Photo By Cpl. Renee Gray | U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Carey Cash, U.S. Navy Deputy Chief of Chaplains and Chaplain of...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. — In a force defined by readiness, discipline and endurance, Rear Adm. Carey H. Cash, the 21st Chaplain of the Marine Corps, speaks from rugged experience. From serving as a beacon of faith in Iraq early in his career, to now reinforcing spiritual foundation to Marines of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and reminding our chaplains to “stand and deliver.”
Cash, who serves in senior leadership within the Navy Chaplain Corps, met with command leadership, chaplains, and Marines throughout the installation, addressing the urgent need to strengthen moral and spiritual foundations at a time when operational tempo and personal stress continue to challenge the force.
“There is an institutional hesitancy to speak from traditional sources of morality,” Cash said, cautioning that in the effort to remain relevant, institutions risk losing what makes the Chaplain Corps distinct. “If we are not careful, we can sell our birthright without knowing it and dismiss our distinctly religious and moral character,” he said. “You are men and women of God. Stand and deliver.”
What he preached to fellow chaplains, Cash put into action when speaking to Marines with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11. Shifting from institutional concerns to the personal realities many service members face, he spoke candidly about endurance, struggle, and inner resolve, emphasizing the importance of establishing a firm foundation before life’s pressures take their toll.
It is a perspective shaped not only by decades of service, but by deeply personal experience. Early in his civilian life, Cash was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor — a moment that forced him to confront the fragility of life and permanently redirected his path. “Crisis has a way of clarifying what matters,” Cash said. “In those two years of uncertainty, I knew I wanted to serve people through ministry.”
After medical specialists determined the tumor was non-cancerous and unlikely to grow, Cash joined the Navy. He has now served for over two decades, much of it alongside Marines. “My first assignment was straight into combat in Iraq,” Cash said. “I crossed the border with the first unit on March 20, 2003. We lost Marines. We carried casualties. But I have never seen spiritual hunger like I saw in combat.”
He explained that crisis whether on the battlefield or in daily life — often opens doors for reflection, growth, and renewed purpose. “Very few people call out to God because life is good,” he said. “It’s usually when life is hard.”
That message resonated strongly during his engagement with MALS-11. Speaking candidly about stress, endurance, and personal struggle, Cash challenged Marines to confront destructive habits and fight for their own character with the same determination they bring to their mission. “Self-confrontation is not about self-expression,” he told the Marines. “It’s about being willing to confront what is damaging and choosing to become better than who you are today.”
During the discussion, Cash asked Marines who felt overwhelmed or barely holding on to raise their hands. The number of hands that went up, he said later, was deeply moving. “It showed me that there is still hunger for truth, for love, for forgiveness, and for redemption,” Cash said. “And where there is hunger, there is hope.”
For Cash, that moment reflected the future of the force. “Marines respond to hope,” he said. “No matter what the circumstances are, they respond to hope.”
As his visit concluded, Cash emphasized that chaplains exist not only in moments of crisis, but throughout the daily pressures of Marine Corps life. “If we can bring hope into a situation,” he said, “then we are doing exactly what we should be doing.”
Through their constant presence, moral guidance, and fully confidential counsel, Marine Corps chaplains remain a decisive force in sustaining the spiritual fitness, resilience, and readiness of Marines across 3rd MAW.
| Date Taken: | 01.07.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.12.2026 17:12 |
| Story ID: | 555960 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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