FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (July 26, 2013) -- Fort Leonard Wood Installation Chaplain's Office observed the 238th anniversary of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps, July 26, at the post's Memorial Grove.
Events included a service in the World War II Museum Chapel, exhibits featuring the history of the Chaplain Corps during World War II and the Korean War, and a display highlighting members of the corps who have received the Medal of Honor. Lastly, was a catered lunch in the World War II Museum Mess Hall.
More than 25,000 Army chaplains have served as religious and spiritual leaders for 25 million Soldiers and their Families since 1775. Army Chaplains have served in more than 270 major wars and combat engagements.
"From day one in the U.S. Army, there has been an Army chaplaincy," said Chaplain (Col.) Gary Brown, Fort Leonard Wood's installation chaplain. "There hasn't been a war that's been fought where chaplains have not been there."
Brown said, along with being a Soldier and being there for Soldiers, there are three mission-essential tasks of a chaplain.
"We nurture the living, care for the wounded or sick, and honor the dead," he said. "Everything we do fits into one of those categories."
The chaplain's office is the one place in the military where people, regardless of rank, can be guaranteed that what they say in that office stays in that office, Brown said.
"Chaplains are one group of folks where we take care of you whether we like what you did or not," he said. "We don't tell people what to do--we help them look at courses of action and make sure their spiritual needs are met as good as can be. We're here to take care of people and to help people grow spiritually regardless of their religious preference, and even if they are undecided," he said.
Brown noticed, during his 30 years of experience in the Army, that when a chaplain walks in a room, everyone breathes a sigh of relief that it's going to be OK.
"The great thing about chaplains is that if you call a chaplain with an emergency, it's pretty much guaranteed that you'll see a chaplain that day," he said. "Even when I first started out as a chaplain, if I could have stayed in my office 24/7, I would have."
With a boundless schedule, chaplains sometimes need support too. Chaplains receive their support, according to Brown, from several sources including other chaplains, unit members, and commanders.
Chaplains do a magnificent job every day," he said. "So the anniversary celebration is my way of saying thanks to them and their commanders. I want chaplains to 'take a knee'--take the day to relax and spend time with unit ministry teams and their families."
Currently, more than 2,900 chaplains are serving the Army, representing more than 130 different religious organizations. Chaplains provide comfort just by reminding people that God still loves them and we (chaplains) will do what we can, he said.
"There has always been a Chaplain Corps in the Army, and I pray there always will be one to pray, encourage and support," said Brown.
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