When I picked up the phone, I heard: “This is the general. I need to speak to my chaplain.”
“Sir, the command chaplain and the others are all TDY. I’m the only one here. Can I get in touch with them and call you back?”
“Aren’t you my chaplain?” he demanded.
Yes, sir. I am. But . . .”
“I have to stand before Congress in fifteen minutes and I need some numbers. So, are you my chaplain or not?”
“Yes, sir. I am.”
“I need to know how much we spent on Strong Bonds, Prayer Breakfasts, and special events this FY. How many events we had and how many people participated. And I need to know right now. When Congress asks questions, they don’t tolerate any excuses or non-answers. I have to be able to give them what they want, when they want it, or I look like a fool and my budget requests might be denied. So let me ask one more time. Are you my chaplain?”
The general wasn’t going to tolerate any excuses or non-answers, either.
As the junior chaplain at a senior command, I was part of a seven-person team: five chaplains and two NCOs. My job focused on Operations, Training, and Force Management. I didn’t do the budget or the special programs like Strong Bonds, Building Strong and Ready Teams, or Prayer Breakfasts.
But, I did pay attention during our staff meetings, and I actually read the materials that the various team members presented. So even though I was nervous about citing from memory the information compiled by another chaplain on our team, I quoted the dollar amounts, how many events we had, and the number of personnel and spouses who attended.
“Are these numbers exact,” he wanted to know.
“Yes, sir. 100% accurate.” I was admittedly a bit nervous answering this question.
The next day, the rest of the chaplain team returned to the office, and during our staff meeting, I hadn’t yet told the command chaplain and the others about the previous day’s phone call. Suddenly, the general walked in unannounced.
He said to my boss, “Chaplain, I want to thank you for having a great team. I called yesterday to get some information, and your team provided exactly what I needed. Your budget requests for the next FY were approved.”
The general turned and left just as quickly as he had arrived. That’s when I told the team about the phone call from Washington.
Paul Linzey is a retired military chaplain. You are invited to take a look at Military Ministry: Chaplains in the Twenty-First Century (2nd edition) for more information and stories about serving as a chaplain.
