Photo By Melissa Buckley | Maj. Gen. Christopher Beck (center), Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort...... read more read more
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — Honoring a legacy of service that predates the nation itself, Fort Leonard Wood marked the 251st anniversary of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps with a service and cake cutting ceremony July 29, 2026, at the Main Post Chapel. While speaking to attendees about the history and heritage of the Chaplain Corps, Chaplain Kevin Duke, 554th Engineer Battalion chaplain, said the organization spans the “regular Army, Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.” “A unified team of religious support professionals dedicated to caring for all the members of the Army family,” Duke said, adding the team includes more than 3,000 chaplains, nearly 3,000 religious affairs specialists, 500 chaplain candidates, more than 50 directors of religious education, and nearly 100 other Army civilians. “Those teammates make today’s U.S. Army Chaplain Corps the most multifaceted and capable chaplaincy in history,” Duke said. Maneuver Support Center of Excellence Command Chaplain Eric Light directed his remarks to the chaplains in attendance and noted the importance of the Chaplain Corps in garrison and on the battlefield while highlighting three things chaplains need to be successful — grit, guts and God. “We ask a lot of our Soldiers and our trainees here. It is part of our culture. Digging into the hardest part of the job alongside those we minister to is the best way to get to know them and break down the walls of communication,” Light said. “Chaplains, we have to be willing to get dirty. We have to be there in the struggle, or you will miss the opportunity to speak into their lives.” Light said it takes guts to be able to meet Soldiers where they are at, literally and figuratively, to minister to them — especially “outside the wire.” “Being a coward will out you really quick,” Light said. “Courage will prove to your Soldiers that they matter to you. We demand courage from them, and you do not get a pass.” Light emphasized the indispensable partnership between chaplains and the https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/support-logistics/admin-financial-support/56m-religious-affairs-specialist, who provide support to chaplains during missions and everyday activities. “Chaplains, you actually have the opportunity to really show how courageous you are because you are not issued a weapon. You must rely on the relationship you have cultivated with your religious affairs specialist to have yourself protected,” Light said. “Today is not just about chaplains. Our religious affairs noncommissioned officers and specialists carry the same weight we do. We are incomplete without them and appreciate the valuable contributions they make to our mission.” Maj. Gen. Christopher Beck, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general, said it is important to note the Chaplain Corps is “older than our nation.” Established in 1775, the Chaplain Corps has provided spiritual strength to American Soldiers since the first days of the fight for independence. “Our Army realized how important the Chaplain Corps is,” Beck said, adding that they are just as crucial to today’s Army. “You have an incredibly challenging mission at Fort Leonard Wood. You spend a lot of time with our trainees. You listen to them and you provide them with motivation. You make them resilient and help them persevere,” Beck said. “Being a drill sergeant can be one of the hardest roles to fill in our Army. Our drill sergeants rely on you just as much as our trainees do.” To view more photos from the celebration, visit this https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjD1aQg.
| Date Taken: | 07.29.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.30.2026 09:03 |
| