The Battalion Chaplain

by COL Cole C. Kingseed
with Chaplain (MAJ) R. Michael Coffey

Chaplains always have played a vital role in providing for the spiritual welfare and the combat readiness of the U.S. soldier, and today’s battalion chaplain continues that proud heritage.  Not only is the chaplain an ordained member of the clergy and a commissioned staff officer, he is also an indispensable member of the chain of command and the unit ministry team.

The primary combat mission of the unit ministry team is to provide spiritual support to soldiers in combat.  The chaplain, as a religious leader, helps soldiers to see the reality beyond themselves.  In war and peace, he assists the commander by providing spiritual resources that will enable soldiers to strengthen their faith and achieve inner peace, stability, and a sense of tranquility.

On the basis of my observations during 20 years of commissioned service, I would like to offer a few suggestions and recommendations to aspiring junior leaders on how best to employ their chaplains. Field Manual 16-l, Religious Support, is an excellent reference for explaining the chaplain’s role.  

Most leaders are familiar with a chaplain’s traditional duties.  He routinely ministers to the soldiers and their families by offering a wide range of services — denominational and non-      denominational, visits to the sick, care for the battle casualties, family and personal counseling of individual soldiers, and a host of other activities outlined in Army Regulation 165-1, Duties of Chaplains and Responsibilities of Commanders.  

In addition to these duties, though, the chaplain also has a less traditional role.  Let me offer a few insights to illustrate how a chaplain can influence and strengthen an infantry unit.  These remarks are applicable to junior and senior officers and noncommissioned officers alike.  For the sake of brevity, my remarks are limited to five general categories.

Command Relationship

The chaplain is the most important personal staff officer in the command.  In addition to fulfilling his normal staff functions, he is a commander’s primary commissioned advisor in assessing the command climate in a unit — from battalion to squad level.  But where is the chaplain’s proper place in the overall command structure?  How frequently should leaders see the chaplain?  Is the frequency greater at battalion, company, or platoon level?  Regardless of the frequency, the chaplain must have unlimited access to the commander.  Anything less than open and candid dialogue is detrimental to the welfare of the command.  

As a battalion commander, I spoke to the chaplain daily.  We generally had a brief conversation at morning physical training or during a short visit to his office.  Since he was the one the soldiers or their family members would see if problems arose that they did not want to discuss with the chain of command, I often used him as a sounding board to test my ideas.  These conversations were extremely beneficial; once the chaplain fully understood my goals, he could address the soldiers within the framework of my intent.

One of my colleagues gave his chaplain a list of questions about the battalion’s attitude on an issue.  The commander then gave the chaplain ample time to survey the appropriate audience and asked him to report his findings.  The feedback was helpful and gave the commander an important tool for assessing the command climate.

The same commander also directed the chaplain to interview, immediately after adjudication, every soldier who received an Article 15.  The intent was to give a soldier an opportunity to talk to someone outside his immediate chain of command.  The chaplain not only ensured that the soldier had not lost his self esteem as a result of the nonjudicial action, but he also gave the commander immediate feedback as to the soldier’s perception of the justice of the proceedings.  The commander then conveyed this information through noncommissioned officer channels so the soldier’s squad leader could work effectively with him.

Establishing a vibrant commander-chaplain relationship is not solely the responsibility of the battalion commander.  Company commanders and first sergeants, as well as platoon and squad leaders, also need to establish a positive relationship with the chaplain.  Unfortunately, the chaplain is the one who frequently must take the initiative and seek out company leaders.  Junior officers and noncommissioned officers who fail to use the chaplain effectively miss a good opportunity to build unit cohesion.

A good rule of thumb is to have the chaplain make an office call soon after a new commander or first sergeant joins a company.  The chaplain can use this forum to explain how he can help those leaders accomplish their missions.  A successful chaplain seldom bypasses the company chain of command.  He never demands; he generally suggests.  As a result, immediate trust can be established between the company leaders and the chaplain.  Whenever this relationship becomes strained, as it sometimes does, both parties must seek an immediate reconciliation.  If they do not, the soldiers are the ones who suffer.

Tactical Duties

Essentially, soldiers want to see their chaplain in the field, particularly during hazardous training.  The chaplain provides a degree of security for the soldiers, who take solace knowing one of "God’s own" is with them.  Moreover, soldiers traditionally make the extra effort, go the additional mile, when a chaplain is at their side sharing their ordeal.

In the field, the chaplain makes his greatest contribution by visiting soldiers and sharing their hardships.  Although a chaplain is not authorized a vehicle in light infantry units, a prudent commander makes sure the chaplain has access to some type of transportation.  My chaplain had little difficulty making his rounds throughout the command, often catching a ride on a mess truck or a support vehicle.  Visiting every soldier in his individual position, the chaplain spent a day with each company before going on to the next.  At night, he and his assistant constructed their own fighting position near a company headquarters so they could keep abreast of the tactical situation.  Naturally, in actual combat the chaplain and chaplain assistant would be ministering to the sick and wounded, but the only time I ever saw my chaplain during a field training exercise was when I inspected one of the companies.  His place was not with a headquarters but was with the men, and the effect on morale was enormous.

