Letter from the Chaplain
Greetings 3/1 Marines and family members! I am very happy to be serving as your new Battalion Chaplain and anticipate a wonderful experience as I get to know all of you. Here’s just a little by way of introduction about myself. 3/1 is my first assignment as an active duty chaplain. Prior to coming to Camp Pendleton I completed Officer Development School at Newport, Rhode Island, and chaplain school at FT Jackson, South Carolina. Although I am brand new to the Navy Chaplain Corps and the Marine Corps specifically, I am not new to chaplain ministry. From 2010 to early 2012 I worked as both a chaplain in the USAF Reserve and chaplain at ST Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. In both of those scenarios I had the great opportunity of working with individuals and families from all faiths, walks of life and backgrounds.
Prior to pursuing my call to chaplaincy I served in the USAF as an enlisted musician, and was stationed in northern California at Travis Air Force Base. During that time I had a great opportunity to tour most of the west coast providing public outreach performances for a variety of communities. It was actually about one year into my Air Force music career that I met a chaplain who opened my eyes to the possibility of my plausible future as an active duty chaplain. So, almost five years later, here I am!
I’d like to leave you with just one final thought regarding my view about the role of chaplain in the battalion. The Navy Chaplain Corps espouses the motto of “Called to Serve”. As your chaplain I am called to serve you: the Marines and families of 3/1. I have already had the great chance to be out with some of you on hikes, patrols, doing PT, or just visiting you in your work spaces. My main purpose is to be present and available to you in any way I can. Please know I pray for you often. I care about you and hope to meet all of you in the days and months that lie ahead. Once again, it is an honor to serve by your side.