SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Before one unique group of students began another day of jungle training, three chaplains joined their classmates for a brief prayer and moment of reflection. They spent the day navigating the same terrain, carrying their equipment, and facing the same challenges as the Soldiers they serve.
Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Tim Crawley, the chaplain for the 25th Infantry Division, attended the Jungle Operations Training Course 27-01 alongside two other chaplains within the division to develop the skills necessary to operate in a jungle environment and provide religious support to Soldiers.
Preparing unit ministry teams to function effectively in the restrictive terrain found in the Jungle helps chaplains and religious affairs personnel support formations operating in the Indo-Pacific. Their experiences also shape how they advise leaders and care for Soldiers.
"One of the fundamental aspects of ministry in a military setting is the ministry of presence," Crawley explained. "Ministry of presence means you need to be there."
For Crawley, that presence begins with the ability to reach Soldiers wherever they are deployed.
"If we have formations out in the jungle, that's where the Soldiers are—that's where the needs are," he said.
Crawley attended the course with Chaplain (Maj.) Mark "Bo" Waldo, the chaplain of the 3rd Mobile Brigade, and Chaplain (Capt.) Sam Bratt from the 209th Aviation Support Battalion, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade. Together, they trained alongside students in jungle mobility, rope systems, waterborne operations, and participated in the course's culminating exercise.
The training challenged the chaplains to navigate demanding terrain while carrying equipment and working with their classmates. Bratt said experiencing those conditions firsthand gave him a greater understanding of the environment and how it could affect the support he provides.
"It's an unforgiving environment that can slow you down," Bratt said. "That impacts how I advise commanders and care for Soldiers."
This understanding became particularly relevant during the culminating exercise at the final event called the Green Mile, where students worked together to transport a litter loaded with rucksacks uphill.
Bratt emphasized that sharing difficult experiences with Soldiers can offer encouragement and foster meaningful conversations.
"We have words to share, encouragement to give, and great discussions, but it's about walking alongside them," Bratt said.
Waldo added that shared experiences help chaplains become more approachable and build relationships that can continue long after training.
"It really opens doors and adds credibility to our ability to be with them, embrace the challenges, and support them through life's difficulties," Waldo said.
Throughout the course, the three chaplains supported their classmates with prayers before knot tests, short devotionals before waterborne operations, one-on-one conversations, and a Sunday worship service in the field.
For Bratt, the worship service at the end of Survival Day provided a moment for personal reflection. As the sun set, he contemplated his experience fasting and the spiritual lessons he gained from the course.
"Watching the sunset helped me reflect more deeply on fasting for the day, reminding me that man does not live on food alone, but by the word of God," Bratt said. He said the course gave him time to pray and reflect while staying present with the Soldiers around him.
Crawley noted that students also valued quiet morning moments to prepare for the day ahead. The chaplains encouraged their classmates throughout training with conversations, congratulations, and reminders that they could face the challenges ahead.
While the course was rife with opportunities to provide ministry to Soldiers, it presented challenges for the chaplains as well. Crawley recalled becoming flustered during a rope-system test while attempting a knot he had practiced repeatedly. He explained to get through that moment he needed to pause, say a prayer and refocus before continuing.
Waldo suggested that experiences like this help chaplains understand the challenges Soldiers face and create opportunities to walk alongside them through future difficulties.
He also encouraged fellow chaplains and religious affairs specialists to pursue demanding training programs and share those experiences with the Soldiers they support.
"Participating in schools like this is a great opportunity to minister alongside Soldiers," Waldo stated.
Crawley expressed his desire for chaplains and religious affairs personnel across the Tropic Lightning Division to attend this course, identify areas for improvement, and develop the necessary skills to accompany Soldiers in jungle terrain.
"The 25th Infantry Division is known as the jungle division, so I want every chaplain and religious affairs NCO to have the ministry of presence," Crawley emphasized. "That means they can navigate the jungle with the rest of the formation, making them an asset, not a liability."
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