In America's Army, the chaplain serves two vital functions. AR 165-1 presents the chaplain as
both religious leader and staff officer. As a religious leader, the chaplain initiates and conducts religious
services and provides appropriate worship opportunities to all members of the command and their
dependents.
The chaplain's staff role is distinct from, but consistent with pastoral activities. In this role the
chaplain is an adviser to the commander in all matters of morals, morale and welfare as related to
religion. The chaplain is likely to have special skills in teaching or training both leaders and soldiers in
such areas as counseling, communication, team building, goal-setting, decision-making, and values
clarification.
The chaplain assistant is trained in similar skills with an emphasis on interpersonal
communication, battle fatigue care, suicide prevention, and conflict resolution. Again, the chaplain
assistant's role is an extension of religious support.
Thus, generally this subcourse is designed to acquaint Army personnel with the role of the
chaplain and chaplain assistant (as a UMT) in human relations and moral leadership building.
More specifically, the subcourse will acquaint you with such important topics as morale and
morals, equal opportunity, and good will. Lesson four culminates with a preview of the chaplain's
referral work using welfare and non-welfare agencies.
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