Noteboom The Law Firm

Military Chaplains Take on a Varied Role in Modern Armed Services

Military chaplains are a valuable resource for many military members, regardless of a soldier's religious leanings or lack thereof. As such, military chaplains must take on a variety of roles.

Aside from their obvious role, chaplains often lead group therapy sessions for veterans. Not every group therapy has a religious focus and the topics range from re-adjustment issues to substance abuse. Where psychologists would work with the veterans to address and overcome the veterans' mental issues, chaplains focus more on reducing the veterans' "spiritual injury."

Some chaplains focus on working with veterans requiring long-term care. These are usually patients who served in Korea and Vietnam. Many of these veterans are suffering from dementia, which takes the chaplains' focus off counseling and puts it more on comforting. There is no "fixing" the patients requiring this type of care, but those chaplains taking on these roles are rewarded in other, more personal ways.

The younger generation of veterans experience different issues than have been seen in the past. Many veterans experience some type of spiritual conflict. This seems to be especially true in those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) brought on by their combat role.

Younger veterans who have experienced numerous combat deployments may also have complicated feelings about the milestones they missed from life back home. This is an area where military chaplains can lend their support.