National Guard Chief Chaplain Visits New York

LATHAM, UNITED STATES

03.29.2009

Courtesy Story

New York National Guard

LATHAM, N.Y. - The Army National Guard's top chaplain, Brig. Gen Bryan Hult, visited New York National Guard headquarters on March 28 to meet with Lt. Col. Eric Olsen, New York National Guard state chaplain.

Hult assumed duties as the Assistant to the Chief of Chaplains, Army National Guard, National Guard Bureau, Washington, D.C., on Oct. 1, 2006. As Assistant to the Chief of Chaplains, he is responsible for assisting the Army Chief of Chaplains in advising on all programs, policies and plans affecting the Army National Guard Chaplains and Chaplain Assistants.

As the National Guard Bureau adviser to the Army Chief of Chaplains, Hult routinely visits National Guard State headquarters to review programs, structure, and strength management and discuss issues affecting the chaplain corps.

Olsen, a Saranac Lake resident and a chaplain for the New York State Department of Correctional Services in civilian life, has been very involved in shaping the New York Army National Guard's Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, designed to help Soldiers make the transition from combat back to their families and civilian workforce.

"I am impressed with New York's structure, organization and vision, from incorporating unit ministry teams and Air National Guard personnel and resources into programs to expanding the chaplain corps to meet the diverse needs of New York. New York is bringing it all together," Hult said.

Hult received his commission from Officer Candidate School on July 29, 1979. He was commissioned an Infantry officer and transferred to Aviation after Flight School in 1980. After six years active duty in the Infantry and in Aviation, he branch transferred to the Chaplaincy Corps in 1988. In 1993, he joined the Indiana National Guard and has served at every level of National Guard Chaplaincy.

• Date Taken: 03.29.2009
• Date Posted: 03.29.2009 19:00
• Story ID: 31755
• Location: LATHAM, US