Duties and Responsibilities of the Chaplain

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Duties and Responsibilities of the Chaplain
CH (MAJ) Kenneth Williams
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Terminal Learning Objectives

• Action Discuss the duties and responsibilities
  of Army Chaplains and religious accommodation.
• Conditions Given a guided discussion in a
  classroom setting
• Standard Discussed the duties and
  responsibilities of Army Chaplains as religious
  leaders, staff officers, and noncombatants and
  religious accommodation.

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Administrative Data

• Safety Requirements None
• Risk Assessment Low
• Environmental Considerations None
• Evaluation
  Leadership Exam

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(No Transcript)
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Chaplain, not Chaplin!
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Historical and Legal Basis for the Chaplaincy

• Authorized by Continental Congress, 1775
• Title 10, U. S. Code
• Served in every war beginning in the
  Revolutionary war
• Ensure Free exercise clause of 1st amendment

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THE COMMANDERS AND CHAPLAINS RESPONSIBILITIES

• The commander is responsible for ensuring that
  soldiers and their families have the opportunity
  for the free exercise of religion.

• The chaplain is a special staff officer
  responsible to the commander for religious
  support.

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Army Chaplains Are . . .

• Religious Leaders
• Fully qualified clergy
• Endorsed by a religious faith group
• Staff Officers
• Have authority to supervise and control
• Do not exercise command
• Noncombatants

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Chaplain Branch Insignia
Buddhist
Christian
Jewish
Muslim
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DACH - Predictable Equitable Reliable
Strength Report as of SEP 2003
1228
Protestant
112
Catholic
8
Jewish
5
Orthodox
Muslim
7
TOTAL
FY 2003 BES 1367
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Duties as Religious Leaders

• Services
• Worship
• Wedding
• Funeral/Memorial
• Ceremonies
• Religious Education

• Core Principles
• Nurture the living
• Care for the wounded
• Honor the dead
• Pastoral Care
• Privileged communication
• Sensitive information

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Two types of communication

• Privileged
• Formal act of religion or matter of conscience
• A right of the counselee
• Sensitive
• Not privileged but personally sensitive
• Improper for general dissemination

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Duties as Staff Officers

• Advising the Commander
• Supporting Commanders programs
• Coordinating UMT professional training
• Care for funds
• Manage facilities

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Unit Ministry Team (UMT)

• Chaplain
• Chaplain Assistant -- 56M
  
  71M, prior to Oct. 2001
• The Chaplains Assistant is a combatant.
• Assigned to Battalion or higher HQ

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REFERENCES

• DODD 1300.17, Accommodation of Religious
  Practices within the Military Services, 3 Feb 88
  and Change 1, 17 Oct 88.
• AR 670-1, paragraph 1.7.B, Wear and Appearance of
  Army Uniforms and Insignia, 1 Sep 92.
• DA PAM 600-75, Accommodating Religious Practices,
  22 Sep 93.
• AR 165-1, Chaplain Activities in the United
  States Army, 27 Feb 98.
• AR 600-20, paragraph 5.6 and 5.6.H, Army Command
  Policy, 15 Jul 99.
• Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain
  Selected Groups A Handbook for Chaplains.

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• The Armys Policy (DA PAM 600-75)
• It is the Armys policy to approve requests for
  accommodation of religious practices that will
  not adversely impact on military readiness, unit
  cohesion, standards, health, safety, or
  discipline or otherwise interfere with the
  performance of the soldiers military duties.

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• The U.S. Constitution
• The U.S. Constitution First Amendment prohibits
  enactment of any law respecting the
  establishment of religion or prohibiting the free
  exercising thereof.
• Chaplains help advise the commander in protecting
  the free exercise of religion.

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• Civil Rights Act of 1964 To be a bona fide
  religious belief entitled to protection under
  either the First Amendment or Title VII, a belief
  must be sincerely held, and within the believers
  own scheme of things religious.
• U.S. Supreme Court, Thomas vs. Review Board,
  1981 religious beliefs need not be acceptable,
  logical, consistent, or comprehensible to others
  in order to merit First Amendment protection.

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ELEMENTS OF RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION

• Discounting beliefs of others
• Religious jokes/slurs
• Compulsory Services/Ceremonies
• Stereotyping people by their religion
• Non-Association due to religion
• Worship time not made available
• Lack of concern

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CATEGORIES OF RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

• Worship Practices
• Dietary Practices
• Medical Practices
• Wear and Appearance of the Uniform
• Personal Grooming

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WORSHIP PRACTICES

• Some religious groups have worship requirements
  which conflict with the soldiers normal
  availability for duty.
• Example Worship on days other than Saturday and
  Sunday, special Holy days or periods.

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DIETARY PRACTICES

• Some faith groups have religious tenets which
  prohibit the eating of specific foods, or
  prescribe a certain manner in which food must be
  prepared.
• Example A soldier with a conflict between the
  diet provided by the Army and that required by
  religious practice may request an exception to
  policy to receive separate rations.

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MEDICAL PRACTICES

• Some religions practice self-medical care, or
  prohibit immunizations, blood transfusions, or
  surgery.
• Example A soldier may request self-medical care
  for non-emergency or non-life-threatening illness
  or injury.
• In emergency situations the medical treatment
  facility may order or the attending physician may
  take immediate steps to save a soldiers life
  regardless of religious practices or objections.

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WEAR AND APPEARANCE OF THE UNIFORM

• Soldiers may wear Religious apparel, articles,
  and jewelry that are not visible or apparent
  that are discreet in style and subdued in
  brightness and color that do not replace or
  interfere with the proper wearing of any
  prescribed article of the uniform.
• Religious articles may not be temporarily or
  permanently affixed or appended to any prescribed
  article of the uniform.
• Religious items which do not meet the standards
  of AR 670-1 may be worn by soldiers in uniform
  while they are in a worship setting.

