Airforce Chaplaincy Discipline

Introduction

As a unique component of the United States military, the Airforce Chaplaincy Discipline plays a crucial role in maintaining the spiritual and ethical well-being of airmen in the U.S. Airforce. The chaplaincy discipline provides spiritual guidance and support to airmen and their families, often in challenging and stressful situations. The chaplains also serve as moral and ethical ambassadors of the Airforce, ensuring that airmen uphold the highest ethical standards in the military1. Their work and service help maintain airmen’s spiritual and psychological well- being, even amid adversity. As representatives of the Airforce, chaplains in the chaplaincy discipline remain committed to providing spiritual guidance and support to airmen, helping them navigate the challenges of military service. In this paper, a chaplain in the USAF, Chaplain (Capt.) Steve O. Thiel was interviewed face-to-face on Thursday, June 15, 2023, at 9:30 AM to discover the unique elements and peculiarities of the Airforce chaplaincy discipline.

The Motivation to Join the Airforce Chaplaincy Discipline

Chaplain Thiel’s motivation to become a chaplain in the USAF was driven by his desire to serve the nation. He saw the discipline as an opportunity to contribute to the well of airmen deployed worldwide in the country’s service. This motivation exemplifies one of the unique elements of the Airforce chaplaincy in its focus on service to the great nation and its people.
Chaplains in the Airforce are well-trained, equipped, and motivated to provide spiritual guidance and support to airmen and their families in times of crisis and need2. A sense of service to the country and spirituality is at the core of the chaplaincy discipline. The unique service

1 Steve O. Thiel. USAF Chaplaincy Interview, 2023.
2 Paul E. Linzey and B. K. Travis, Military Ministry: Chaplains in the Twenty-First Century, Eugene: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2022.

combination helps chaplains offer much-needed spiritual guidance and support to the airmen and their families to help them face the challenges and difficulties associated with military life.

Preparation to Qualify for the Airforce Chaplaincy

Chaplain Thiel’s educational background is a peculiarity of the Airforce chaplaincy. As revealed in the interview, he completed his Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2011 and has over 20 years of ministry experience.3. Chaplains in the Airforce must have a solid educational background in divinity or ministry. This requirement affords them the knowledge and experience to provide spiritual guidance and support to airmen and their families.4. The chaplains’ educational training enables them to provide effective counseling, preaching, public speaking, and ethical and moral teachings. They are also trained in small group leadership, crisis intervention, and critical incident stress management. The unique educational training makes chaplains in the Airforce unique to other military personnel. It enables them to provide pastoral and spiritual support to airmen and their families regardless of their religious beliefs.

Ministry Opportunities in the Airforce Chaplaincy Discipline

Chaplain Thiel’s explanation of the ministry opportunities in the Airforce chaplaincy discipline provides insight into chaplains’ wide range of duties and responsibilities. He stated that he could interact with over 1,200 airmen on various topics ranging from relationships to money to their spiritual well-being. The chaplain provides counseling, discipleship, and encouragement in various situations as well as offering marriage and parenting counseling alongside life

3 Steve O. Thiel. USAF Chaplaincy Interview, 2023.
4 Joshua T. Morris, “Military Chaplaincy in the USA:” Care, Healing, and Human Well-Being within Interreligious Discourses, 2021.

management counseling.5. Their role is not just confined to providing religious and spiritual guidance but extends to airmen’s general well-being. Chaplains in the Airforce proactively work to strengthen airmen in every area of their lives. They use materials like Financial Peace University, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, Laugh Your Way to Better Marriage, 5 Love Languages, and PREP 8.0 in their training.6. Through such training, chaplains aim to promote individual growth in the airmen.

