Need help with Seminary

[devonturnbaugh]

Hey I am new here and am in the Missouri Army National Guard and want to be a chaplain. I have a bunch of Qs and would like someone who is in the same or similar situation to answer my Qs please. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jwithnell]

We have some chaplains involved here, so you're likely to get answers to your questions. Welcome aboard!

 

[Notthemama1984]

I am a chaplain candidate. If you have questions, ask away. I am sure CH Ben will be along soon and can answer any questions about the chaplaincy itself.

 

[Brother John]

How does a chaplain candidate work? Must you have already completed your seminary to enter the programs? Do the national guard (once a month commitment) have chaplains? How does one go through seminary while in the guardmor the military?

 

[Notthemama1984]

1. You are in the chaplain candidate program while you are in seminary. You do not need to have you MDiv completed.

2. Yes, the national guard has chaplains.

3. You can go to seminary while in the guard. As a chaplain candidate you are cannot be deployed. Your number one concern is to graduate seminary. So going to school is a big deal. In fact, to be a chaplain candidate you have to be enrolled full time with seminary.

---------- Post added at 08:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:36 AM ----------

Oh and if you happen to have a Saturday class, your commander can reschedule your saturday drills so you can go to class. Rememer school comes first.

 

[devonturnbaugh]

I am in MO and would like to do the chaplain candidate program, however it has been canceled. Therefore how possible do you guys think it is for me to go to another state and do it there, and go to seminary. My main concern is financially. Thanks.

 

[Notthemama1984]

The candidate program is canceled? Who says? I am sorry for being a skeptic, but I didn't think this was possible.

 

[devonturnbaugh]

Yes, it has been cancelled temporarily. There are too many candidates not enough slots. So I am thinking about just staying at my infantry unit during seminary, or moving states and doing the candidate program. What do you think?

 

[Notthemama1984]

I am sorry for asking again, but who told you it was canceled?

---------- Post added at 03:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:25 PM ----------

If you want to be a chaplain, I say get into the program. If that means you move to another state or move to the reserves, then so be it.

 

[devonturnbaugh]

The MO Guard's chaplain recruiter. How is the texas NG? What seminary are you at?

 

[Notthemama1984]

I am not sure about the TX NG. I am in the Reserves right now. I attend Dallas Theological Seminary's Houston Campus.

Have you thought about switching to the Reserves?

That stinks that the MO NG has stopped taking new applicants.

 

[Notthemama1984]

Here is the contact info for the Reserve CH recruiter for your area (she is my recruiter as well). She just told me she has plenty of openings in the Reserves. I think it would at least be worth looking into.

CH (CPT) Renee R. Kiel
Officer In Charge
Army Chaplain Recruiting Team
2505 N. State Hwy 360, Suite 250
Grand Prairie, TX 75050

817-633-3802 x20 Office
877-257-9965 Mobile
817-385-0150 Fax

 

[Brother John]

1. You are in the chaplain candidate program while you are in seminary. You do not need to have you MDiv completed.

2. Yes, the national guard has chaplains.

3. You can go to seminary while in the guard. As a chaplain candidate you are cannot be deployed. Your number one concern is to graduate seminary. So going to school is a big deal. In fact, to be a chaplain candidate you have to be enrolled full time with seminary.

---------- Post added at 08:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:36 AM ----------

Oh and if you happen to have a Saturday class, your commander can reschedule your saturday drills so you can go to class. Rememer school comes first.

Do you need to go to basic training to start? Are you paid while you go to seminary and are there any bonuses to sign up? What type of rank do chaplain candidates start at? For someone who wants to have a church state side after graduating seminary is this a terrible idea? Do national/state guards chaplians perform there duties stateside or are they shipped over seas? Thanks for answering my many questions.

 

[Notthemama1984]

Do you need to go to basic training to start?

Nope. Chaplains do not go to basic training like you see on TV. Chaplains go to a Chaplain version of Basic Training. You can go to this training (called Chaplain Basic Officer Leader Course or CHBOLC) while you are in seminary or you can wait until you finish.


Are you paid while you go to seminary and are there any bonuses to sign up?

You receive pay for every weekend you work with the National Guard or Army Reserve. The pay is approx. 340 dollars per weekend. There are some bonuses available to chaplains. The specifics change frequently so I would talk to a chaplain recruiter (not the local guys. Call CH Kiele that I talked about earlier.). The thing to remember though is that as a chaplain candidate you are not obligating yourself to a certain number of years. You can quit at any time. If you take a bonus, you will be committing yourself to a certain number of years. Again I would talk to the recruiter for more info.


What type of rank do chaplain candidates start at?

Second Lieutenant

For someone who wants to have a church state side after graduating seminary is this a terrible idea?

It is a fine idea. Alot of national guard and reserve chaplains have stateside congregations that they lead.

Do national/state guards chaplians perform there duties stateside or are they shipped over seas?

National Guard chaplains perform their duties stateside unless they become deployed. Deployment frequency and length vary from place to place.

Thanks for answering my many questions.

You are welcome

 

[Brother John]

The thing to remember though is that as a chaplain candidate you are not obligating yourself to a certain number of years. You can quit at any time. If you take a bonus, you will be committing yourself to a certain number of years.

How does this work? I have never heard of being able to choose when you leave the military? Also if you are only working once a month what is the purpose of a chaplain in the guard? What exactly are you there to do? Thanks

 

[Notthemama1984]

When you are a chaplain candidate you are basically giving the military a trial run. It is an officer thing. Officers do not sign a contract for four years like enlisted soldiers do. The only time an officer is required to serve so many years is when the officer accepts some type of bonus.

There is plenty to do on a weekend. I do a service, counsel soldiers, work with the Family Readiness Group, and other stuff as it pops up.

 

[SemperEruditio]

Every branch has a candidate program. If the NG in your State is not accepting people then look into the Navy, Army, and AirForce. You are not required nor guaranteed that you will become a chaplain in the program you are in. So apply to whichever is taking people. The only caviat is that if you take any of their money for school then you are required to serve as a Reservist.