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PERSONAL GROOMING

• The Army will not accommodate exceptions to
  personal grooming standards for religious reasons
  except Religious-based exceptions to policy
  previously given soldiers under the provisions of
  regulation prior to 1 January 1986 continue in
  effect however, soldiers previously granted
  authority to wear unshorn hair, unshorn beard, or
  permanent religious jewelry will not be assigned
  permanent change of station or temporary duty out
  of CONUS due to health and safety considerations.
  

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SAMPLE POLICY LETTER

• Remember the guiding principles.
• Use chaplain as an adviser.
• Follow the specific guidelines.

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REQUESTS FOR RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

• Considerations
• Religious beliefs are important.
• Is the request sincere and based on religious
  reasons?
• Will the accommodation have an adverse impact on
  military readiness, unit cohesion, standards,
  health, safety, or discipline?
• The importance of accommodating the individual.
• The impact of similar requests.
• Are there alternative solutions?
• Previous treatment of similar requests?

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REQUESTS FOR RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

• Soldiers submit requests to their immediate
  commander.
• Commander may approve informally or formally (in
  writing), or disapprove. Must respond within 10
  days.
• Accommodation remains in effect unless revoked by
  subsequent or higher commander.
• Soldiers can appeal a disapproved request through
  each level of command to ODCSPER at DA.
• If a soldiers request is denied he or she can
  request separation from the Army.

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Preparing for the Death of a Soldier

• Memorializing the Soldier
• The Grief Process
• Caring for the Family

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Purpose of Memorializing

• To honor the deceased
• To honor God
• To honor the nation
• To encourage the mourners
• To aid the grief process.

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Memorials

• Ceremony
• Patriotic
• Mandatory
• Unit takes lead
• Service
• Religious
• Voluntary
• Chaplain takes lead

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Responsibilities

• Commander comments focus on deceased and what
  is to be learned from the death.
• Chaplain comments focus on encouragement and
  comfort

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Considerations

• Time 3 to 7 days
• Location
• Speakers
• Type of memorial
• Elements
• Display

• Purpose
• Unit reaction to death
• Attendees/seating
• Care for family
• Rehearsals

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What Is Grief?

• A Process.
• Denial
• Anger
• Bargaining
• Depression
• Acceptance
• Natural and normal

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What Is Grief? Cont.

• a. Bereavement/Loss an act in any change there
  is loss.
• b. Grief the emotion the nature of the
  attachment determines the kind of grief.
• c. Mourning the activity of incorporating the
  loss into our life learning to live with it new
  environment create thing to fill void.

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Bereavement/Loss

• Types of losses include
• (1) Death
• (2) Divorce
• (3) Rape
• (4) Abuse child/spouse

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Bereavement/Loss, cont.

• (5) Loss of body part 
• (6) Birth of a special needs child
• (7) Passed over for promotion
• (8) PCS/ETS loss of support system

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Grief

• Common Emotions
• Sadness
• Anger
• Guilt
• Hurt
• Shock
• Panic
• Distress

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Grief, cont.

• Common Reactions
• Tightness in throat
• Heaviness in chest
• Lack of concentration wandering not completing
  tasks
• Change in sleep habits
• Loneliness

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Grief, cont.

• Common Reactions, cont.
• Preoccupation with the deceased person or object
  of the loss.
• Need to tell and re-tell the experience
• Mood swings
• Flood of emotions

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Mourning

• Appropriate Responses
• Listen. Dont underestimate the power of
  presence.
• Allow emotion
• Encourage talk about the loss.
• Share genuine emotion.
• Send a note, card, or meaningful verse.
• Bring a meal or snacks.

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Mourning, cont.

• Appropriate Responses
• Offer to provide child care.
• Offer to do some chores or run some errands.
• Ask about a preference regarding memorial gifts.
• Give a plant, living bush, tree, or flowers.
• Share the names of others that have had similar
  losses.
• Be patient.

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Mourning, cont.

• Appropriate Responses
• Allow time for adjustments.
• Remember anniversary dates.
• Make early, frequent, and short visits.

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Mourning, cont.

• Inappropriate Responses
• Taking over.
• Discouraging emotion.
• Expecting life to get back to normal.

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Inappropriate Comments

• It was for the best.
• Forget about it.
• It was Gods will.
• Youre young. You can have another child.
• You have to be strong for your family.
• At least you have the rest of your family.

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Inappropriate Comments, cont.

• It could have been worse.
• Youll get over it.
• Time heals all wounds.
• Think of those that are worse off.
• I know just how you feel.

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Appropriate Comments

• You cannot take away the pain.
• Grieving people have to work through their grief.
  
•  There are no magic words.

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Appropriate Comments, cont.

• Im sorry.
• I care.
• I love you.
• I am so sad for your loss.
• What can I do for you?

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Appropriate Comments, cont.

• I am here and I want to listen.
• Talk as long as you want. I have plenty of time.
• You dont have to say anything at all.
• I can only imagine how terrible this must be for
  you.

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Caring for the Family

• Letter of Sympathy or Condolence
• Encourage (but dont force) the person to
  talk/feel
• Take a close friend of the family along
• Remember that grief/disorientation continues
  after you leave -- stay in touch, make yourself
  available
• Discourage major decisions in context of a trauma
• Provide practical assistance --meals, clean
  house, the kids (remember that kids are grieving,
  too)

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Caring for the Family, cont.

• Provide help without creating dependence
• Network with other helpers --work as a team, be
  strategic --separate professional issues from
  daily, practical needs
• Dont force help --let the individual decide
  how much is wanted/needed
• Most importantly provide gentle, loving
  presence--just be there in a caring way

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Questions