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So killing people reluctantly then?

There is no doubt military personal need spiritual advise, counsel, etc...but wouldn't that be better served by people outside of the military hierarchy?

"There is no doubt military personal need spiritual advise, counsel, etc...but wouldn't that be better served by people outside of the military hierarchy?"

Speaking as one who has been in the military, trying to get counsel from someone with no experience with pressures and customs of military life was less than helpful, no matter how sincere or well meaning their intent.

Being part of the military hierarchy--and an officer, can sometimes give a military chaplain ability to pull a few strings to help a troubled soldier that a civilian would never have.

I'm not sure that (an insiders perspective and ability to pull a few strings) is a good enough trade off for me to become an insider. How exactly does a chaplain in the military speak truth to power? Strings no matter how light are always strings and will eventually trip you up.

I don't want to turn this into something it wasn't intended to be, but how does a baptist person who believes in the separation of church and state and religious freedom (historic baptist hallmarks) a part of a system where the government is paying you to be a minister?

I thought there were Wiccan chaplains, too. And possibly some indigenous shamanistic ones. Bahá'í? I doubt it since they don't have clergy. Quaker? Doubt also on other grounds...