ARLINGTON, Va.—Chaplains in the Army National Guard have been providing spiritual guidance and counseling to Soldiers since before the birth of the country, either at home or abroad.
Though chaplains may have been around prior to the formation of the country, during the Revolutionary War they became permanent positions within the Army ranks.
That change came about in part because Gen. George Washington was concerned about both the morale and morals of Soldiers, and believed the Army should provide paid religious leaders to meet their spiritual needs, said Army Lt. Col. Darren King, deputy chaplain with Joint Force Headquarters, District of Columbia National Guard.
“George Washington was interested in Soldiers and officers behaving properly, and he felt that religion was one way to make sure that they were acting properly,” he said.
Early on, chaplains could be seen working in other capacities as well. They were often one of the few, highly educated individuals performing education and training responsibilities throughout their units due to their higher educational level, King said.
Today, chaplains continue to hold unique positions and have multiple roles that go beyond the chapel, including counseling.
Although chaplains are not mental health professionals, they commonly have professional licenses in mental health and counseling, King said.
King said he conducted approximately 250 counseling sessions with Soldiers during a 12-month deployment to Iraq as a battalion chaplain on topics ranging from relationships and job issues to feelings of just wanting to ‘go home.’
“Soldiers feel comfortable coming to chaplains because we have confidentiality,” he said.
One Army Guard chaplain in particular found himself performing duties that went beyond the traditional role of the chaplain.
Known simply as Father Duffy by many, Army Lt. Col. Francis P. Duffy, chaplain with the 69th Infantry Regiment, New York National Guard, is considered by many to be the most famous Army chaplain of World War I.
Duffy could often be seen on the battlefield in France, providing physical and spiritual care for the wounded and dying, even during the heaviest of fighting. Because of his actions in battle, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
Chaplains are also involved during domestic responses, including Hurricane Sandy in 2012, one of the deadliest and most destructive storms along the Atlantic coast.
“[They provided] on-the-spot counseling and encouragement to not only military personnel but to everyone who [was] affected,” said Air Force Brig. Gen. Alphonse Stephenson, a
chaplain and director of the National Guard joint chaplaincy at the National Guard Bureau, and the Air National Guard assistant to the Air Force chief of chaplains.
Putting things in perspective is one of the ways chaplains work to provide hope and encouragement for those they support, Stephenson said.
Chaplains in the Army Guard have expanded from the traditional spiritual leader to counselor.
There has been a cultural shift as Soldiers begin to view the Army Guard chaplains as counselors, King said.
Sometimes, Soldiers are not looking for spiritual leaders but are instead seeking a counselor, someone who can give them direction or advice, he said.
Over the past decade, chaplains in the Army Guard have developed more ways to reach out to Soldiers and their families.
The chaplain’s role in the Army Guard has changed while the overall mission of taking care of Soldiers has remained the same, said Army Col. Kenneth Brandt, chaplain with Joint Force Headquarters, Delaware National Guard.
Chaplains can now often be seen working with behavioral health and family support programs that can aid Soldiers who may need additional assistance.
With more full-time chaplains than before, “we have become much more operational,” King said, noting the recent increase of chaplains in full-time positions.
Over the past decade, “almost every state and territory has a full-time chaplain now,” he said.
While many serve Soldiers through physical means such as providing food and shelter, chaplains serve more internal needs. Their mission may have expanded from Washington’s time as a solely religious charge into a broader role as more of a counselor. But the overall objective is the same: to ensure a healthy Soldier.