Civil Air Patrol Chaplain Corps

03/05/2025

To all who celebrate the Civil Air Patrol Chaplain Corps wishes you a blessed season of .

03/01/2025

"The VOICE", a new podcast service for the CAP Chaplain Corps and the CAP Chaplain Corps College. The February 2025 audio podcast titled, "Amplifying Spiritual Fitness in Civil Air Patrol" is available for download and listening at your convenience.

This year is the 75th anniversary of the CAP Chaplain Corps. Its members are celebrating how it provides "Spiritual Fitness for Today's Missions and Tomorrow's Leaders." But what is "Spiritual Fitness"? Listen as three distinguished members of the corps explain what it is and how it is much different than religiosity.

Speakers include:
22nd Chief of Chaplains of CAP, Chaplain (Colonel) John F. Reutemann III
Chief of Chaplain Corps Ops & Planning, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Mike Morison
Provost of the CAP Chaplain Corps College, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) T.J. Jenney

Get insights into how spiritual fitness can provide resilience for the future and recovery from the past.

The main link takes you to Spotify podcasting to listen. You can also watch the presentation on YouTube at:
https://youtu.be/6gfMBu18TpU

(Season 1, Episode 2) During 2025, the Civil Air Patrol Chaplain Corps is celebrating 75 years of "Spiritual Fitness for Today's Missions and Tomorrow's Leaders." Recorded on February 27, 2025, this episode defines just what is "spiritual fitness" and how it is much different than religiosity. Three...

02/28/2025

To all who celebrate beginning this evening, the entire Civil Air Patrol Chaplain Corps wishes you "Ramadan Mubarak."

02/24/2025

General Order 350: Where the CAP Chaplain Corps Began

On April 4, 1950, CAP Colonel William G. Booth, deputy commander of the national organization, signed General Order 350 on behalf of the national commander which created the Civil Air Patrol Chaplain Service. During the 75th anniversary of this event, all members of the corps should take the time to learn the reasons articulated in the document that created the chaplaincy for the new auxiliary of the United States Air Force.

Here are the initial duties of the service as quoted in the regulation:

1. The purpose of this letter, pending publication of a CAP directive, is to establish a duty assignment schedule for Chaplains assigned to Civil Air Patrol units.

2. The Civil Air Patrol Chaplain functions as established in this letter im­plement AFR 165-3 (where applicable) pertaining to functions of all Chaplains serv­ing with units of Civil Air Patrol.

3. Chaplains of Civil Air Patrol will assure moral and religious ministration throughout units to which they are assigned. Such ministration will be based on apparent needs within respective wings, groups and squadrons. The Chaplain will serve as chief advisor to the Commanding Officer on all matters pertaining to religious life, morals, morale and other related matters affecting Civil Air Patrol personnel. The Chaplain, in the performance of his duties, is directly responsible to the commanding officer and his position as such will be so indicated on all organizational directives and charts.

4. The specific duties of Chaplain include the following:

a. Implement Air Force Chaplain program where applicable, as outlined in AFR 165-3.
b. Will recommend to Commanding Officer general and specific adaptation of Chaplain Is program to meet the needs of the organization.
c. Exercise supervisory responsibility over Chaplain activities within his organization.
d. Make frequent field trips and personal contact with Civil Air Patrol personnel.
e. Promote cordial relations between military and civilian organizations as they are related to the Civil Air Patrol.
f. Render casualty assistance to next of kin in cases of tragedy among personnel.
g. Serve as counselor to any and all Civil Air Patrol personnel who may desire Chaplain assistance.
h. Make frequent character guidance lectures to cadets and senior personnel.
i. Provide moral and spiritual coverage for cadets and other Civil Air Patrol personnel while on encampments.
j. Perform or provide all necessary religious ceremonial functions for both cadets and senior personnel within the Civil Air Patrol program.

When G.O. 350 was published there was no position to assist the chaplain in the performance of these duties. That would come later in the history of the premier all-volunteer chaplaincy in the United States.

02/22/2025

... Today is the birthday of the first President of the United States of America. ... From 2020 comes this repeat post about how young George Washington would be a devoted student to a life of honor, character, and skills as his path to success in Colonial America during the 18th century. He created his own "cadet program" and even wrote his own manual on character and behavior at age 14.

and the Civil Air Patrol Missions: Cadet Programs

lived a life of "cadet" during his teens. Thanks to the mentoring of the influential Fairfax family, he saw he was destined to a life of excellence and service to a higher cause. His role models were the "chevaliers" which were popular in his time, an order of warrior/servants which were the "knights" in the 17th and 18th centuries. He literally wrote his own character manual. He practiced drills almost daily. He mastered horsemanship at an early age. He imposed on himself a life of discipline and excellence that made many take notice of him.

