LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Army National Guard chaplains and their supporting unit ministry teams from across the U.S. refined strategies and tools to enhance Soldiers’ mental and psychological wellness, May 6-9, at the Army National Guard’s Professional Education Center.
The training event also addressed the importance of equipping National Guard chaplains with the tools to support Soldiers.
“Your role as a chaplain is not only important, it’s vital,” said Master Sergeant Major John T. Raines, the Army National Guard’s command sergeant major. “The Army National Guard wants you to contribute greatly to increasing the readiness of our unit.”
The event also explored holistic health and fitness practices for Soldiers preparing for the “road to war,” a common phrase used to describe unit readiness.
“There’s really no such thing as sleep, health, mental health or spiritual health. There’s only health, right? Because each area impacts the others,” said Capt. David L. Woodward, a chaplain assigned to the Army National Guard. “What the chaplain corps can bring to spiritual and spiritual health is the soul of the individual, regardless of faith or lack of faith.”
To help Soldiers weather the challenges of their mission, UMT has developed a variety of spiritual initiatives, including providing religious services, offering individual counseling, organizing spiritual retreats and facilitating group discussions on faith and spirituality. Chaplains organize these activities to address the unique spiritual needs of each Soldier and promote a sense of community and support within their units.
“Military chaplains are the natural choice to nurture the spirituality of our soldiers,” Woodward said. “They are the guardians of the First Amendment, ensuring that every soldier has the right to religious freedom.”
Woodward calls cultivating spirituality “soul work.”
“I’ve supported Muslim soldiers, atheist soldiers, agnostic soldiers, Wiccan soldiers, Christian soldiers,” Woodward said. “Even if you don’t believe in God, I’m your chaplain. Whatever religion a soldier practices, I will make sure there is a time and a place for each soldier to practice their faith.”
Woodward asks soldiers, “What principles does your higher power follow and how does it function? How can I help you apply those principles in your life so that you can reach or reach your full potential?”
“Spirituality helps us to be mentally healthy,” Woodward says. “Spirituality helps us to recognize who we are in relationship to a higher power, vertically, and to the people around us, horizontally. Once we know who we are, our mental health is within our control.”
