Terra and Thomas dance as part of the Army’s Strong Bonds
retreat. “The chaplaincy and the spiritual pro-
Developing ‘strong bonds’
ELCA chaplains help military families stay connected at home and abroad
By Sarah Carson E
very day nearly 150 ELCA clergy are at work min- istering to the women and men of the U.S. armed forces.
“As chaplains we interact with our people in some
powerful and unique ways,” said Carl Trost, who has served as a U.S. Navy chaplain for more than 23 years. “We live with our congregations. We’re with them 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s an exciting form of evangelism.” Military chaplains play several roles in the lives of
U.S. women and men in uniform, from leading worship and Bible studies at military bases to offi ciating wed- dings and funerals to simply lending an ear to those of all faith backgrounds. Perhaps one of the biggest impacts chaplains
have is helping people cope with the unique struggles of military life, including the diffi cul- ties of supporting a marriage and family from afar. “Military life is fairly dangerous. T ere are a lot of pressures,” Trost said. “If our people
Terra (in geeen; last name withheld), a retired servicewoman, participated in the
Army’s Strong Bonds program with her husband, Thomas (right), who serves in the Army. ELCA chaplain Scott Hagen supervises this regional program for military families in the northeast.
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have healthy relationships at home, then they’re a lot less distracted when they’re doing their job.” Each branch of the armed services off ers paid,
chaplain-led training aimed at helping service members communicate with their loved ones and build the trust necessary for lasting relationships. “We’re not going to be able to change the stress or
pressures,” Trost said. “But if we can give couples and families the ability to talk in meaningful ways and to process emotions, they can be supportive of each other.”
A shared sense of call When Terra and T omas (last name withheld) met 18 years ago, she was a member of the Army Reserve and
grams that are available to us are extremely important,” she said.
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