The chaplain corps is the Connecticut National Guard's religious leaders. They assist with the spiritual and moral well-being of our Guardsmen, both Army and Air, as well as their families. In addition to providing advise to commanders and conducting worship services, our chaplains also provide morale and welfare visits with Guardsmen, develop counseling and education programs, counsel service members and their families and provide a conduit for service members to get help with stress, marriage and family matters, substance abuse, grief, work-related issues and finances.
What Our Chaplains Do
- Overseeing religious ministries: including workshops; counseling sessions; religious education and special events.
- Providing counsel and guidance in suicide prevention.
- Assisting those with Post-traumatic stress disorder issues.
- Providing marriage and relationship enhancement.
- Officiating at military functions, funerals, memorials and other ceremonies.
- Providing religious ministry to a variety of armed service personnel and civilians from foreign nations and agencies.
Chaplains are not typically licensed clinical counselors. However, they adhere to absolute confidentiality and are prepared to help people with many life challenges, including:
- Work-related issues
- Combat stress
- Deployment
- Marriage and family
- Substance abuse
- Grief
- Finances
Want to be a National Guard chaplain?
If you're a priest, minister, rabbi, or imam (or pursuing a divinity degree), you may be eligible to joint the Connecticut National Guard Chaplain Corps. As a military spiritual leader, you will play a vital role in the lives of the men and women of the Connecticut National Guard. Chaplains also minister to the needs of the soldiers' families: wives, husbands, and children. As a National Guard Chaplain, you will have the opportunity to participate in specialized workshops and receive educational training to enhance your ministerial skills.
Eligibility Requirements for Chaplains
In addition to general officer eligibility, in order to qualify as either and Army or Air Force Chaplain, you’ll need to obtain a federally recognized ecclesiastical endorsement from your denomination or faith group certifying that you:
- Are less than 47 years of age if not prior service (less than 50 with prior service).
- Are qualified spiritually, morally, intellectually and emotionally - Possess a bachelor's degree (not less than 120 semester hours).
- Chaplain applicants must possess a degree from an accredited (recognized by the Department of Defense) graduate program in theology or related studies of 72 semester hours or more. The degree program must be 72 semester hours or more. There can be no combination of degree programs to arrive at the 72 hour minimum. There can be no accumulation of credits to extend a program of less than 72 hours.
- Are sensitive to religious pluralism and able to provide for the free exercise of religion by all military personnel and their Family members.
Eligibility Requirements for Chaplain Candidates
In addition to general officer eligibility, to qualify as a Chaplain Candidate, you'll need to obtain an ecclesiastical approval from your denomination or faith group certifying that you:
- Chaplain candidates must be enrolled full-time in a qualifying educational program.
- Are less than 37 years of age at commissioning.
- Prospective Chaplain Candidates must possess a minimum 2.5 Grade Point Average (GPA) for undergraduate coursework and obtain a favorable Senior Chaplain interview before initiating an application with the State specialty branch Officer Strength Manager (OSM). The prospective Chaplain Candidate must be enrolled full-time in an accredited (recognized by the Department of Defense) graduate program in theology or related studies of 72 semester hours or more. The degree program must be 72 semester hours or more. There can be no combination of degree programs to arrive at the 72 hour minimum. There can be no accumulation of credits to extend a program of less than 72 hours.