If the reader is up-to-date on good ideas for restructuring the Air Force, the worth of this study will be immediately apparent. On first blush, Military Chaplains as Peace Builders: Embracing Indigenous Religions in Stability Operations, especially the first phrase, seems like a feeble topic unworthy of our attention. What these three researchers—Chaplain (Col) William Sean Lee, Lt Col Christopher J. Burke, and Lt Col Zonna M. Crayne, all Air Force Fellows—did during their assignment to Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government is make suggestions that bring the chaplain business into the twenty-first century.

Religion and...

To help illustrate the vital role military chaplains can play as peace builders, let’s begin by examining a fictional but plausible scenario. The US intelligence community is surprised to learn that a fundamentalist religious group calling itself the “Sword of Allah” has seized control of both weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their delivery systems in the moderate Islamic Republic of Korastan. The Korastani military is a probable source of aid from sympathizers within its ranks. The long-suspected possession of nuclear materials and delivery capability of Korastan has been confirmed independently through both Department of State and Department of Defense...

Rabbi Marc Gopin, director of the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University writes, “Whatever one discovers in the roots of war must become a principle part of recovery, growth, and the visioning of new civilization . . . if religion, culture, ethnicity are all implicated, then they must be vindicated, and those that hold fast to them must find a sure and true way to engage the new civilization.”¹ Gopin’s statement identifies religion as a necessary element in conflict resolution when it is part of the dynamic of conflict.

Religion is best viewed as...

In his book, Faith-Based Diplomacy: Trumping Realpolitik, Dr. Douglas Johnston advocates the use of military chaplains in stability operations. He states that the multifaith experience and extensive interpersonal skills military chaplains possess are attributes perfectly suited for the inclusion of religion into stability operations.¹ Dr. Johnston, president of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy in Washington, DC, further states in his article, “We Neglect Religion at Our Peril,” that military chaplains can develop in-depth understanding of the religious and cultural distinctions in a given environment through their personal interactions with indigenous religious communities.²

Military chaplains are uniquely suited and...

The first issue that must be addressed is authorization for chaplains. Title 10 of the United States Code provides the legal foundation for military chaplaincy. As approved by Title 10, every branch of the US military has designated chaplains to provide for the religious and spiritual support of military members and their families, and to ensure the constitutional right of every military member to free exercise of their religion. Military chaplains are trained and prepared to specific standards through civilian and military education to enable them to respectfully facilitate the practice of religious traditions and faith for all military members...

It is apparent that religion will remain a defining element in many societies for the foreseeable future. As the United States conducts foreign policy and military operations, it must assess and consider the impact of religion in societies to achieve success in operations and long-term stability in a region.

As noted earlier, failure to do so is at our own potential peril. Successful incorporation of indigenous religious groups and religious leaders for stability operations will enable a greater chance for achieving US foreign-policy goals and long-term stability in areas of operation.

Implementing the recommendations in table 2 will achieve the...