These are the traits of a future leader. This is the work of the CAP cadet program.

Our nation's first president would very much approve of the CAP cadet program.

02/20/2025

This week during the meeting of the Civil Air Patrol Command Council, Chief of Chaplains, Chaplain (Colonel) John Reutemann III, presented a specially numbered commemorative challenge coin celebrating the 75th anniversary of the CAP Chaplain Corps, which was created in 1950, to the national commander, Maj. Gen. Regina Aye. Each coin is numbered and the commander was given the auspicious number 75.

Chaplain Corps members can read this week’s. Issue of The Transmitter newsletter for details on how to get the coins for their own presentations.

02/15/2025

As part of the inaugural event to start the Civil Air Patrol Chaplain Corps' celebration of its 75th anniversary of providing "spiritual fitness for today's missions and tomorrow's leaders," there was the first sharing of the special challenge coin. The Deputy Chief of Chaplains for CAP, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Van Don Williams presented the first coin, each specially numbered, to the Chief of Chaplains of the Air Force, Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Trent C. Davis and to the commandant of the Air Force Chaplain Corps College, Chaplain (Colonel) Ralph Elliott. All the students and staff at the CAP Chaplain Corps College's Auxiliary Chaplain Course class 25A, and all guests received their own coin. Some of the guests who participated included Colonel Andrew J. Stewart, deputy commander of CAP-USAF; and Mr. Paul Gloyd, deputy chief operating officer of CAP.

All members of the chaplain corps will receive information on how they can get and share this anniversary challenge coin in the near future.

Photographs by CAP 1st Lt. Ian Stembridge and Chaplain (Lt. Col.) T.J. Jenney.

02/14/2025

Congratulations to Chaplain (Capt.) Phineas Jacobus of the Civil Air Patrol’s Texas Wing for receiving the first Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Steven A. Schaick Award as the Auxiliary Chaplain of the Year for his volunteer support on an Air Force assigned mission at Air Force ROTC at Texas A&M University.

Congratulations to Civil Air Patrol Chaplain (Capt.) Phineas Jacobus, who received the first Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Steven A. Schaick Auxiliary Chaplain of the Year award at the CAP Chaplain Corps College's annual Auxiliary Chaplains Course at the Air Force Chaplain Corps College. This course trains CAP chaplains with the necessary skills to provide support at U.S. Air Force bases. Schaick was the 19th Air Force Chief of Chaplains and began his career as a cadet in our Wisconsin Wing. Photo by 1st Lt. Ian Stembridge.

📷 (From left) Chief of Chaplains of the Air Force Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Trent Davis, CAP Chaplain (Capt.) Phineas Jacobus, and Air Force Chaplain (Maj.) Milton Douglas.

02/12/2025

During the luncheon on February 7, 2025, which celebrated the graduation of the Civil Air Patrol Chaplain Corps College's Auxiliary Chaplain Course class 25A at Maxwell Air Force Base, the corps kicked off its celebration of its 75th anniversary of providing spiritual fitness and service with a special cake-cutting ceremony.

The 21st Chief of Chaplains of the Air Force and 3rd Chief of Chaplains of the Space Force, Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Trent C. Davis joined the deputy Chief of Chaplains of CAP, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Van Don Williams in the event at Wilson Hall, the national headquarters of CAP.

On April 4, 1950, the headquarters of CAP published General Order 350 which created the Chaplain Service for the new auxiliary of the United States Air Force.

Photograph by CAP 1st Lt. Ian Stembridge

02/06/2025

is today’s theme for the aspiring auxiliary chaplains who are in classes at the Civil Air Patrol Chaplain Corps College at Maxwell AFB. This morning’s instructor is Air National Guard Chaplain (Lt. Colonel) Brad Burns from the Air Force Chaplain Corps College.

For 75 years, the CAP Chaplain Corps provided “Spiritual Fitness for today’s missions and tomorrow’s leaders.”

02/05/2025

More views of the joint training between the Civil Air Patrol and Total Force chaplains at the Air Force Chaplain Corps College.