists of enlisted chaplain assistants and clergy who become commissioned Air Force officers

Officer (armed forces)

An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...

, endorsed and ordained by their particular religious organization. Their principal purpose — as a military

Military

A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...

chaplain — is to directly (provide) or indirectly (provide for) support the free exercise of religion for all members of the Military Services, their dependents, and other authorized persons. They accomplish this purpose by providing spiritual care and ethical leadership to members of the United States Department of Defense

United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...

.http://prhome.defense.gov/mppchaplain.html

Air Force chaplains come from a variety of religious backgrounds such as Catholic

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

, Protestant

Protestantism

Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...

, Orthodox

Eastern Orthodox Church

The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...

, Jewish

Judaism

Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...

, Muslim

Islam

Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...

, Buddhist

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

, or any of hundreds of religious organizations with endorsers recognized by the Armed Forces Chaplains Board.http://prhome.defense.gov/mppchaplain.html

History

Beginnings

The history of the Air Force Chaplain Corps reflects the history of America. As defenders of the First Amendment

First Amendment to the United States Constitution

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...

right to the free exercise

Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment

The Free Exercise Clause is the accompanying clause with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause together read:...

of religion in the Air Force community, the Chaplain Corps traces its roots to the very beginning of our nation.

On July 29, 1775, the Continental Congress

Continental Congress

The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....

established the military chaplaincy. Chaplains were paid $20 per month, and provided "forage for one horse." Gen George Washington

George Washington

George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...

issued this order at Valley Forge

Valley Forge

Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War.-History:...

on May 2, 1778: "The Commander-in-Chief directs that divine services be performed every Sunday at eleven o'clock in each bridge which has chaplains...While we are duly performing the duty of good soldiers, we are not to be inattentive to the highest duties of religion."

Worship

Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...

for soldier

Soldier

A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...

s was voluntary and chaplains of all faiths cooperated with each other, being sympathetic to the beliefs of others.

The Civil War to WWII

During the Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, military chaplains were held in high regard and there was an increased emphasis on professionalism. Ordination

Ordination

In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...

by an authorized ecclesiastical body became a requirement. Commanders

Commanding officer

The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...

were made responsible for providing adequate facilities for worship, and the noncombatant

Non-combatant

Non-combatant is a term in the law of war describing civilians not taking a direct part in hostilities, as well as persons such as medical personnel and military chaplains who are regular soldiers but are protected because of their function as well as soldiers who are hors de combat ; that is, sick,...

status of chaplains became policy.

Office of Air Chaplain - 1942

On July 28, 1942, Chaplain Charles Carpenter was named to fill the newly created office of Air Chaplain under the Director of Base Service, HQ Army Air Force. He was a captain at the time of the appointment. By October 1943, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel.

On September 18, 1947 The USAF became a separate department because of the National Security Act. Would there be a separate Chaplain Corps for this newly formed Air Force? It was thought and directed that the Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

would continue to provide the Air Force with chaplains. But no AAF chaplain was consulted about this agreement. This created great uncertainty for the chaplains assigned to the AAF and many who had remained on active duty after the war asked to be released.

Both the Army and the AF opposed a separate Air Force chaplaincy on grounds that it would constitute the first violation of the Spaatz-Eisenhower Agreement, which states that parallel organizations in the Army and the AF would not be approved unless it was clear that such were organically necessary. The Army felt that a separate chaplaincy would give precedent for the separation of other services, such as medical, engineers, and legal.

Founding of the USAF Chaplain Corps

Chaplain Carpenter, the "Air Chaplain" emphasized the need for pastoral identity of the chaplains with the men they served and favored a separate Air Force chaplaincy. In 1948, General Carl Spaatz wanted a briefing from Ch Carpenter on the reasons for a separate AF chaplaincy - just a one-page briefing. That one page briefing made all the difference.

Gen Spaatz called Ch Carpenter to his office and told him that he had already made up his mind and he would NOT endorse a separate AF chaplaincy. He had a meeting at 1100 with the Army Chief of Chaplains to work out the details. At 1315 he received another call from the office of Gen Spaatz. "The general wants to see you, and bring that paper with you."

General Spaatz took the piece of paper, folded it so that Ch Carpenter's signature would not show, and placed it under the glass on his desktop. He had another conference with the Army Chief of Chaplains at 1500. He then said, "I've changed my mind. The AF will have its own chaplains!" And so the Transfer Order, date 10 May 1949, made it possible for the AF to have its own chaplaincy. Less than 10 of the 458 Active Duty chaplains elected to remain in the Army.

