My son wants to be a Chaplain in the military

[TCat]

My son is only 15 years old, but from the time he was 8 he has stated that he feels called in to the ministry as a pastor. Fine, not my first choice by any means for him but if he feels God is calling him then he has our support.

Now he is saying that he would like to be a chaplain in the military! He talks about being with soldiers who have been wounded and are possibly dying and how in those possible last moments helping them find eternal life in Christ rather than face hell and damnation. Supporting families who have lost loved ones and serving God in the most meaningful ways. He also talks about a pension plan and a chance to have two full careers, I like that he is thinking long term.

Wow, heavy stuff, as a mom all I see is a teen with ADHD, poor grades and a wild streak that is giving me gray hairs. My question is to whom does one talk to about the military and chaplaincy? Does one go to college and seminary first them the military, ROTC, what?

[QuiltAngel]

My husband was a Army National Guard chaplain. He received his commission after being ordained. I am not sure who they have to talk to but if he wants to be a Lutheran Pastor in the military, he will need to complete his Bachelor's as well as his Seminary training. He will then go in as an officer.

Here are a couple of links for the Army:
http://www.goarmy.com/chaplain/benefits_and_incentives.jsp
and the Chaplain Candidate Program:
http://www.goarmy.com/chaplain/chaplain_candidate_prog.jsp


Another avenue he may think about is enlisting and being a Chaplain's Assistant.
http://www.goarmy.com/JobDetail.do?id=3

I am sure the other branches have similar programs too. Google them to find out more information.

Hope this helps. Most of us who have kids who enlisted never imagined our child doing it, but when we see how well they do, how much they like what they are doing, we have no choice but to agree it was a good decisions. No matter what, we support their decision.

[TCat]

My husband and I met in the Nat'l Guard, we have no problem with his enlisting. I have a few reservations about his being a pastor but those stem from my own personal history of being a pk.

Somehow this is not exactly what I had planned for my only son but He belongs to God first and as long as he is following in obedience we are overjoyed. Thanks for the links, who knows, as he is only a teen this might be a passing fancy...

[RadMan]

My son is only 15 years old, but from the time he was 8 he has stated that he feels called in to the ministry as a pastor. Fine, not my first choice by any means for him but if he feels God is calling him then he has our support.

Now he is saying that he would like to be a chaplain in the military! He talks about being with soldiers who have been wounded and are possibly dying and how in those possible last moments helping them find eternal life in Christ rather than face hell and damnation. Supporting families who have lost loved ones and serving God in the most meaningful ways. He also talks about a pension plan and a chance to have two full careers, I like that he is thinking long term.

Wow, heavy stuff, as a mom all I see is a teen with ADHD, poor grades and a wild streak that is giving me gray hairs. My question is to whom does one talk to about the military and chaplaincy? Does one go to college and seminary first them the military, ROTC, what?THat would be a difficult decision to make. It seems that I read somewhere that chaplains now have to minister to all religions and can't advocate any one over the other.

I saw an inspiring documentary of a conscientious objector that actually joined the army in WWII and joined the medics. He refused to even touch a gun but he won the Medal of Honor in saving 75 lives, at one time, under brutal gunfire. The point I'm trying to make is this man sounded just like what you son wants to do.

[QuiltAngel]

You might want to check out the second hour of Issues, Etc. from July 4, 2008. Guest is Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Jonahthan Shaw, an LCMS Army Chaplain.

[porterross]

You may want to check further into the Air Force. If he has an innate wild streak, there might be fewer influences, temptations and tolerances that would foster such behavior that in that environment. Fighter pilots, ATC's, intelligence analysts and ground crews have combat issues, too.

[DaRev]

TCat,

Please don't discourage your son for following what very well may be a calling by the Holy Spirit. If he has had these feelings from such a young age, there probably isn't anything you can do do dissuade him. I would strongly encourage him to speak with your pastor about this. There are also several Lutheran chaplains that you both could get information from, as well as from the seminaries.
He would need to get his Bachelors degree and then his MDiv and be called and ordained before entering the chaplaincy. He would also need to spend a period of time in parish ministry before entering the chaplaincy as well. All of that would be part of his seminary formation.

Above all else, pray that the Lord's will be done.

[LutheranMafia]

TCat,

Please don't discourage your son for following what very well may be a calling by the Holy Spirit. If he has had these feelings from such a young age, there probably isn't anything you can do to dissuade him.Yes indeed, just look what happened to me! At 8 I decided that the only thing worth while in life is to serve God, and I decided I wanted to become a pastor or a theologian, abandoning my desire since 6 to become an anthropologist. Anthropologist is not exactly what you expect to hear when you ask a 6 year old what they want to be when they grow up, but I got dinosaur toys and even multiple Time Life book series on everything from ancient geology to more proper "Anthropology" about the last 100,000 years. Particularly surprising given the Creationist stance of everyone in my family save my paternal grandmother. Ironically my pastoral desires were not given such unquestioning credence. The resistance didn't manifest itself so obviously at 8, I just continued to get dinosaur stuff at Christmas instead. Only my Baptist great great aunt, who married 3 Baptists ministers in a row and took them all to the grave, really took me seriously and gave me a Red Letter Bible for Christmas.

This is unrelated, but since I brought it up, I have to say another word about my favorite aunt, my great great aunt Glady. I could say so much about her, but what really strikes me the most is what my grandfather said about her last husband. He always said that he wanted to, "die on the pulpit". And sure enough, the day he died he finished his entire sermon, pronounced the benediction, and then keeled over dead before they could open the doors. The thing that really blew me away was that as my grandfather told me this story to me for the fist time, he laughed uproariously with a military man's sense of triumph (he was an Air Force colonel)!! No one was distraught in the congregation, they called the paramedics of course, but everyone knew of his wish to die on the pulpit, not just the family. We must all die, but how many can choose the place and circumstance of their death???

Above all else, pray that the Lord's will be done.Sometimes that is a done deal before anyone even thinks to doubt.

[usafbrat64]

TCat,
As a military brat and spouse, let me tell you that chaplains are so in need in today's military, especially Lutheran chaplains. We have been at bases where we just had a visiting Lutheran chaplain every 3 months. And it's becoming even harder to get authorization for visiting chaplains.

Yes, chaplains are needed in the field, especially in the Army. But, there are also chaplains left behind at the bases to take care of the families left behind and also the coworkers who now have a heavier work load. All of the services have a chaplaincy program, so he can have his choice of branches.

As someone pointed out, you do have to be able to council and work with those whose beliefs may be contrary to your own. In the AF, every squadron is assigned one of the chaplains as their "chaplain". If you have an issue or need to talk, you go to that person. He may refer you to another chaplain, but they will talk to that chaplain first.

He will have to go through seminary before he can be commissioned.

The LCMS website has "The Ministry to the Armed Forces" And there is a lot of information there that would be good for you and your son.

Blessings!
Yvonne

[TCat]

Thanks, my son said the other day that the highest call he could imagine is to be at the bedside of a dying soldier, wounded in combat for serving his country, and counseling him as to where he might spend eternity.

Wow, pretty heavy for a 15 yr old who can't unload the dishwasher or take out the trash with any consistancy.

[Tonks]

As one who works for the military all I can say is that it would be an absolute blessing.