Fort Leonard Wood joined the U.S. Army in celebrating the 239th anniversary of the Chaplain's Corps, which is the second oldest corps in the history of the U.S. Army, behind the Infantry.
"The theme for the 239th anniversary of the Chaplain Corps is Vietnam and the chaplains that served there," said Chaplain (Col.) Michael Thomas, installation chaplain.
"Thirteen U.S. chaplains were killed in action during Vietnam; seven Protestant ministers, two Jewish rabbis and four Catholic priests," Thomas added.
"We care for the Soldiers, civilians and Family members. May the United States Army Chaplain's Corps continue to stay courageous in spirit and compassionate in service for the glory and the blessing of the land we love," Thomas added.
Gen. George Washington, from the beginning of the Revolutionary War, realized the importance of each unit having access to a chaplain. Since then, 25,000 Army chaplains have served as religious and spiritual leaders for more than 25 million Soldiers and their Families, according to Chaplain (Capt.) Joseph Hamilton.
"The chaplains have remained committed, and they have remained faithful. This faithfulness has been driven by the needs of the Soldiers and culture. As our country has changed, the needs have grown, and the Chaplains Corps has grown," said Chaplain (Maj.) Darryl Densford, U.S. Army Military Police School chaplain.
"Nurturing the living, caring for the wounded and honoring the fallen is what the Chaplain's Corps is all about. Now this can be done regardless of your faith group. A guiding word, a compassionate touch and a comforting presence can all be done without bias or a distinctive faith group; chaplains do that," Densford said.
"This type of valor takes more than a calling, more than just a paycheck or an offer of education -- it takes a calling. So our service can't be for country alone, it must be for God and country. We aren't on a crusade. We aren't fighting religious wars, but I for one am a Soldier of God," Densford concluded."
Maj. Gen. Leslie Smith, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general, encouraged all of the Chaplains Corps unit ministry teams to connect with people.
"Don't forget the impact you have made on young officers, and especially young Soldiers," Smith said.
Army chaplains have served in more than 270 major wars and combat engagements. Almost 300 Army chaplains have given their lives in battle, and seven have been awarded the Medal of Honor.
As of today, there are nearly 3,000 chaplains serving in the Army, representing seven different faiths; Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim.
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