Sergeant Major of the Army (Ret.) Robert Hall spoke to our CH-BOLC class prayer breakfast Thursday morning. He gave us three thoughts to take with us, from Lou Holtz. Soldiers want to know three things about their chaplain.
- Can I trust you?
- Are you committed to excellence?
- Do you care about me?
It was a pretty good breakfast. Two enlisted soldiers about to graduate from chaplain assistant school sat at our table, and SPC W. turned out to be from my state. It was good to see a Cornhusker and someone from our chaplaincy ministries.
Not everybody has the same take on pluralism. Some believe you have to lose everything that makes you different. Pluralism by Army policy is a chaplain representing his denomination’s belief system with integrity. That is the chaplain’s position and responsibility. Chaplains also have the duty to the Army of ensuring that soldiers have the freedom to freely exercise their religious beliefs. There is a tension here, but it is not the same tension as being forced to reject your beliefs as a chaplain.
