“My office is not in a chapel. My office is where the soldiers are,” said Major William H. Allen, a US Army chaplain based in Arlington, Virginia.
Allen works alongside service members and catches up with them during meetings and at meals. The day-to-day conversations turn into impromptu counseling sessions about marriage difficulties, financial uncertainty, and suicide.
When the military faces attacks and escalation, Allen keeps an eye out for anxiety among the troops. Sometimes he’ll approach the commander of the unit to suggest clearer communication about their mission.
“The beauty—the gift, frankly—of my job as a chaplain is that I’m dealing with people sometimes for whom the uncertainty actually draws them to God,” Allen said.
The morning after President Trump announced attacks on Iran, churches on military bases offered prayers for those involved.
— kate shellnutt (@kateshellnutt) June 24, 2025
“For those that remain on standby on duty and in the region … protect them and watch over them.”
CT story from @HarvestPrude: https://t.co/2DYymYpJ7M