The Strengths and Weaknesses of the Airforce Chaplaincy Discipline

Chaplain Thiel highlighted his strengths, including preaching, teaching, counseling, and public speaking. However, his weaknesses include trying to get to know people he has never met. He has to work hard at small talk and engage folks when they are not particularly interested in talking with the chaplain. Chaplain Thiel’s preaching, teaching, counseling, and public speaking strengths are unique to the Airforce chaplaincy discipline. The Airforce chaplaincy discipline’s strengths are spiritual guidance, ethical and moral teachings, and counseling. The most significant challenge of serving as a chaplain within the Airforce chaplaincy discipline is time. Chaplain Thiel stated that he would love to spend more time at the base interacting with more and more airmen. However, as a full-time local pastor, it is difficult for him to be at the base as much as he wants. The challenge of time management, especially for part-time chaplains, is another peculiarity of the Airforce chaplaincy discipline.

5 Tyler J. VanderWeele, “Religious Communities, Health, and Well-Being – Address to the U.S. Air Force Chaplain,” Military Medicine 183, no. 5–6 (2018).
6 Steve O. Thiel. USAF Chaplaincy Interview, 2023.

Threats and Concerns for Evangelical Chaplains in Airforce Chaplaincy Discipline

According to Chaplain Thiel, there are no threats to evangelical chaplains who understand their role, their responsibility, and the lane in which they are being called to serve. The most helpful phrase is that they are a chaplain to all and a pastor to some. The Airforce chaplaincy discipline discourages evangelism but instead encourages the provision of spiritual guidance to airmen without any bias or attempt to convert them.7.

Effectiveness of the Airforce Chaplaincy Discipline

Chaplain Thiel’s perception of his ministry efforts as effective within the Air National Guard (ANG) chaplain corps is a testament to the unique effectiveness of the Airforce chaplaincy discipline. As he stated in the interview, he has had various opportunities to interact with airmen and share his beliefs with them, and he has consistently received positive feedback. Its effectiveness within the Airforce lies in the airmen’s reception of the guidance and teachings provided by chaplains.8. The chaplains’ training, experience, and education in divinity make them well-equipped to provide counseling, ethical and moral teachings, spiritual support, and prayer to the airmen. This guidance, support, and compassion help airmen to cope with the difficulties and challenges faced during their service to the nation, and the positive feedback and reception received by chaplains are proof of the effectiveness of the guidance and teachings provided by the Airforce chaplaincy discipline.

7 Thomas H. Suitt, III, “Military Chaplains and the Two-Collar Problem,” Narratives of Trauma and Moral Agency among Christian Post-9/11 Veterans, 2023.
8 Joshua T. Morris, “Military Chaplaincy in the USA:” Care, Healing, and Human Well-Being within Interreligious Discourses, 2021.

Impact of the Airforce Chaplaincy on Personal and Family Life

Chaplain Thiel’s testimony of his ministry as a chaplain goes beyond the positive impact he has had on airmen and families but also extends to his personal and family life. The outstanding curriculum and training he received as a chaplain have influenced his personal and family life positively. His experiences serving as an Airforce chaplain have encouraged and strengthened his faith and commitment to service. His son’s decision to join the military is one way his ministry has positively impacted his family.9. Ultimately, the Airforce chaplaincy discipline offers more than just an opportunity to serve and provide guidance to military personnel and their families but also provides room for personal and family development.

Opportunities Taken Advantage of as a Chaplain

Chaplain Thiel’s identification of outstanding ministry opportunities as the most significant advantage of being an Airforce chaplain highlights the unique nature of the chaplaincy discipline. The ministry opportunities provided by the Airforce chaplaincy discipline are diverse and extensive, enabling chaplains to interact effectively with airmen and their families. The opportunities are essential in providing spiritual guidance and support to the airmen, fostering their mental, emotional, and physical well-being10. Chaplains are continually encouraged to seize these opportunities to offer support in various fields, including counseling, preaching, public speaking, and ethical and moral teachings. Ultimately, these ministry opportunities are the foundation of the Airforce chaplaincy discipline and enable chaplains to offer much-needed support beyond the strict confines of religion or spirituality.

9 Steve O. Thiel. USAF Chaplaincy Interview, 2023.
10 Tyler J. VanderWeele, “Religious Communities, Health, and Well-Being – Address to the U.S. Air Force Chaplain,” Military Medicine 183, no. 5–6 (2018).

