So you are thinking about Chaplaincy in the U.S. Armed Forces?
I am frequently asked about the differences in ministry, if any, between the branches of service. Well, there are most certainly differences! Why? Each branch of the Armed Forces has a unique mission. We know that mission shapes culture. And culture creates context. Faithful Gospel ministry is lived out and expressed in the respective contexts.
I have prepared a little diagram to help think through the differences in ministry between the Army, Air Forces, and Navy (which also includes ministry in the respective uniforms of the Coast Guard, the Marine Corps, and the U.S. Merchant Marine). If you get an opportunity to take Introduction to the Chaplain Ministry, offered in both master and doctoral level, we will get to talk through this diagram, flesh it out, think it through, and consider the implications for everyday Gospel ministry.
Armed Forces Ministry: Culture and Contexts by Dr. Michael A. Milton