Hegseth plans ‘cultural shift’ for military chaplains

“I’m here to tell you about a real problem facing our nation’s military,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth began in a video with a Christmas tree and a Department of War flag behind him. “It’s one you’re probably not aware of. But it’s a really important one. And it’s been going on for far too long.”

Was Hegseth referring to challenges with recruitment, equipment readiness, aging infrastructure, the evolution of warfare strategy, bureaucracy or the blunders and war crimes his department is involved in?

No.

Pete Hegseth on July 4, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by James Devaney/GC Images)

According to Hegseth, this dire problem that must be addressed is “the weakening of our chaplain corps.”

The next day, Hegseth hosted a “Christmas worship service” at the Pentagon that featured Franklin Graham preaching a message that “God loves … but … God also hates” and that “God also is a God of war.”

Apparently, Hegseth wants to bring Graham’s God of hate and war theology to the chaplaincy.

“We’re going to restore the esteemed position of chaplains as moral anchors for our fighting force,” Hegseth promised. “The 1956 Army Chaplain’s Manual states, ‘The chaplain is the pastor and the shepherd of the souls entrusted to his care.’ This is a high and sacred calling. But this only works if our shepherds are actually given the freedom to boldly guide and care for their flock.”

Then he added, “There will be a top-down cultural shift, putting spiritual well-being on the same footing as mental and physical health as a first step toward creating a supportive environment for our warriors and their souls.”

What Hegseth seems to ignore is that the U.S. military already has a robust chaplaincy program that serves the needs of service members of all faiths or no faith. Evangelical groups such as the Southern Baptist Convention, are significantly represented in that corps.

Col. Pat Hash, command chaplain, Multi-National Corps – Iraq, givex the sermon at the Easter Sunrise Service at Al Faw Palace in Iraq on March 23, 2022. (U.S. military photo by Sgt. Eric Glassey via Baptist Press)

‘The spiritual and moral backbone’

“Chaplains are intended to be the spiritual and moral backbone of our nation’s forces,” Hegseth said.

U.S. military chaplains first formed on July 29, 1775, when the fledgling Army allowed the regiments to include chaplains. The Army currently has about 1,500 active-duty chaplains and an equal number of National Guard and reserve chaplains.

The U.S. Navy has more than 800 active-duty chaplains who serve the Navy and Marine Corps. The U.S. Air Force has more than 500 active-duty chaplains, with nearly 600 more in the Air Force Reserves and Air National Guard. The Air Force Chief of Chaplains also serves as the Chief of Chaplains for the U.S. Space Force. The U.S. Coast Guard currently has about 45 chaplains who work with a volunteer-based Auxiliary Chaplain corps of about 100.

The army enlisted its first female chaplain in 1979. Given Hegseth’s aversion to women in ministry and in the military, it wouldn’t be too shocking if he proposed getting rid of female chaplains at some point. Religious identity among chaplains include Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and others. All major Christian denominations — including the Roman Catholic Church — have processes in place to endorse military chaplains.

Currently, the two top chaplains in the Air Force are Southern Baptists.

“Faith and virtue were traded for self-help and self-care.”

What does Hegseth think these thousands of military chaplains are doing, then?

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