The Association of the U.S. Navy (AUSN) recently announced the launch of the Chaplains Resource Program for members seeking spiritual guidance. The program was developed in response to members who had been asking for an avenue to address some of the difficulties they are facing with a spiritual approach.
Operations Manager Steve Rogers explained, “Many of our members stated there is an abundance of resources for physical, emotional, and mental health issues, but very few spiritual resources are available to them. Our specific mission is to provide this resource at no cost to our members and their families.”
Spiritual Guidance - Among the Five Key Pillars of Resilience
Spiritual guidance is among the five key pillars of resilience for U.S. Navy Sailors, veterans, and their families. The others include mental health, physical health, financial fitness, and social resilience. AUSN is investing in health and wellness to improve the readiness of our Sailors and their families, so they can achieve their mission no matter where they are in their Navy journey.
Chaplains are former and retired members of the military and relatives of members of the military. Each is a certified member of the clergy, pastor, or minister with years of experience. AUSN vets volunteer chaplains with an interview, credential review, and reference check.
Confidential, Compassionate Spiritual Guidance
Presently, five volunteer Christian chaplains are now available to assist members and their families with spiritual, emotional, and pastoral care. Chaplains are trained to provide non-judgmental, compassionate care regardless of the individual's faith or belief system. Regardless of faith, they can assist anyone who calls.
Chaplains provide pastoral care on many life events and give our members a safe place to be heard with compassion. They offer support for the following issues as a start:
● Loss and grief
● Conflict and mediation
● Ethical and moral dilemmas
● Deployment and combat stress
● Crisis and disasters
● Work-life balance
● Family support
● Illness or injury
How Members Can Reach a Chaplain
Members can reach chaplains by logging into the Member Resource Section of the website and using individual phone numbers to reach out to them directly.
The issues you all discuss are completely confidential. Chaplains will report to AUSN the number of calls they receive and the broad issues addressed, to help us measure the program’s success and need for additional resources.
Recommend a Chaplain to AUSN’s Chaplains Resource Program
AUSN aims to recruit volunteer chaplains from all faiths. As requests increase, we will seek additional chaplains to respond to the demand. If you would like to refer a chaplain to the AUSN Chaplains Resource Program, contact AUSN Operations Manager Steve Rogers.
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