Ch Carpenter was then promoted to Major General and was appointed as the first Air Force Chief of Chaplains. He served from 1949 to 1958.

The Chaplain Assistant Specialist Career field was created in 1948.

Mission statement

The Air Force Chaplain Corps has served for decades under the banner of "A Visible Reminder of the Holy." These historic words introduce our Chaplain Corps Mission Statement: "While serving as a visible reminder of the Holy, the Air Force Chaplain Corps provides spiritual care and the opportunity for Air Force members and their families to exercise their constitutional right to freedom of religion."http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/AFI52-101.pdf

The Chaplain Corps Vision http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/AFI52-101.pdf

"Glorifying God, Serving Airmen, Pursuing Excellence" These words provide a "job description" for chaplains and chaplain assistants serving around the globe and they point the way ahead for our strategic planning.

The Chaplain Corps Core Competencies http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/AFI52-101.pdf

Spiritual Care - We care for the spiritual needs of Air Force members and their families by providing for the diverse religious requirements.

Religious, Spiritual and Moral Advice to Leadership - We provide to commanders the religious requirements, spiritual needs, and moral issues that impact mission, quality of life, and religious freedom.

The Chaplain Corps Core Values http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/AFI52-101.pdf

Spiritual Health, Integrity, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.

The Chaplain Corps Core Processes http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/AFI52-101.pdf

Conducting Religious Observances - by providing opportunities for religious worship to Air Force members, their families and retirees.

Providing Pastoral Care - through pastoral counseling and religious programs that serve the diverse educational, humanitarian, and personal needs of the Air Force community.

Modeling Ethical Leadership - providing a positive influence upon the Air Force moral climate by modeling and facilitating ethical leadership to promote decision-making based not only on what is legal, but what is right.

Advising Leadership - about the spiritual needs, religious requirements, and ethical issues that impact mission, quality of life, and religious freedoms

The Chaplain Corps Priorities

Warrior Care, Chapel-Based Ministries, and Caring for the Caregivers

Air Force Chaplain Corps Leadership

Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Cecil R. Richardson is Chief of Chaplains, Bolling Air Force Base

Bolling Air Force Base

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling is a military installation, located in Southeast Washington, D.C., established on 1 October 2010 in accordance with congressional legislation implementing the recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission...

, Washington, D.C. As a member of the special staff of the Chief of Staff, he advises on all matters pertaining to the religious and moral welfare of Air Force personnel. He is responsible for establishing an effective total chaplain program to meet the religious needs of all members of the Air Force. As Chief of Chaplains, he is the senior pastor for more than 800,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve, and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. He leads an Air Force Chaplain Corps of approximately 2,200 chaplains and chaplain assistants from the active and Air Reserve components. As a member of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board, he and other members advise the Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff on religious, ethical and quality-of-life concerns.https://hclogin.maxwell.af.mil/headquarters/headquarters.asp

Chaplain (Brig. Gen.) David H. Cyr is the Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains, Bolling Air Force Base

Bolling Air Force Base

, Washington, D.C. He assists the Chief of Chaplains in directing and maintaining a trained, equipped and professional Chaplain Corps. This includes more than 2,200 chaplains and chaplain assistants from the active and Air Reserve components which provide opportunities for the free exercise of religion to all Air Force people and their families worldwide. As a member of the Armed Forces Chaplain Board, he and other members advise the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff on religious, ethical and quality of life concerns.https://hclogin.maxwell.af.mil/headquarters/headquarters.asp

Chief Master Sergeant Charles D. Johnson is the Chaplain Assistant Career Field Manager, Headquarters, United States Air Force, Office of the Chief of Chaplains, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C. Chief Johnson manages all aspects of the chaplain assistant career field including the specialty description, manpower, personnel, readiness, and training. He prepares chaplain assistants to support the Air Force mission and the Air Force Chaplain Corps during war, contingencies, national emergencies, military exercises and peacetime operations. He advises the Air Force Chief of Chaplains on policy matters regarding chaplain assistants and the Air Force Chaplain Corps.https://hclogin.maxwell.af.mil/headquarters/headquarters.asp

Air Force Chaplain Service Institute

The Air Force Chaplain Service Institute (AFCSI) is part of the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center

Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center

The Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center is the center for training of United States military chaplains, located at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina. Co-located on the AFCC campus are: the United States Army Chaplain Center and School, the United States Naval Chaplaincy School and Center, and...

(AFCC), which also includes the U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School (USACHCS) and the U.S. Naval Chaplaincy School and Center (NCSC). The three schools are co-located at Fort Jackson, in Columbia, S.C.

In 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission decided to put all military ministry training at the same location.

The purpose of the AFCC is to have closer cooperation among the three chaplain corps and to share instruction and training.

Chaplain Recruiting Guidance

Currently, there are over 500 active duty Air Force chaplains and nearly 600 in service with the Reserves and Air National Guard. Each chaplain is endorsed by his or her own religious group and remains faithful to the tenets of that body. Chaplains also offer a broadly based ministry aimed at meeting the diverse pastoral needs of the pluralistic military community. Active duty and Reserve chaplains are responsible for supporting both directly and indirectly the free exercise of religion for all members of the Military Services, their dependents, and other authorized persons.http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/130419p.pdf

Accession Guidance http://www.usafhc.af.mil/howtobecomeachaplain/index.asp

Force shaping has a direct impact on chaplain accessions. The Chaplain Corps outlines force management chaplain personnel requirements, establishing a limited number of individuals that can be accessed each fiscal year. As a result, Air Force Recruiting Service must have in place flexible and time-sensitive procedures capable of responding to these critical personnel requirements.

Accession Process http://www.usafhc.af.mil/howtobecomeachaplain/index.asp

1. Air Force Recruiting Service and ecclesiastical endorsers make every effort to discuss and coordinate on personnel requirements and perspective individual applicants prior to the completion of DD Form 2088. (Use form dated May 2006).

2. Upon the reception of the DD Form 2088, the applicant is screened to ensure that appropriate Chaplain Corps personnel management and accession requirements are met.

3. The appropriate Air Force Agencies review and ensure Air Force requirements are met; agency must recommend accession.

Accession Requirements http://www.usafhc.af.mil/howtobecomeachaplain/index.asp

- Ecclesiastical Endorsement, DD Form 2088 (May 2006).

- United States Citizenship (No Dual Citizenship).

Academic Requirements http://www.usafhc.af.mil/howtobecomeachaplain/index.asp

- Baccalaureate degree with no fewer than 120 hours from an accredited institution.

- Post-Baccalaureate degree in the field of theology or related studies from a qualifying graduate degree program with no less than 72 Semester Hours from an accredited institution.

Pastoral Ministry Requirement http://www.usafhc.af.mil/howtobecomeachaplain/index.asp

- Two years of religious leadership experience.

Age Requirement http://www.usafhc.af.mil/howtobecomeachaplain/index.asp

- Must enter active duty (EAD) prior to 42.

AF Commissioning Requirements http://www.usafhc.af.mil/howtobecomeachaplain/index.asp

- Be within AF height and weight standards.

- Meet qualifying standards for a Commissioning physical.

- Pass Background Security Investigation.

- Satisfy all appropriate commissioning requirements.

Religious Professional Scholarship Program http://www.usafhc.af.mil/howtobecomeachaplain/index.asp

The Religious Professional Scholarship Program is designed to assist the Air Force with future accessions. Scholarships are awarded to applicants who are qualified and meet Air Force needs. To qualify for the program, applicants must meet Air Force commissioning requirements, receive written permission from a listed DoD ecclesiastical endorser, be in good academic standing, be younger than 39 upon completion of theological studies, and be a US citizen, w/ no dual citizenship. For more information about the program, write to chaplains@randolph.af.mil or call 1-800-803-2452.

Chaplain assistant

Chaplains are assisted by chaplain assistants, who are Air Force enlisted personnel

Enlisted rank

An enlisted rank is, in most Militaries, any rank below a commissioned officer or warrant officer. The term can also be inclusive of non-commissioned officers...

. Together, they form a Religious Support Team.

Specialty insignia

See also: Air Force Occupational badges

Chapel at U.S. Air Force Academy

United States Air Force Academy (photo of chapel interior)
United States Air Force Academy, Cadet Area (description of chapel; two photos)

Various Prayers

Air Force Hymn

External links

U.S. Air Force Chaplain Corps official website
U.S. Air Force official website
Chaplain Corps Forum (Chaplain Corps Personnel only)
Armed Forces Chaplains Board (AFCB). Instruction Number 5120.08 (August 20, 2007). Department of Defense. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
Military Chaplains Association (MCA) official website. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces (NCMAF) official website. Retrieved 2009-12-03.

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