I have been receiving a three to four emails a month from readers of this blog. I really appreciate the feedback and the kind words you have shared. You also have many of the same questions, so I thought I’d write a post of frequently asked questions.
Q: Why did you choose the Air Force?
A: The Air Force was the best fit for our family. At the time, the Air Force was only sending chaplains on 4-month deployments every 18 months. Now it sends us on 6-month deployments. That was shorter than the 18 months in the Army and the more frequent 6 months in the Navy. The Army has now backed down to 12 months. Also, I was told by several friends, who were prior Army, I should try to get into the Air Force first. They said if they had it to do over again they would have joined the Air Force. As I began to explore the types of ministry I would be doing in the Air Force, I realized it would be a good fit for my family and me.
Q: How has being and Air Force Chaplain been for your family? Do they like it?
A: My wife loves the Air Force family. We have made lifelong friends and have enjoyed so many of the benefits of being a military family. There is less pressure on her than when she was a “pastor’s wife.” We love the chapel communities. Our kids enjoy moving and seeing new places. We don’t relish the deployments, however, we know this is where God has called us to be. I actually get to spend more quality time with my family as a Chaplain than I did as a civilian pastor.
Q: What is your typical day like?
A: Short answer is…there is not typical day, and that is one of the things that makes this vocation so wonderful! The longer answer is…I could be doing just about anything on any give day. On Monday I might be visiting the flight line and talking to folks who work on jets. On Tuesday I might be in a staff meeting with the base commander, filling in for my boss. On Wednesday I could be leading an AWANA program. Thursday may be my day off to compensate for my Sunday work. Friday I may be counseling a couple for marriage. Saturday I’m off, and Sunday I’m preaching in a service. Other things we do: emergency counseling, unit visitation, on-call chaplain, lead Bible studies, attend squadron and group functions, pray at ceremonies, host luncheons, funerals, weddings, baptisms, communion, training missions etc.
Q: I’m not a liturgical pastor or an infant baptizer; do I have a chance to get into the Air Force?
A: You have zero chance of getting in the Air Fore if you don’t apply. If you are a quality person, feel called of God to serve God and Country, and desire to be a part of the most powerful Air Force on earth, then you should apply and follow God’s lead. Don’t join another service because you have a better chance of getting in. Only join that service if you feel called to be there.
Q: Can you preach what you want or does the Air Force tell you what you can preach? (also what about the repeal of “don’t ask don’t tell” or DADT and the rules about not praying in Jesus’ name.)
A: The Air Force chaplaincy is a unique place to serve and it comes with it’s own rules of engagement. You will have to navigate your own ethical and religious waters surrounding these issues. But, let me give you some short answers to these questions:
- No one can tell you what to preach. However, you must realize that you are not the pastor of the local MethaLuthBaptiCostal Church. It’s not wise to spend pulpit time on subjects that are near and dear to particular denominations. I preach in the Protestant service. So, I preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether or not the folks in that service know what Infralapsarianism is doesn’t matter so much.
- You can’t denigrate another faith group.
- The repeal of DADT has caused many chaplains and many who want to be chaplains to question their future in the chaplaincy. You do not have to do anything that would go against your conscience or your faith group. Can you preach from Romans chapter one? Yes. Should you preach on it four times a year or more? Probably not. But, if you are preaching through the text you have every right to preach on it and to give your interpretation. You do not have to perform rites or ceremonies that violate your conscience. I have another blog entry on this subject here: USAFCHAPLAIN DADT
- You can pray in Jesus’ name anytime you want. The current guidance basically states that no one will tell you how to pray. If you must always pray in Jesus’ name or in any other sectarian way, you may not want to pray at events where people are forced to attend who may not share your faith. That’s my paraphrase of the policy. In the chapel service you pray however you would like. See this link for more info: USAFCHAPLAIN A Pluralistic Air Force
Q: What are deployments like and were they hard on your family?
A: Deployments are great because it’s the most amazing ministry you can imagine. Deployments are awful because we are at war and because you don’t get to see your family. It was hard on my family, but it’s part of this ministry. We get through them by God’s grace and wonderful technology like Skype and Facebook. You should prepare yourself spiritually for deployments. They are like the movie Groundhog’s Day in many ways. You will do the same thing over and over and over and over again. Establish a routine, talk to and write to your family as much as possible and realize that every moment there is precious because they are moments the Lord is using you for his work in the Kingdom. Many of our deployments are “safer” in the Air Force than other services, but in today’s combat everyone is vulnerable.
Q: Do you enjoy what you do?
A: YES! This is the best job I could ever have.
Q: What do you not like?
A: The same thing everyone hates about his or her job. I must say, however, that the Air Force has been absolutely wonderful to my family and me. We have no complaints about how we have been treated and only praise for the Air Force and the Air Force Family. But to answer the question: I can’t stand administrivia. I hate feeling helpless when policies are made that impact what we do in a negative way. I hate being undermanned and under-resourced. I loath when it appears good people get hurt in a system that doesn’t seem to care about them. But, you are going to experience that anywhere. Your attitude in the midst of that makes all the difference in the world. I am choosing to help where I can and where I can’t, well, there is plenty of ministry to be involved in that can take my mind off some of the unpleasant things. The negatives really are minor compared to the joy of being an Air Force Chaplain.
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