Chaplain Assistants Role

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Chaplain Assistants were not recognized for all they did until World War II. During that time an official report said, “Tribute should be paid to chaplain assistants without whose energy the Chaplains could not have carried on. In addition to their regular duties they were carpenters, common stone masons, landscape engineers, etc. The good humor and patience of a Chaplain's Assistant were often a boon to the Chaplain's morale” ("World War II and its Aftermath", 2016). As a result, Chaplain Assistants play a vital role in completing the mission of the Unit Missionary Team (UMT) in the Army. The Army accomplishes this by utilizing them in the following ways: to support the religious mission of the Commander, to assist and protect the Chaplain …show more content…

Under the direction of the Chaplain, the Chaplain Assistant regulates and organizes all religious support for the unit. They do this by planning, preparing, and execution of the training for worship services. The Chaplain’s Assistant plans the funerals, and religious support plan and command master religious plans (Washington, DC: Headquarters, Dept. of the Army., 2012). In addition to being the Chaplain’s admin they are also there to protect them in battle. Since 742 AD, Chaplains were allowed to accompany the soldiers into combat, but were not allowed to carry guns or to fight (Washington, DC: Headquarters, Dept. of the Army., 2012). The Chaplains main job is to take care of the soldier’s well-being, and the Chaplain Assistant’s job is to assess the soldier’s morale and advises the Chaplain in the appropriate time about the soldiers (Washington, DC: Headquarters, Dept. of the Army., 2012). The Army uses Chaplain Assistants to support the religious mission of the Commander, to assist and protect the Chaplain and lastly they are the bridge between the chaplain and the …show more content…

The lower enlisted soldiers find it easier to talk with someone that is working beside them and can relate to them on their level. The soldiers are able to open up knowing that they can relate and that what is shared will stay confidential unless it is a danger to themselves or others. This allows room for the chaplain assistant to come in to encourage and give them any resources they may need (Army Training Support Center, 2016). Chaplain assistants are well informed on how to handle a distressed solider. In lesson 9 it discussed about how to have a positive response in two different ways pertaining to a solider that is distressed. The first response is called a verbal response. A verbal response is a person that validates and supports the other person’s statement. The second response is called a non-verbal response. A non-verbal response is the body language/expressions that are communicated to others without the use of words ("Lesson 9: Respond to a Distressed Individual", 2016).
Conclusion
As a result, Chaplain Assistants play a vital role in completing the mission of the UMT in the Army. The Army accomplishes this by utilizing them in the following ways: to support the religious mission of the Commander, to assist and protect the Chaplain and to be the bridge between the Chaplain and the soldiers. Without the Chaplain Assistant to provide the support and the

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