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The contrast between Parish Ministry and that of Military Chaplaincy was stark the morning of Thursday, 12 October, 2000. The country awoke to the news that one of our destroyers on duty in the Persian Gulf had been struck by a (terrorist) bomb. Five sailors were known dead, 12 others were missing. By Friday afternoon we knew the names and brief biographies of the 17 who had perished. 

Of the sailors who died, it can be said that I ministered in some small way to at least 3 of them. Having been called by God to serve Him as a Chaplain in the United States Navy, I represent Christ and His church [in my case, the PC(USA)], at Recruit Training Command, Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois. I see more than 50,000 young men and women enter the gates of the US Navy every year. I am responsible for providing pastoral care for 2 of 16 “Ships” (barracks), each housing 12 divisions, totaling up to 1,150 personnel per ship. Three of the sailors who gave their lives had spent their 9 weeks of basic training in “my” ships.  They had shared tears and laughter with their shipmates. They had been challenged physically and mentally, spiritually and emotionally; emerging triumphantly and well prepared for service in the fleet. In contrast, in the parish I served 2 yoked churches with a total membership of 160. 

As their Chaplain, I see these sailors-in-training every week, visiting their compartments in the evening to give words of encouragement and prayer. Many recruits have thanked me for this small “act of kindness”, for providing them with a “breather” from the stress of training. In the words of one young woman, “Chaplain, I’m probably the closest thing to an atheist you’ll find, but I just want to thank you for visiting us. Every time you come you bring peace and a nice warm feeling.” I watch them progress from “shell-shocked” individuals who wonder if they have made the biggest mistake in their life, to confident team members who know they have accomplished something worthwhile. 

Ministry in this kind of environment is very “transient.” Unlike the parish where you may have a relationship with your “flock” lasting years, at RTC it is only weeks. Because of numbers there are very few names and faces with whom one becomes familiar. The numbers could become overwhelming if allowed to. In the parish I preached two services every Sunday, in a traditional sanctuary. At RTC, I may preach in the sanctuary either on Saturday evening or Sunday morning, or in the galley or brig. My congregation may number 1,100 or 1! 

Unlike your “average Presbyterian” who was brought up in the church, 50% of Navy recruits have never been inside a church in their life. We encourage them to “give Chapel a go.” Our motto is, “Chapel helps you make it through Boot Camp, Faith helps you make it through life.” We Chaplains serve on a mission field. Boot Camp is a time of crisis which forces young people to think about a power greater than themselves. 

Crises cause stress and tension, and the morning of every weekday at RTC is spent by the Chaplains in ‘counseling’ - perhaps as many as 10-12 recruits in a 4 hour period. (Slightly more than your average pastor!) More often than not it is counseling other than spiritual, but as Chaplains we are regarded as calm amidst troubled waters, a haven in the storms of Boot Camp.  We provide words of encouragement, counsel and prayer, and sometimes ‘tough love.’ Often an opening presents itself into which one can offer spiritual counsel which hits a responsive chord in a young person. One of my common questions is, “What is God saying to you?”  If a Recruit was never ‘into prayer’ prior to Boot Camp, they often become “pray-ers” during Boot Camp. (93) 

Crises and emergencies can also happen at home while a Recruit is ‘stuck’ in Boot Camp.  When emergencies occur, the way in which families get in touch with any military service member is through the American Red Cross. This system is mandated by Congress and works very effectively. The Red Cross messages are received at the Chapel, and Chaplains deliver them to the Recruits if they involve death or serious illness. The most common message is the death of a grandparent. 

In all that I have written, I would like people to know that the ministry of the military chaplain is always, and foremost, a ministry of presence. Christ and the church are represented in all the varieties of life of the members of the Armed Forces, wherever in the world they serve.

*Diana Lantz is a member of the VOW network