By Scottie Lloyd, USACCRA President
Happy birthday USACCRA family. We celebrate 29 July 1775 as the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps established by the Continental Congress authorizing one chaplain for each regiment of the Continental Army. We were a small group, but we grew as the nation and the Army grew peaking at 2700 chaplains alone (all three compos but not counting our critical Religious Affairs Specialists (RAS), Directors of Education (DRE), and Civilian workforce) in 2012. The size expands and contracts per Army needs but one thing remains the same, specially trained people committed to upholding the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution-the Freedom of Worship. The RAS officially joined in December 1909 as a separate Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) and DREs joined in 1948.
The USACCRA attempts to remember, celebrate, and expand upon that heritage. As our organization’s constitution states,
“Our vision is to provide a National professional organization with Local Chapters made up of present, retired and former members of the Chaplain Corps Regiment, their families, and friends of the Regiment-dedicated to communicating the pride, heritage and history of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps, and committed to continuing service in Ministry, and to promoting and supporting the Corps’ future.” (USACCRA Constitution, Preamble)
Hence our mission,
“is to unite under one Regimental Flag all those who have served, or are now serving, in the Active Army, the Army Reserves, and the Army National Guard to promote and support the image, heritage and traditions of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps.” (USACCRA Constitution, Preamble)
The skies the limit on how we accomplish this. A variety of activities have been engaged since 10 March 2009 when the USACCRA was established. As we grow with the Corps we change as well in pursuit of that mission.
We need to share not only our stories of the past and present, but also share the future stories yet to be celebrated. This requires extended conversations and meals and libations, hospitality room visits and excursion trip chats. This future planning of where we head and how we get there as the USACCRA needs every member and interested person on hand. For those capable of coming let us assemble in Tucson, AZ, 25-28 October 2022 for this planning (See chaplainregiment.org for details and registration). For those who can’t make it to Arizona, we need your ideas, comments, questions, compliments, and complaints sent by email, text, snail mail, and more. The USACCRA in looking to a new future of how we fulfill our original mission and intent.
I want you to know that your Board of Directors listen to you and are working hard. A simple way to help us help you is updating our roster. If your contact information (address, phone, email, spouse, religious affiliation) has changed in the last 10 years then give us the latest info so we can contact you what’s happening. We cannot solely rely on an open website to keep the family together and informed. Membership issues go to 2nd VP Pete Sniffin (Pete.sniffin@yahoo.com). Dues paying goes to Treasurer Dennis Madtes (madtesdw@aol.com). Ideas for the future can go to any board member but you can start with the Secretary, Mark Roeder (MRoeder1127@gmail.com) or your President, Scottie Lloyd (srlloyd@msn.com).
We are family and have been ever since 29 July 1775. Let’s hear from you. Let’s see you in Tucson. The mission to serve God and country continues.
Blessings and Happy Birthday,
Scottie Lloyd
