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CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., -- U.S. Lt. Ryan J. Krause, a chaplain with 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander on Sept. 13, 2022 on Camp Pendleton, CA.
Krause was born in Rapid City, SD and then moved from state to state due to his step father’s job being a coal miner. He ended up staying in Gillette, WY and graduated high school in 1990.
“In my hometown, everybody was trying to get out because there wasn’t a whole lot unless you were going to work in the coal mines or go work in the oil fields,” said Krause, “ I tried laying concrete and some other hard labor work when I was younger, and I realized it wasn’t for me.”
His biological father was in the Air Force during the Vietnam War from 1970-1975 and this is ultimately what inspired Krause to join the military. Due to other military branches' offices being closed, the Navy office was the only one open, and Krause signed up and shipped off in August of 1990.
Krause remained in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman for 16 ½ years, and rose to the rank of Chief Petty Officer before leaving the Navy in 2006. Five years before leaving the Navy, Krause and his wife, Kelle Krause, joined a church in Temecula where he later became a pastor. In 2012, he made a decision to pass the church on to a new pastor and started the process of becoming a Chaplain for the Navy.
“When I realized that I was being led back in the direction of the Navy as a Chaplain, I was super excited because I love the military and the men and women who serve in the Marine Corps and the Navy,” said Krause. “I think they are the greatest people in the world. They’re volunteers that put their life on the line, knowing that they can go into harm’s way and they do it and they’re dedicated and motivated about doing that.”
In August of 2013, Krause commissioned as an officer in the Navy, serving as a Chaplain. He has currently served 9 years as a Chaplain.
“A lot of people joke about living the dream, but I really feel that I am,” said Krause. “I got to put both of them together, my love for the nation, service, the Marines, the Navy and my love for passion in ministry.”
Being prior-enlisted has helped Krause with understanding service members and the obstacles they face. He is passionate about developing Marines and Sailors and helping anyone in need. When asked about his favorite part about being a Chaplain, Krause said it’s the people: Marines and Sailors.
“I have an opportunity to have really important deep conversations with young men and women when they’re trying to figure out who they are and what they want to be and to encourage them,
remind them God loves them, and what they do is important for the nation,” said Krause. “It’s exciting because young Marines and Sailors are great Americans and I love having an opportunity to spend time with them; it’s definitely the best part.”
Krause has been in the Navy for 26 years and remains committed. He spent 21 years out of 26 with the Marine Corps. He was joined at the promotion ceremony by his wife, Kelle and many others who helped him throughout his career. This promotion is special because he was promoted to Chief Petty Officer on the same date, exactly 20 years ago, and at the same exact unit.
In March 2023, Krause will move on from 7th Engineer Support Battalion and go to 29 Palms, CA to be the Regimental Chaplain for 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division.
“When given the opportunity, I jumped right at it and I’m very excited,” said Krause. “Being a Regimental Chaplain has been on my bucket list; it’s like my dream job to go and be a supervisory chaplain over at an infantry regiment and to be able to help to shape some of the young chaplains and help them to be more effective at providing for their battalions.”
| Date Taken: | 09.13.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 10.14.2022 13:51 |
| Story ID: | 430802 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Lt. Krause's Promotion Ceremony to the Rank of Lieutenant Commander, by LCpl Kristy Ordonez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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