Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center

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Official seal of the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center seal.jpg
Official seal of the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center

The Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center (AFCC) was the center for training of United States military chaplains, located at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina. Co-located on the AFCC campus were: the United States Army Chaplain Center and School, the United States Naval Chaplaincy School and Center, and the United States Air Force Chaplain Corps College. The Center included the "Joint Center of Excellence for Religious Training and Education."

Contents

Ground-breaking for the AFCC took place 6 May 2008, and the official dedication of the campus occurred on 6 May 2010.

The Air Force Chaplain Corps College returned to Maxell AFB, AL in 2017. The United States Naval Chaplaincy School returned to NAVSTA Newport, RI in 2019.

History

The creation of the AFCC began with the 11 November 2005 "Base Realignment and Closure" (BRAC) mandate for U.S. military chaplains. [1] The mandated included two "imperatives":

The decision to create the AFCC included an 11.6 million dollar construction plan for a building with 45,800 square feet (4,250 m2) of space, including a 300-seat auditorium. [2]

Relocation milestones

AFCC ground breaking, 6 May 2008 AFCC ground breaking.jpg
AFCC ground breaking, 6 May 2008

Mission and leadership

AFCC, days before official 6 May 2010 dedication AFCC.jpg
AFCC, days before official 6 May 2010 dedication

The Army, Navy, and Air Force schools were co-located on the AFCC campus, but their training programs for Chaplains, Chaplain Assistants and Religious Program Specialists were independent, and each has its own Commandant/Commanding Officer, faculty and staff. [1] There was an overall Director and Senior Enlisted Advisor who deal with common issues affecting all schools, but each of the three schools maintained its own lines of authority and responsibility with the Chief of Chaplains and training leadership for its branch of the Armed Forces. [1]

However, although each service school trained its chaplains, sharing the AFCC campus allowed for some joint classes and lectures, especially when guest lecturers in subjects like preaching—subjects that cross military service lines—visited the center. [3]

Setting

The first AFCC director Air Force Chaplain Col. Steven Keith, said the directors of the individual schools that will share the AFCC campus worked to bring together elements with special meaning that could be shared. [3] For example, the center's hallways have stained glass from a closed Army chapel in New Jersey and a closed Air Force chapel in Germany. [3]

To set the tone for the center, a famous image of George Washington, kneeling in prayer with his chaplain and soldiers at Valley Forge was chosen for the front lobby. [3]

U.S. Army Institute for Religious Leadership

USA Chaplain Center and School unit insignia, device, and sleeve insignia USA Chaplain School symbols.jpg
USA Chaplain Center and School unit insignia, device, and sleeve insignia

The U.S. Army Chaplain School was created in 1917, to train civilian clergy for service as chaplains in World War I. [4] The first session began 3 March 1918, at Fort Monroe, Virginia, based on a plan developed by Chaplain (MAJ) Aldred A. Pruden, approved by the War Department on 9 February 1918. [4]

Celebrating the Army Chaplaincy's 235th anniversary with a ceremonial cake cutting at the Army Chaplain Center and School, 30 July 2010 Army Chaplaincy 235th anniversary.jpg
Celebrating the Army Chaplaincy's 235th anniversary with a ceremonial cake cutting at the Army Chaplain Center and School, 30 July 2010

Before moving to its present location at Fort Jackson in 1996, the school has been located in areas including Camp Zachary Taylor (Kentucky), Camp Grant (Illinois), Fort Leavenworth (Kansas), Fort Benjamin Harrison (Indiana), Harvard University (Massachusetts), Fort Devens (Mass.), Fort Oglethorpe (Georgia), Carlisle Barracks (Pennsylvania), Fort Slocum (New York) (1951–62), Fort Hamilton (N.Y.) (1962–74), Fort Wadsworth (N.Y.) (1974–79), and Fort Monmouth (New Jersey) (1979–95). [5] [6]

In 1957, Army General Order No. 1-57, created the U.S. Army Chaplain Museum as a branch museum at Fort Slocum, New York, later moving along with the Chaplain Center and School to all other locations, including the current site at Fort Jackson. [6] On 28 February 2022 the U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School was renamed to the U.S. Army Institute for Religious Leadership. [7]

US Naval Chaplaincy School and Center seal Naval Chaplaincy School and Center seal.jpg
US Naval Chaplaincy School and Center seal

The first Naval Chaplain School was created in February 1942 when civilian clergy, the majority of whom had no prior military experience, entered the Navy to serve during World War II. [8] The school began at Naval Station Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia, later moving to the campus of the College of William and Mary, in Williamsburg, Virginia, until its decommissioning 15 November 1945. [8]

With the beginning of the Korean War in 1951, the school was reestablished, located in Newport, Rhode Island as part of the Naval Schools Command. [8] When the Naval Officer Training Center was established 15 July 1971, later becoming the Naval Officer Training Command on 1 July 1974, the school continued to operate under that Center and Command, until the school became a separate shore activity in March 2007 under the Center for Service Support. [8]

New flag for the Naval Chaplain School and Center is prepared for the first Navy chaplain graduation at Ft. Jackson, Nov 2009. Navy Chaplains first graduation Fort Jackson.jpg
New flag for the Naval Chaplain School and Center is prepared for the first Navy chaplain graduation at Ft. Jackson, Nov 2009.

