The history, heritage, and legacy of the Army Chaplaincy is older than all other institutional chaplaincies in America. It is the biggest chaplaincy and is the most diverse in faith representation. It is very organized and unit ministry teams are embedded from battalion to the Pentagon. Often the Army Chaplaincy sets the standards for religious support for all the military services and civilian religious groups seek guidance from Army Chaplaincy practices.
Yet, what keeps the Army Chaplaincy strong, vibrant, and faithful to its sacred callings is its focus on mission and faith in God. This unifies all Unit Ministry Teams, Directors of Religious Education, and Department of the Army Civilians in the Corps around these two halves of the Chaplaincy’s core existence. In support of the United States Constitution, the mission is simple: Provide the best religious support possible to all assigned and attached Army Soldiers and their families. In our joint world with broad assignments others are included in this mission as well.
This is accomplished by faith in God as each of us experience and believe. This radical diversity forms the most religiously ecumenical organization in human history where religious leaders can serve all peoples faithfully and equably without literally killing each other. This is quite a feat considering the circumstances in many parts of the world today where religion, politics, and power clash along lines of class, culture, and country.
It is a great responsibility for the Army Chaplaincy, and it is shared with our sister services, the Navy and Air Force. This is why USACCRA is so important. We are the Army Chaplaincy Branch Association, an auxiliary non-profit civilian organization that helps support the Army Chaplaincy we serve and have served in over the years with faith and pride. A military chaplaincy is a means by which God’s relationship is maintained and encouraged for all who serve the nation in uniform.
To this end, USACCRA continues its mission of holding up the arms of the Chaplaincy as Aaron and Hur did for Moses during a battle as recorded in Hebrew scripture. We do this in a variety of ways but always starting and ending with developing and nurturing relationships among the Chaplaincy Corps Family, past and present.
Join us in this quest forever serving God and Country.
Pro Deo et Patria
Scottie Lloyd (USACCRA President)
