Any past or present military chaplains? Is this a good field to get into?

Question

I feel like God is wanting me to be a chaplain for the armed forces. Just by my research it looks to me like the army is the best bet. Please help me in my search, with help in rate of pay, job outlook, and safety for me and my family. Thanks

Answer 1

First, you need to be an ordained minister... the military is not going to send you to seminary.
Second, there are some things that you will have to deal with as a chaplain vs. having your own church.
Your services, unless you are Catholic, will be somewhat nondenominational. Most chapels will have Mass, a liturgical service, a protestant service, and a gospel service, and they will fit you in there somewhere. As a result, you will be asked to make compromises. Not every minister can deal with that.
Your congregation will be in a constant state of change, people coming and going, whether for military reasons or other reasons. You're not really going to have the family that has been there for forever, the ladies who have always taken care of the altar, the reliable Sunday School teachers, etc. And just when you finally think you have it all figured out and are all settled, it will be your turn to move!
You will do counseling with folks who have very little religious background or a completely different religious background. There will be folks you will try to give comfort and solace to who don't want God in their lives, but they know they can talk to the chaplain. You will deal with death, deployments, domestic violence, divorce, marital strife, parental strife, and major stress issues on a daily basis. You may have to be the one who goes with the commander to knock on a door to tell someone their spouse has been killed. Not exactly something you find in most parishes.
The chapel budget is not just yours... you have to share with every other chaplain and religious group on base. And, like everywhere else in the military, sometimes there is money, other times there isn't.
You will deploy to combat zones. You'll learn to put up a chapel in a tent. You'll be the rock and the support for some of the troops down range. Their last hope...knowing that God is still with them. In the meantime, your family will be the one left behind, who will look to the rest of the chapel staff and to their friends for support while you are gone.

If, after looking at all of that, and talking to ministers who are in the chaplaincy, you are still feeling that call from God, then I wish you all the strength and wisdom and blessings that He can give you. It does take a special calling.
May God be with you as He guides you in making a decision.

Answer 2

Are you a practicing Priest of any known denomination?

You just dont walk into the military and say "I want to be a Chaplain here" you need some kind of theological qualifications" that are recognised by the military authorities.

Chaplains are expected to visit their flock even if it means going into the front lines to see them, its not a cake walk, play Gods helper on Sunday then relax for the next six's days with the wife and kids.

Military Chaplains have in the past and no doubt in the future lost their lives in times of conflict.

Answer 3

Im not a chaplin but i just finished my enlistment, and i can tell you there is no one that helps people more than the chap. a chaplin is an officer so it requires you have a bachelor's degree in anything. the pay depends on where you live and what deployments you may go on. any war zone is tax free. for safety reasons i would suggest the navy becuase you are pretty much out of harms way and you have so many people that would look up to you to help with not only a gateway to th lord but also with family and personal problems.

have a nide day and i hope this helped.