The Fit Chap U.S. Army Chaplain Corps

CH (MAJ) Jason Phipps interviews two graduates of Chaplain Basic Officer Leader Course, Class 23-003 - CH (1LT) Jacob Zhang and 1LT Chad Smith. Each share their unique calling to the Chaplain Corps and their impressions of CHBOLC after having completed the course on 14 December 2023.

CH (MAJ) Jason Phipps sits down with CH (COL) Lou DelTufo and CSM Evelyn Montealegre, the Commandant and Senior Enlisted Advisor for the United States Army Institute for Religious Leadership, who share their pathways that led them into the Chaplain Corps. With a combined 57 years of experience in the Corps, they've seen God walk with them through many experiences that are relevant for chaplains coming into the Army today. They place special emphasis on personal spiritual health, the art and science of professionalism, and enduring physical fitness.

CH (MAJ) Jason Phipps interviews LTC Tony Messenger, Battalion Commander for 1st Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. LTC Messenger shares his own unique perspective, as a Green Beret and Paratrooper, on the relationship between the Commander and the Chaplain. He reveals the inherent value of establishing good rapport and trust by way of embracing the culture particular to that unit.

CH (MAJ) Jason Phipps sits down with Dr. Nathan White, Associate Dean of the USA-IRL Graduate School. Opportunities abound for personal and professional development within the Chaplain Corp, but it begins with the hard work first accomplished in CHBOLC. This includes written and oral assignments that can often pose deep challenges for incoming students. Together, Dr. White and CH Phipps discuss how proper written and oral communication sustain the relevance of a chaplain amongst his or her fellow staff officers and Command Team. They conclude with the importance of cultivating a solid theology of suffering within the context of the Army and how, in some cases, it begins with the academic rigors of CHBOLC.

Dr. White can be reached by email at: nathan.h.white.civ@army.mil

CH (MAJ) Jason Phipps sits down with CH (LTC) Chris Bryan, the National Guard liaison to the US Institute for Religious Leadership. Together, they discuss the need to be strongly rooted in one's faith and theology before starting CHBOLC. Through shared experiences, they talk about how to spiritually thrive in the midst of challenges that could potentially cause chaplains to forsake their convictions and diminish their ministry effectiveness.

CH (MAJ) Phipps brings back Meredith Phipps for another interview. This time they focus on nervous system regulation and how it is vitally important to maintain a proper balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic systems during CHBOLC. Meredith explains the function of each system and gives some practical ways in which to moderate them while dealing with the stressors of military training.