For God and Country: An Army Chaplain’s Journey

The motto of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps is Pro Deo et Patria (for God and Country). It has also been my personal motto for as long as I can remember. 

A Military Family

I grew up in a military family and was surrounded by soldiers throughout my life. When I was a girl, my father—a U.S. Air Force soldier and former prisoner of war—was part of a select team chosen to go to France to set up a joint base after World War II. My memories of that time include reading about Jesus and my heroes in the Bible, especially Daniel and David. Even as a child, I felt the presence of a loving God. I read these stories as I waited in an old building on the base until my father was ready to leave for the day. Soldiers were always around me in some way, and for as long as I can remember, I have loved and respected their spirit and devotion to duty.

I witnessed soldiers find inspiration in Daily Word and believe in the power of God. I heard their stories of divine guidance and witnessed their dependence on Spirit within, which deepened my gratitude for my life’s work.

As I grew up, our family moved from one assignment to the next in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Between those assignments we sometimes returned to our hometown. One of my lasting childhood memories was time spent with my beloved Aunt Gertie. We would sit together under a tree, and she would read to me from her Unity magazine. Her passion and excitement were contagious as she shared the contents with me. I felt her pure joy as her enthusiasm rubbed off on me. I felt the presence of God during those times with Aunt Gertie, which led to my ongoing discovery of Unity. The teachings reinforced my intuitive understanding of a God that was intimate, loving, and powerful, and showed me how we have those qualities within us. Aunt Gertie was my earliest Unity teacher and helped form my lifelong theological foundation.

Years later, my love of soldiers and my interest in God would come together, drawing me, with my four children in tow, to Unity Village, Missouri. I felt such joy to visit the sacred grounds and see the Italianate architecture and be in the company of some of the Unity movement’s great thinkers and writers. I worked for the Unity Prayer Ministry before pursuing my seminary education and Unity ordination, along with my love of country, which led to my career as a U.S. Army chaplain.

Even though I was steeped in Unity teachings, I was to work with all soldiers, families, and other chaplains of diverse religious backgrounds. My fellow chaplains and I worked together, answering the call to provide for the free exercise of religion and to minister to the soul of each soldier. 

Divine Guidance

Wherever I was stationed, I relied upon Unity to send me numerous copies of Daily Word with each new issue. The soldiers eagerly received and cherished them. They found inspiration in the affirmative messages, helping them to believe in themselves and their ability to do whatever they were called to do. For instance, during a mandatory weapons qualification where soldiers were waiting to demonstrate their proficiency, I saw several waiting soldiers leaning against trees or sitting on the ground, reading the Daily Word they had been carrying in their pockets. Knowing God was present with and within them gave them the confidence in their ability to demonstrate their skill.

Serving at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, I heard thousands of stories of soldiers who acted upon divine guidance, sometimes at a moment’s notice. One soldier, T.T., described standing in the doorway of his tent when he heard the roar of his inner voice yelling, Move! He moved seconds before the tent exploded. The blast wounded him, but he survived. Another soldier, B.L., heeded his inner guidance to roll quickly into a shallow ravine. Doing so hid him from a squad of enemy soldiers who jumped over the ravine without noticing him.

I witnessed soldiers find inspiration in Daily Word and believe in the power of God. I heard their stories of divine guidance and witnessed their dependence on Spirit within, which deepened my gratitude for my life’s work. 

My 22-year career as a minister and a chaplain gave me the opportunity to devote my professional life to soldiers. My work required me to reassure each individual that God is in and around them in every instance, even during moments of danger or loneliness. In fact, the most frequent request I received was, “Pray with me, Chaplain.” Honoring soldiers’ strength and courage inspired my chaplaincy service and will bless me always. I thank God for the sacred privilege of serving soldiers and my country.