Self-Guided Improvement as a Chaplain

Chaplain Thiel’s observation that being an Airforce chaplain provides excellent personal development through the best curriculum on the market highlights the unique nature of the chaplaincy discipline. The Airforce chaplaincy discipline is committed to developing chaplains’ skills and expertise by offering them cutting-edge training and skill acquisition programs. The chaplaincy discipline encourages self-guided improvement, empowering chaplains to use continuing education opportunities to develop their knowledge base and remain current with best practices.11. By consistently training and improving their skill set and expertise, chaplains can enhance their effectiveness and, in turn, provide a better quality of spiritual guidance and support to airmen and their families. The emphasis on self-improvement, training, and skill acquisition reflects the discipline’s commitment to excellence and enhancing chaplaincy effectiveness and performance.

Working with a Diverse Group of People

Chaplain Thiel’s statement underscores the diversity in the Airforce chaplaincy discipline.

As a chaplain, he can work with various people from different backgrounds, including racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural diversity. Additionally, he interacts with individuals with varied lifestyles, experiences, and interests. The Airforce allows chaplains to engage with a diverse range of airmen and their superiors, providing a broader perspective and understanding of the military community’s unique challenges and needs12. It encourages a culture of diversity, inclusiveness, and sensitivity to various cultural traditions and beliefs, enabling chaplains to

11 Paul E. Linzey and B. K. Travis, Military Ministry: Chaplains in the Twenty-First Century, Eugene: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2022.
12 Steve O. Thiel. USAF Chaplaincy Interview, 2023.

provide spiritual guidance and support in culturally sensitive ways.13. Ultimately, the diversity within the chaplaincy discipline reflects the broader diversity within the Airforce community and reinforces the chaplaincy discipline’s role in promoting unity and cohesion within the military community.

Favorite Thing to Do as Chaplain

The chaplain’s favorite thing to do as a chaplain is pray for people in critical seasons and transitions of their life14. Prayer is an important activity in the Airforce chaplaincy discipline and a unique element of the discipline.

The Greatest Honor of Being a Chaplain

Chaplain Thiel considers traveling the world and serving in unique places a tremendous honor and privilege of being a chaplain. The Airforce chaplaincy discipline allows chaplains to travel and serve in unique places globally.

Conclusion

The Airforce chaplaincy discipline is a unique and peculiar component of the United States military. The discipline provides spiritual guidance and support to airmen and their families. The discipline’s peculiarities include motivation by a sense of service to the nation and spirituality, a solid educational background in divinity or ministry, outstanding ministry opportunities, challenges of time management, and self-guided improvement through training

13 Joshua T. Morris, “Military Chaplaincy in the USA:” Care, Healing, and Human Well-Being within Interreligious Discourses, 2021.
14 Steve O. Thiel. USAF Chaplaincy Interview, 2023.

and skill acquisition. The discipline’s unique elements include strengths in spiritual guidance, ethical and moral teachings, counseling, and prayer encouragement. The Airforce chaplaincy discipline remains essential to the United States military, providing much-needed spiritual guidance to airmen and their families.

Bibliography

Linzey, Paul E., and B. K. Travis. Military Ministry: Chaplains in the Twenty-First Century.

Eugene: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2022.

Morris, Joshua T. “Military Chaplaincy in the USA:” Care, Healing, and Human Well-Being within Interreligious Discourses, 2021, 319–333. doi:10.2307/j.ctv2bgz3js.23.

Suitt, III, Thomas H. “Military Chaplains, and the Two-Collar Problem.” Narratives of Trauma and Moral Agency among Christian Post-9/11 Veterans, 2023, 23–58. doi:10.1007/978- 3-031-31082-9_2.

Thiel, Steve O. USAF Chaplaincy Interview, 2023.

VanderWeele, Tyler J. “Religious Communities, Health, and Well-Being – Address to the U.S. Air Force Chaplain.” Military Medicine 183, no. 5–6 2018, 105–109. doi:10.1093/milmed/usx206.