Posted on Dec 7, 2015
Today I saw a chaplain with a long tab and a combat action badge. Is there a scenario where this is possible?
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Very good friend from IOBC went to Selection and Q-Course. He is now a chaplain.
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While I was in USFK, the 8th Army Chaplin had served as an infantry enlisted soldier a Flight warrant officer and then commissioned as a Chaplin. He had made it to the rank of COL.
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It won't answer your question but everyone in the service has unique opportunities. I have seen Navy officers with an AF occupational badge and an AF butter bar with pewter dolphins from his time in the Navy. I was deployed with a chaplain with command pilot wings. All seemed legit when I asked.
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We got a new Chaplain when I was in the National Guard. He came in wearing his Class As. He was wearing a Ranger tab, a Special Forces combat patch, ribbons up to his shoulder topped with a Silver Star, CIB, jump wings, and a Vietnam service ribbon with four stars. He had gone to college and seminary after a seemingly very interesting period of service. Last I heard of him, he had a star and was Deputy Chief of Chaplains for Reserve Components. So, yes, possible.
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It is Legit. First Chaplain, who had an impact on me, was a ranger. Not just assigned, but he graduated from the school, an was the regimental chaplain.
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He may have served as an enlisted man prior to becoming an officer and a Chaplin.
I served 10 1/2 years as an EM and attended College and OTS after returning from Vietnam.
Went from Tsgt to 2lt. with Master Parachutist Wings, Aircrew Wings, Viet Jump Wings Bronze Star, Air Medal etc. Got questioned a few times as to how I got them.
I served 10 1/2 years as an EM and attended College and OTS after returning from Vietnam.
Went from Tsgt to 2lt. with Master Parachutist Wings, Aircrew Wings, Viet Jump Wings Bronze Star, Air Medal etc. Got questioned a few times as to how I got them.
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There was an Army Chaplain that was Awarded the Medal Of Honor in Vietnam.
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My squadron PA dropped his packet after busting his jump physical. He reported to his first duty station as a 2LT with a CMB, Long Tab, Senior Jump Wings, and a chest full of medals, and a group SSI-FWTS for Desert Storm. He chose not to wear any of them until after proving his mettle as a battalion surgeon.
I've known a couple of Vietnam grunts who ETSed, and then years later, after seminary and ordination, returned to the Army as a chaplain. They routinely wore their combat patch (both incidentally Americal) and CIBs. When asked, both men were very gracious about addressing the obvious (and likely commonplace) confusion.
I've known a couple of Vietnam grunts who ETSed, and then years later, after seminary and ordination, returned to the Army as a chaplain. They routinely wore their combat patch (both incidentally Americal) and CIBs. When asked, both men were very gracious about addressing the obvious (and likely commonplace) confusion.
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My chaplain during my fist deployment wore a long tab and combat patch, before he got commissioned, he was a SF NCO, was authorized the tab and patch, he went thru the CQB training with us, giving pointers here and there, and said I'd it came down to it, he would pick up a weapon and fight to protect his soldiers, I'm not Christian, but that was the best damn chaplain I've ever had, and 15 years later I still have the utmost respect for him
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Becoming a chaplain takes years, you’ll very rarely see one under 30. That said, I’d say about 1/3 of them are prior enlisted.
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Not sure if others have posted it, but about ten years ago there was a Navy SEAL LT (Georgia Tech NROTC grad) who was injured in the course of his duties, felt the call from God to chaplaincy, became a Chaplain Candidate, somehow ended up in the GA Nat’l Guard and deployed to Iraq. SEAL to chaps, kinda crazy but happens!
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I know a chaplain with a CAB, he was prior enlisted, and earned it enlisted side.
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If he was in a vehicle transporting him and it was fire upon by the enemy everyone gets a CAB there is really no reason why to questioned or wounder how is a matter of knowing the regulation
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There’s this thing call commissioning as a chaplain. It’s like if a medic has a CIB. Doesn’t mean he didn’t reclass from 11B
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Many Chaplains were something else before they were a Chaplain, i.e. Prior Service.
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