There is no rule that says the chaplain participates only in battalion level exercises.  Since the entire battalion deploys to the field, soldiers expect to see him on battalion training exercises.  But the strongest bonds form when the chaplain also trains and visits the soldiers during platoon and company level field training where a battalion leader’s attendance is strictly voluntary.  By offering encouraging words, sharing the soldiers’ concerns and needs, joining in prayer and administering blessings, the chaplain soon becomes the most popular officer in the battalion.

Influencing Morale

Combat veterans know full well the positive influence a chaplain has on unit morale, and few at any level would go into combat again without one.  Leaders should therefore encourage the chaplain to spend as much time as possible with the soldiers.  Although he is a commissioned officer, his place, more than that of any other officer, is with the soldiers.

The most effective chaplains are those who plan their personal schedules to ensure as much contact with the troops as possible.  By scheduling counseling sessions in the afternoon, for example, a chaplain can take part in morning training.  

This scheduling technique serves two purposes.  First, it gives the chaplain increased visibility and accessibility to the soldiers ("palm tree counseling," as my chaplain in Hawaii called it).  Second, the men frequently give informal feedback to the chaplain on a wide range of issues, not the least of which is unit morale.  

The chaplain should not be the only leader who benefits from a soldier’s response.  The next step is for him to share his concerns with the company leaders.  Any time a commander follows a soldier’s suggestion and alters training (using three crew-served weapons at an EIB test site instead of one, for example, to give more soldiers an opportunity to conduct hands-on training) or adopts a spouse’s recommendation (such as publishing a training calendar in the monthly newsletter), he sends a clear message to the soldiers: The command cares about you, your family, and your ideas.  A commander knows the chaplain is successful when the soldiers begin referring to him as "their" chaplain, rather than as "the battalion chaplain."

Building Unit Cohesion

The chaplain also plays a pivotal role in creating a sense of community and esprit de corps among the soldiers, their families, and the command.  What is the best method of achieving the sense of organizational and communal pride? I found that having numerous social events, at little or no cost to the families, was extremely effective.  Organizational days, family religious retreats, holiday meals in the dining facility, and company parties all helped create a sense of battalion unity.  Chaplains also have special funds available for sponsoring such activities.

By far the two most effective functions organized with the chaplain’s assistance were a battalion formal dining-out for the soldiers and their spouses and an all-ranks family retreat at one of the local recreation areas.  These annual events created camaraderie, traditions, and special memories for the soldiers and their families.  In many cases, the dining-out and the retreat were the first opportunities for the spouses to participate in a battalion activity.  The battalion had a good response to both functions, and they are now annual events.

The unit cohesion created by activities of this nature pays huge dividends when it is time to organize family support groups, which are critical in ensuring that family members receive proper care.  Spouses who feel that the command cares for them and that they are an integral part of the organization are far more willing to assist others in the platoon and company.

Predeployment Briefings

Another important contribution a chaplain makes to the combat effectiveness of a unit is preparing the soldiers and their families for the trials of separation.  Predeployment briefings are a commander’s responsibility, of course, but the chaplain can advise him on a number of topics.  Most chaplains are accomplished speakers and know more about audience analysis, family group logistics, and soldier needs than any other staff officer, and his recommendations ought to carry more weight.  Too, since this chaplain has had years of experience recruiting family volunteers and organizing parish activities, the commander should consult him about child care, scheduling, refreshment needs, and related issues.

In advising me on issues related to deployment, my chaplain offered several important recommendations that greatly contributed to the success of the briefings.  His most important recommendations included scheduling and reviewing what each speaker intended to say, particularly volunteer speakers from outside the battalion.  As a result, the battalion never scheduled a briefing before 1900 hours so the families had time to eat their evening meal together and arrange for baby-sitters.  The chaplain also carefully reviewed the comments of every speaker outside the immediate chain of command, such as representatives from the Red Cross, Military Police, and Army Community Service.  The intent was not to censor a speaker’s remarks but to ensure that no one inadvertently caused a family member undue concern for his or her own safety once the soldiers deployed.

Above all, the chaplain must be given time on the agenda to address the families and summarize the facilities that will be available to them as they cope with the rigors of separation.  Also, the chaplain can outline the religious activities available to the families during the time the soldiers will be deployed.  This procedure will have a calming effect on the spouses, many of whom are being separated for the first time.

In summary, the chaplain is an indispensable link between a leader, the soldiers, and their families.  A good chaplain will significantly improve the morale and cohesion of a unit.  He is a valuable asset and all leaders should readily use him.  Leaders who take advantage of the skills and techniques the chaplain offers always have stronger organizations than those who do not.  

One final word is in order.  The chief of the battalion’s unit ministry team is not just the battalion chaplain.  He is also the company, platoon, and individual soldier’s chaplain.  He truly belongs to the soldiers, not the battalion.  With a few notable exceptions, no individual contributes more to instilling pride in the organization and improving the combat effectiveness of a command.

Colonel Cole C. Kingseed previously commanded the 4th Battalion, 87th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division, attended the Naval War College, and currently serves on the faculty of the United States Military Academy as a history professor.  He is a 1971 ROTC graduate of the University of Dayton and holds a doctorate from Ohio State University.

Chaplain (MAJ) R. Michael Coffey previously served as the chaplain of the 4th Battalion, 87th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division and as a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Supervisory resident at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC.  He currently serves at Fort Hood, TX. He is a 1986 graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.) and holds a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree from Fuller Theological Seminary.