"Sir you are the craziest Chaplain I have ever met"

So said a Gunnery Sergeant yesterday as I was getting ready to run a 5 mile run with the candidates at 0530. I asked him why he said that and he told me he had never encountered a Chaplain that routinely ran and hiked with his unit. I thanked him for the compliment, but when I got back home yesterday that comment really bothered me. I really enjoyed the compliment and am thankful that the Gunnery Sergeant at Chaplain School was adamant about the need to PT with your unit in order to get the street cred to minister to Marines. I took that advice to heart and it is paying great dividends this summer. The more I PT and hang with the unit, the more they feel comfortable talking with me. The respect I get from these runs and hikes allows me to do my ministry in a more effective manner.

The real rub of the conversation was the fact that this senior enlisted Marine doesn't remember his Chaplain walking alongside the unit. That really began to bother me and the more I think about it the more it pains me that some Chaplains let down their units and decide to minister on their terms and schedule not that of their congregation. This may work when one is with a standard parish, but the congregation for a Chaplain just doesn't work that way. They have to see the Chaplain as one of them who is not there only when things go bad. I had another experience along the same lines last week when visiting a candidate at medical. A group of Marines made the joke that their quarantine watch was no longer necessary because if I was there it was a dire situation.

I now know that part of my goal when I finally get back to active duty is to change these stereotypes. We should minister in a way that it is normal to see the Chaplain at every PT session and hike. The Chaplain should be present in all aspects of the life of the unit, just as a normal parish pastor is present in the joys and sorrows of the congregation. At dinner with a friend on Sunday she commented on how similar my experience this summer was to the manner in which Jesus ministered, walking with people in their lives regardless of their situation. I have to admit, her comment really made sense and convicted me to work with my colleagues to limit the number of senior Marines that have limited interaction with their Chaplains.

The last two weeks have been amazing and I am learning a great deal from my Marines. I see such dedication from both staff and student and it drives me during some tough PT sessions. I have seen people in tears pushing through the frustration and pain to complete tasks. I have seen acts of selflessness that show me ways that I fail in that area. Lessons and images that I will carry with me forever. And as one would expect, I have learned new ways of exercising that will keep me fit without the need for a gym. These few weeks are definitely a highlight of my Naval career and I can't wait to get out there full time with the Marines.

OCS Week 1

No I am not a candidate at OCS here in Quantico, I am actually on staff for the next few weeks for some summer training as a Chaplain. I have been assigned to two companies of officer candidates to serve as a semi-Chaplain since I can't do everything a Chaplain does, but it has been a great first week. I can really see myself doing this job for the rest of my working life.

I was able to see the candidates on their first day when the DI's picked them up from the orientation leaders and have been alongside them in many evolutions since then. I have been doing some heavy PT that I have to arrive at around 0510 in the morning to get the brief and get ready to run, etc. I will be going out in the field with the companies, doing the hikes and such with them. I have been sitting in on their classes and of course helping out with worship here on base for the candidates. Today was great seeing about 700 people at worship, even if some of them were just there to catch a few moments of shut eye.