The Chaplain School ceased activities in Newport 21 August 2009 for its move to Fort Jackson, and its name was changed on 1 October 2009 to the Naval Chaplaincy School and Center (NCSC), [1] to reflect the fact that the school would no longer only train chaplains, but would now include training for Religious Program Specialists, as well. [9]

The first graduation of Navy chaplains at the AFCC took place 13 November 2009. [10]

Air Force Chaplain Corps College

USAF Chaplain Corps College seal USAF Chaplain Corps College seal.jpg
USAF Chaplain Corps College seal

In July 1953 the Air Force was given the responsibility of training its own chaplains, and the United States Air Force Chaplains Course was established at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, under the overall Officer Basic Military Course [11] In 1960 the USAF Chaplain School was officially established, remaining at Lackland AFB, where it remained until moving to Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama, in May 1966, where it would remain until its move to Fort Jackson. [1] [11]

Under the leadership of the Air University Command Chaplain, the USAF Chaplain Service Resource Board was formed in July 1959. [11] It was originally named the USAF Chaplain Writers Board, preparing lectures and identifying audiovisual resources for the Air Force Moral Leadership Program. [11]

The board's name was changed in 1976 to USAF Chaplain Resource Board, and in January 1989 to USAF Chaplain Service Resource Board, "to reflect the mission of providing resources to all chaplain service professionals: chaplain service support personnel (CSSP), religious education coordinators, laity, and chaplains." [11] It is now known as the USAF Chaplain Service Institute Resource Division. [11]

Air Force Chaplain Assistants began training at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, in 1960, as "Welfare specialists," moving to Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi in 1960 at the same time the specialty name was changed to "Chaplain Service Personnel." [11] In 1992, training moved to Maxwell AFB, where it became part of the "Ira C. Eaker Center for Professional Development," alongside the Air Force Chaplain School and Air Force Chaplain Service Institute. [1]

See also

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In addition to the three official Chaplain Corps seals for the army, navy, and air force, chaplaincies also have special seals and emblems for special schools and organizations for their chaplains, as well as a shared emblem for the "Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center" (AFCC), Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina, where chaplains from all branches of the military receive their training. The original AFCC emblem had three symbols traditionally associated with learning and wisdom—a lamp, a torch and a book. A second emblem was developed by the Commandants and Commanding Officer of the three schools, in part so that it could be used on the reverse side of a two-sided AFCC challenge coin, with one symbol drawn from each of the army, navy, and Chaplain Corps emblems: a dove from the army emblem, cupped hands from the air force emblem, and an anchor from the navy emblem. In addition to using both emblems on the two sides of the AFCC coin, both designs were displayed in the AFCC lobby.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 AFCC Dedication Bulletin Archived 2012-03-15 at the Wayback Machine , retrieved 23 May 2011.
  2. ↑ www.army.mil article: groundbreaking, retrieved 23 May 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Schafer, Susanne M. (7 May 2010). "Interfaith school for military chaplains dedicated". USA Today. Gannett. Associated Press. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  4. 1 2 Staff. "History". U. S. Army Chaplain Center and School. United States Army. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  5. ↑ Chaplaincy History & Museum: History of Chaplain Corps Archived 31 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine . US Army Chaplain Corps (United States Army Chaplaincy official homepage). Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  6. 1 2 www.jackson.army.mil Archived 3 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine , retrieved 23 May 2011.
  7. ↑ https://scontent.fosu1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/275483416_326704589492801_3235589954977670732_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=4ppJCCpi6acAX_wRfRm&_nc_ht=scontent.fosu1-1.fna&oh=00_AT91GjcMLdKjsd4R_M6UCkgo67w_QhYD5tDOTIZpXThlow&oe=622AFD8A.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. 1 2 3 4 Staff (17 July 2013). "History of The Naval Chaplaincy School and Center". Naval Chaplaincy School and Center. United States Navy. Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  9. ↑ www.navy.mil, retrieved 26 May 2011.
  10. ↑ www.army.mil, retrieved 23 May 2011.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Air University catalog, retrieved 23 May 2011.
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