Call for Chaplains

 Word has been received in the General Conference National Service Organiza­tion office of the immediate need for addi­tional Seventh-day Adventist chaplains in the United States Army. Similar requests will be coming from the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy.With more and more of our young men being called into military service there is a challenge to the church to minister to those young men spiritually in situations where it is very difficult for the civilian minister to operate. Though large today, the future potential of this challenge is enormous.

Conditions of military service for a chap­lain are not easy. Normally, on going into active duty there is first an orientation course, followed by six months to a year of on-the-job-training here in the United States to fully acquaint a chaplain with his work. Then the usual assignment would be a hardship tour of duty overseas. This hard­ship tour would be for approximately one year, under present conditions, and the family could not accompany the chaplain. Following the overseas hardship tour of duty there would probably be one to three years' duty in the United States, and then another overseas tour of duty of up to three years, with the family going along. The needs of the military service of the moment would be the governing factor in all assign­ments.

The prerequisites of the Army chaplaincy are specific. They are as follows:

1. A male citizen of the United States or one who lawfully entered the United States for permanent residence.
2. Under 33 years of age at the time of actual appointment.
3. Physically qualified.
4. in possession of 120 semester-hour cred­its of undergraduate study at a recognized college or university and a minimum of 90 semester-hour credits of study performed in a recognized theological school, or equiva­lent credits in the fields of religion and the social sciences performed in a recognized university or other graduate school.
5. A regularly ordained clergyman en­dorsed for chaplaincy by a recognized religious denomination. For Seventh-day Adventists this endorsement is given by the National Service Organization.
6. Actively engaged in the ministry as the principal vocation in life.
7. Able to receive a favorable National Agency Check (security clearance).

Military chaplains are ministers of the church under the control of their denomi­nation during their tour of duty. On accept­ing a commission as a chaplain there is an obligation to serve on active duty for a period of three years. Then one is free to resign from military service and re-enter the civilian ministry, or he may remain in the military for a period of extended service, and after twenty years qualify for military retirement pay. For Seventh-day Adventist ministers military service counts toward their service record in the denomina­tion for sustentation credit until such time as they might qualify for military retire­ment pay.

At the present time possibly as many as a dozen Seventh-day Adventist ministers could be placed in the United States mili­tary forces. This would double the number of Adventist chaplains presently on active duty. Those who are challenged by the possibility of ministry as a Seventh-day Ad­ventist military chaplain and who will fully meet the prerequisites by June, 1967, are invited to get in touch with the director of the National Service Organization at the General Conference no later than January 1, 1967. It takes many months of study, investigation, and processing to prepare a chaplain for active duty. Those considering this ministry should be prepared to go on active duty no later than June 30, 1967.