My understanding of the chaplaincy ministry has matured throughout the years serving in the Chaplain Candidate Program. I am at the end of CHBOLC’s training and have had the opportunity to reflect more on my role and identity as a US Army Chaplain. Being part of these wonderful program also gives me the opportunity to reflect on my civilian pastoral role as it correlates to my chaplain role and identity. My chaplain identity is based upon my pastoral identity. As Chaplains, part our identity is linked to the Army’s officer leadership which requires to follow the Leadership Requirements Model. The professional identity of the Army chaplain is also shaped by the stories which the chaplaincy tells and how our belief of God as shepherd and…show more content… Although our pastoral identity is shaped by our faith tradition, there is a common religious consciousness which provides for sharing between chaplains and the military (Block, 2012). Our identity is who we are, our uniqueness as individuals or groups. It is also the qualities and beliefs that make a particular person or group different from others too (Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary). As Chaplains, part our identity is linked to the Army’s officer leadership. This group requires to follow an important model know as the Leadership Requirements Model. This model conveys the expectations the Army needs leaders to meet (ADP 6-22, para 22).
One of the requirements of the Leadership Requirements Model consists of the attributes all leaders should know and possess. The leadership attributes are characteristics internal to a leader and shape how we behave and learn in our environment (ADP 6-22, para 23,25). According to the ADP 6-22, the leader’s attributes are formed from our character, presence and…show more content… The story tells who we are. We learned the story of selfless service (one our Army leadership traits) in the story of the four chaplains. These chaplains linked arms on the sinking troop carrier (Dorchester) and gave their lives for the sake of others. The four chaplain’s story transmits and reinforces our values and creates a sense of belonging to our chaplain community. This chaplain’s story only becomes “my” story as we identify with the group or the Corps we are part of (Lewis, 2013). These men of different faiths, ages, and backgrounds were drawn together by their steadfast belief in