When Colonel Robert C. Wittig enlisted in the Army in 1985 he only planned to enlist long enough to get enough money to go to college. Serving as a chaplain's assistant changed all that.
"I just fell in love with being a Soldier,"said Wittig who went to school nights and weekends to get the necessary 90 hours of college required to be accepted to Officer Candidate School. He applied to OCS in 1992 and earned his commission in the Chemical Corps. Today he is the commander of the U.S. Army Environmental Command, a major subordinate unit of Installation Management Command, at Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston.
This year, Wittig, along with all current and former U.S. Army Chaplain Assistants will celebrate 105 years of supporting and protecting Army Chaplains in their mission of providing religious support to Soldiers and Family members in all aspects of military operations around the world.
"I wanted to be a minister but didn't have the money for college," Wittig said. "The recruiter told me about the Chaplain Assistant job and it was very appealing. It was a three year enlistment and my first assignment was with the 1st Armored Division in Germany."
As a Chaplain's Assistant, Wittig joined an Army Military Occupation Specialty with a rich history and compelling story of service to Soldiers and their Families.
At the end of the Civil War, the Army decided chaplains needed an assistant to help care for official property, act as a clerk and assist with educational, religious and entertainment ministry programs. The War Department established the official MOS of Chaplain Assistant on December 28, 1909 by General Order No. 253.
Although high moral character was required, there were no other prerequisites or generally recognized criteria for performance. That changed after World War II. The Korean War saw the development of MOS 71B and after almost 100 years, there was finally an official job description for chaplain assistants. Since 1974, the chaplain and chaplain assistant, that year designated MOS 71M, have formed the Unit Ministry Team (UMT), a concept that brings religious support to Soldiers in both garrison and field environments.
"What I enjoyed the most about being a chaplain's assistant was being with Soldiers and being able to help Soldiers," said Wittig. "Working closely with the Chaplain in support of units was a joy. Protecting and supporting the chaplain while he carried out the ministry and having the chaplain trust me to do my job. That meant a lot to me."
According to Wittig he returned from his initial tour in Germany and was assigned to the Fort McClellan garrison Chaplain's office.
"I worked with and for great chaplains. Then Chaplain (Major) Ken Sampson was one of the chaplains I particularly remember and enjoyed working with. He loved being around and taking care of Soldiers. He was very beloved by our troops and I learned a lot from him and others," he said. "As a Chaplain's Assistant, I discovered that people and relationships are most important and as an Army leader, that lesson has made me better able to interact with Soldiers and their Families."
What advice would Wittig give to today's young Chaplain Assistant Soldiers?
"You have to love Soldiers and their Families," he said. "It requires sacrificing some personal time to help people; it requires sharing the strength you derive from your faith to help others cope in stressful times and situations."
While much has changed about the job since the end of the Civil War, "the Army gives opportunities to make a difference in Soldiers' lives. Make every opportunity count," Wittig said. "In the Army, you can do anything."
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