Tag: Military Chaplain Guide

Posted on

Thanks for Being My Chaplain, Too

As a battalion chaplain, I was asked to say a prayer before lunch at the annual family Christmas party. I love to pray. I love being visible to my Soldiers so that they know who they can go to when they need help or guidance or counseling. So I was glad for the opportunity. I also love telling my Soldiers about Jesus, but the annual family holiday party isn’t the place to preach the gospel because it is a command event . . . not a religious service.

When the time came, the commander invited me to the microphone and I prayed. I thanked the Lord for the families of the Soldiers. I asked for divine safety and protection. I prayed for the marriages and child-parent relationships. I expressed hope that the events of the day would be meaningful, fun, and encouraging. And I finished the prayer not by saying “in Jesus’s Name, Amen.” Instead, I finished by thanking the Lord for his goodness and blessings, Amen.

I returned to the table where I was sitting with my wife, and after a few minutes a young Jewish officer approached me, held out his hand to me, and said, “Thank you for being my chaplain, too!”

Posted on

Do You Need a Mentor?

One of the ways to avoid getting into trouble is to establish accountability measures and allow key people in your life to hold you answerable for what is morally right and what is helpful in your career. It is important to establish professional and spiritual mentoring relationships. We all need someone we can turn to when we are tempted, when we’re hurting, and when we’re about to do something unwise.

When I became a chaplain and went to the Officer Basic Course, Ron Casteel was the class leader. He and I became friends and kept in touch throughout our careers. Not only was he a friend, he became my mentor. Ron knew more than I did about how the military worked. He understood people. And several times when I needed guidance, he was there for me.

Fourteen years after completing the basic course, I had the opportunity to work for him at a senior command. Not only was he my friend and mentor. Now he was my boss. It was a great experience. After he retired, there was one more time that I needed his help professionally, and he was there for me. Having him as a mentor made a powerful impact on my life and career.

Perhaps you should consider finding a mentor. In fact, you might want to identify two mentors: one for spiritual accountability, and one for professional development. Allow key people in your life to hold you answerable for what is morally right, and what is helpful in your career. And listen when they speak or offer guidance.

Wherever you are in your career, it may be important for your growth, development, and success to find one or two people who can speak into your life as a friend and mentor.