[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 119 (Monday, July 27, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H5472]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CHAPLAIN CORPS' 240TH ANNIVERSARY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Collins) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 
240th birthday of the military Chaplain Corps.
  During the early days of the Revolutionary War that led to our great 
Nation's independence, General George Washington called for the 
establishment of the Chaplain Corps to minister to the men who braved 
harsh conditions and incredible odds to fight for the freedom of their 
families and their Nation.
  On July 29, 1775, the Continental Congress responded to that call. 
The initial Army Chaplain Corps would later expand to every branch of 
America's armed services.
  The very existence of the Chaplain Corps and its persistence over the 
last 240 years says much about our Nation's view of the fighting force.
  From the beginning, America has understood that our warfighters are 
not only soldiers, but whole human beings whose hearts and souls need 
just as much care as their bodies.
  Chaplains have served in all of America's conflicts and major wars 
and engagements, from the colonial era to the battlefields in 
Afghanistan and Iraq. Hundreds of chaplains have laid down their lives 
for our Nation.
  Chaplains are not simply people of faith who decide to minister in 
the military. Chaplains are professionals who have had extensive 
religious education as well as experience walking with people through 
the challenges of life.
  Candidates for chaplain must receive an ecclesiastical endorsement 
from their faith group that testifies to his or her spiritual, moral, 
intellectual, and emotional preparedness to serve as a chaplain. They 
must possess a graduate degree in theological or religious studies.
  Furthermore, each potential chaplain must demonstrate their 
commitment to a free exercise of religion by all military personnel 
while, at the same time, adhering to all military standards of conduct 
and physical training.
  In a very real sense, chaplains serve on the front lines in the 
battle to ensure religious liberty in our pluralistic society.
  Chaplains are there for those of faith and for those of no faith. 
Chaplains are there for the people who serve us.
  In war and peace, chaplains provide our servicemembers and their 
families with prayer, counsel, guidance, sacraments, and sometimes just 
simply a shoulder to cry on.
  The Chaplain Corps and its vital role in the United States Armed 
Forces is a matter near and dear to my heart for, since 2002, I have 
had the privilege of serving the United States Air Force Reserve as a 
military chaplain.
  I volunteered to serve the men and women of the U.S. Air Force 
Reserve as a chaplain because I believe the calling of all is to serve 
how we can in the best way we can. The freedoms of our country have 
asked no less of us.
  Chaplains have the honor of serving every member of the Armed Forces 
who might cross their path. We see the military from a very unique 
perspective.
  We hear young enlisted soldiers and seasoned officers ask similar 
questions of faith and family. They speak of all-too-familiar family 
challenges and the struggles that they, too, go through.
  As members of the military ourselves, chaplains certainly are not 
blind to rank. But given our focus on the unseen, our care for the 
soul, we do have a tendency to see more of what binds our fighting 
force together as fellow sojourners in this life than anything that 
might separate them.
  You see, our challenges take us from the very war rooms and the very 
inner circles of commanders preparing for battle to the very newest who 
serve just on a guard.
  As I did in Iraq back in 2008, it was my privilege to see some of our 
best and brightest serving at night in the middle of a land far away 
from home. One in particular sticks out.
  When she came, I first met her. She was there, arriving late.
  When she got there, I was sort of wondering: Why did you come late 
from your unit?
  She said: Well, sir, I had a little bit of a delay.
  And I said: Well, what was that?
  I was just curious.
  She said: Well, just a few months ago, I had my little baby girl.
  And I thought for just a moment.
  She said: But I was wanting to be here because I have trained and I 
didn't want to let my fellow members down.
  So for the rest of that time, I was there with her. Over those next 
few months, we explored and I saw through pictures the life of a mother 
separated from her young child, but watching the experiences of growth 
as she not only served her country, but she served as a mom.
  It has been a tremendous blessing to see and to honor the commitment 
of our fellow chaplains, chaplains who go when they are told to go. 
They commit themselves to serving when others are in need.
  And those are the kinds of stories that the Chaplain Corps' birthday 
celebrates for me. It is seeing men and women who take their faith 
seriously, but also take the Constitution seriously when religious 
liberties are protected. Those are things worth standing up for. It is 
truly a blessing.
  The men and women who have poured their lives into the servicemembers 
and their families over the last 240 years have made a profound impact 
on our military and our entire Nation.
  It is with that thought in mind that I wish every member of the 
Chaplain Corps the very best on this special occasion.
  Chaplains, wherever you are today, as one who serves with you, you 
serve a vital role. Keep it up. Keep protecting our Constitution, and 
keep taking care of the Nation, who sends their best young men and 
young women to protect us for the very privilege of sitting in this 
Chamber, speaking today, and being a part of it.
  May the Chaplain Corps continue to provide a strong spiritual, moral, 
and ethical compass for the United States Army and Armed Forces for 
many centuries to come. And as one who serves, may I just say, bless 
them all in peace as they go about their work.

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