This snapshot taken on 06/10/2011, shows web content selected for preservation by The National Archives. External links, forms and search boxes may not work in archived websites.

The Role of Army Chaplains

A Chaplain conducts a service on operations

In simple terms we provide for the spiritual wellbeing of soldiers and their families. In order to achieve this we work in the following three key areas:

  • Spiritual leadership to all levels of the Army from private soldiers, through to the most senior officers.
  • Moral guidance through both the formal teaching of the core values of the Army (selfless commitment, respect for others, loyalty, integrity, discipline and courage), and the many informal opportunities we have to minister to our soldiers and their families.
  • Pastoral support for all who seek it, whatever their religion, beliefs or background might be. This could also include the care of enemy combatants.

In practice, how we do this depends on our own experience and the type of unit that we are serving with. An infantry battalion works in a very different way to a training regiment, and so we would provide accordingly.

Our postings are normally between two and three years, this means that in a fifteen year career we have opportunities to experience a great range of ministerial opportunities, in a variety of places.