Blog Posts tagged with "resiliency"

Chaplain (Col.) Brian Van Sickle, Command Chaplain, EUCOM

Military chaplains from Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Canada, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Italy, and the U.S. comprised the group that met at the Italian Air Force (ITAF) Headquarters for the annual NATO Air Force Chaplains Conference in Rome from June 13-18.

The Conference was originally called the “Allied Air Forces in Europe Chaplaincy Consultative Committee” when it was established in 1952 by the SHAPE Commander, General Eisenhower. He believed that “a convocation of NATO chaplains could do much for the spiritual and moral uplift of the respective countries... and not to see the chaplains as 'spiritual guns' to mobilize religion for the sake of anti-communism.”

This year’s theme, “Spirituality of Military Ethics,” paved the way for briefings and discussions that were both stimulating and relevant for all Coalition partners engaged in military missions to CENTCOM. The conference was designed to reinforce command priorities, meet with partner nation military chaplains to evaluate ministry initiatives in our respective areas of responsibility, compare best practices, and understand the strategic and operational goals and challenges from each country's perspective.

One discussion with the Italians specifically, involved spiritual assistance to the military from the Catholic traditional perspective since the Italian Chaplaincy is a 'single-confession' chaplaincy, meaning all of their flock is of the same faith.

Chaplains from all countries represented are very interested in professionalizing their military ministry in order to be more relevant in helping commanders and soldiers make sound ethical decisions. Issues around just war, treatment of prisoners of war, torture, combat stress, reintegration, homosexuality and suicide were among the subjects discussed. My fellow chaplains and I were also able to share helpful resources and best practices from our own countries and experiences.

Ministry in a religiously diverse military was an especially challenging issue for all chaplains attending, but especially so for those from minority faith groups who struggle with being excluded from within the 'single-confession chaplaincies'.

NATO Air Force Chaplains face unique issues in their ministry to airmen in their services: pastoral care for airmen operating Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and living at home, separation from the fight at the base as they send airmen into battle, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), etc. We are working to help each other address these common issues more productively. Our allies are very interested in all the ministry training resources we have in the U.S. and I have shared our chaplain school lesson plans and teaching aids to them so we can be “Stronger Together.”

I am excited that USAFE Command Chaplain will host next year's conference on behalf of the USAF Chief of Chaplains.

Ciao!

Chaplain (Col.) Brian R. Van Sickle
Command Chaplain, EUCOM