Military Chaplains

[nbblood]

I found another. Updated list:

Army

Ch. (MAJ) C. Layden Colby- currently assigned to Eighth U.S. Army, Korea

Ch. (MAJ) Chuck Atanasio- Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX

Ch. (CPT) J. Nathan Kline- Stuttgart, Germany

Army National Guard

Ch. (CPT) Gaylan Springer- ARNG, Delta, UT

USAF

Ch. (COL) Steven Merrill- location ??

Navy

Ch. (LT I think) Justin Top- Naval Hospital Jacksonville, FL

[crazypotato]

What if instead of calling it "military" it was called "Support for Military and their Loved Ones" or something like that, and had a sticky rule about not using the forum for political debate?

I looked through the groups, too. There are so many groups, some of them military, and they all seem inactive. Each group has only a few members that don't appear to be talking to each other. I agree that most people don't look at those groups and that they get little traffic.

But I also don't want to see a bunch of posts on the immorality or war or debates on current policy either.

[hordak]

No, the chaplain is not a bishop. He does not hold the keys of a Bishop. He will tell you that. He can however, do some things that a normal Melchezidek PH holder cannot. For example, he can perform marriages and is recognized by civil authorities to do so. He cannot, however, collect tithes. He also cannot conduct interviews for baptism or PH ordination or conduct those ordinances without the authority of Bishop or Stake President, or in some cases Mission President. He can conduct some ordinances and interviews on their behalf with permission and direction though.

Not sure of the Reg but i'm fairly certain you can not be married at a FOB. Even if you could

1. it wouldn't be a good idea, in deployed location some people tend to forget about real life and participate and make choices the wouldn't make at home (hence the high divorce rate.) and since it isn't real life it would be the worst possible location to choose a life partner.

2. it wouldn't be a temple marriage. Getting married by (LDS) Chaplin Jones, Protestant Chaplin Smith, or Ms. Peacock (JOP) is exactly the the same.

[nbblood]

Not sure of the Reg but i'm fairly certain you can not be married at a FOB. Even if you could

1. it wouldn't be a good idea, in deployed location some people tend to forget about real life and participate and make choices the wouldn't make at home (hence the high divorce rate.) and since it isn't real life it would be the worst possible location to choose a life partner.

2. it wouldn't be a temple marriage. Getting married by (LDS) Chaplin Jones, Protestant Chaplin Smith, or Ms. Peacock (JOP) is exactly the the same.

I don't know of any marriages that have occurred while deployed. I think that is highly unlikely to occur. I am talking about back at home station. Chaplains can perform marriages. You are correct about temple marriages and the similarities of being married by different denomination chaplains. An LDS chaplain can perform a non-temple marriage just as other clergy do, but not temple marriages. I should have been more clear. You are absolutely correct. Thanks for pointing that out.

[pam]

What if instead of calling it "military" it was called "Support for Military and their Loved Ones" or something like that, and had a sticky rule about not using the forum for political debate?

I looked through the groups, too. There are so many groups, some of them military, and they all seem inactive. Each group has only a few members that don't appear to be talking to each other. I agree that most people don't look at those groups and that they get little traffic.

But I also don't want to see a bunch of posts on the immorality or war or debates on current policy either.

I'm just not sure that opening up a forum for a very small minority is the thing to do. That leaves it up to set a precedent for everyone that wants a forum for a subject.

[crazypotato]

I'm just not sure that opening up a forum for a very small minority is the thing to do. That leaves it up to set a precedent for everyone that wants a forum for a subject.

I just looked it up - 9% of the general population is servicing or has served in the military, so I am assuming it is about the same percentage churchwide, or maybe smaller.

I guess we are a smaller minority than I thought.

[hordak]

I don't know of any marriages that have occurred while deployed. I think that is highly unlikely to occur. I am talking about back at home station. Chaplains can perform marriages. You are correct about temple marriages and the similarities of being married by different denomination chaplains. An LDS chaplain can perform a non-temple marriage just as other clergy do, but not temple marriages. I should have been more clear. You are absolutely correct. Thanks for pointing that out.

What branch are you in? Every base i have been to has at least 1 ward in the area.

LDS Maps

I don't think you will find very many, permanent military stations without an lds ward with in a few miles. Unless your out in Edwards AFB.

[nbblood]

What branch are you in? Every base i have been to has at least 1 ward in the area.

LDS Maps

I don't think you will find very many, permanent military stations without an lds ward with in a few miles. Unless your out in Edwards AFB.

I'm Army. There are plenty of places that are permanent stations that don't have wards or branches or didn't have wards or branches at some time. If you're thinking about the traditional type assignments, the major posts and bases, you are correct. But we now have permanent stations, throughout the middle east in particular, that have small contingents of U.S. forces that don't have wards or branches, or didn't at some time. AFRICOM is just getting underway. There is likely to be many permanent stations in Africa that don't have wards or branches, at least initially. Sure, in most cases that is not the case, but there are several that don't. They are the exception and not the rule, of course.

Regardless, that's not the point about chaplains performing marriages, which is what you quoted. They could be at home station and attending services in their wards and still be performing marriages. It happens all the time. In many cases they are not even LDS marriages. Sometimes they are, just not temple marriages, in cases where one or both of the parties does not have a recommend. Could the Bishop do it? Sure. Could a chaplain do it? Sure. It comes down to who the bride and groom ask to perform the marriage. Is it common for an LDS couple, being married but not in the temple, to ask a chaplain to perform the marriage rather than a Bishop? Probably not. Does it happen? Yep! Sometimes it's a matter of who's available on a certain date.

[hordak]

I'm Army.

Ah that's your problem. You picked the wrong Branch. J/K

USAF vet/spouse.

I was thinking about it the other day that they might be more necessary in other branches whom are further from civilization.