Courtesy Photo | Minnesota National Guard Ch. (Maj.) Justin Lansdown, of Savage, Minnesota, has served...... read more read more
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A single question at the U.S. Army Chaplain Basic Officer Leader Course, or CHBOLC, has stayed with Ch. (Maj.) Justin Lansdowne, of Savage, Minnesota throughout his career:
“What is the only thing that chaplains can do that no one else in the military can?” said Lansdowne.
For Lansdowne, the answer, and what it means, has evolved over time.
He enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard in 1997 after seeing a commercial offering college tuition in exchange for service, joining the Security Forces Squadron, 133rd Airlift Wing. During his early years in uniform, he began to feel called to serve fellow service members in a different way, as their chaplain.
Inspired by a visit to the war memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Lansdowne found renewed determination to pursue his calling as a military chaplain. With support fromhis wife, Christy, he navigated the path to become a chaplain, including completing seminary requirements and attending CHBOLC in 2015.
The path can be demanding as candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree, have begun or planned to complete seminary, receive an endorsement from a Department of Defense-approved ecclesiastical organization, be free of major medical issues, and possess the physical fitness necessary to pass the Army Fitness Test after four months of rigorous training.
The course tested him physically, mentally and spiritually. During training, the question posed by an instructor, about preparing Soldiers for death, left a lasting impression.
After graduating from, Lansdowne said he was struck by the level of trust place in chaplains across the force.
“We were told at CHBOLC about the trust and guidance leadership have in the Unit Ministry Team,” said Landsdowne. “Experiencing it firsthand truly made it real.”
Lansdowne later deployed to Iraq, where he often worked overnight in a 24-hour operational environment. There he coordinated religious services while building relationships with Soldiers during long shifts.
“Getting to embrace the suck with the Soldiers helped create team cohesion,” he said. “It gave me an opportunity to talk, laugh, and share struggles with them.”
Over time, Lansdowne’s answer to that original question has changed.
“Chaplains can prepare Soldiers for death,” he said. “But together with the Holistic Health and Fitness program they can also help Soldiers truly live.”
If you're interested in joining the Minnesota National Guard Chaplain Corps, please contact specialty branch recruiter CPT Alex Rank atmailto:alexander.d.rank.mil@army.mil.
Story by: Staff Sgt. Austyn Aagaard & Capt. Daniel Kuykendall
| Date Taken: | 04.26.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.30.2026 15:06 |
| Story ID: | 564024 |
| Location: | MINNESOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 13 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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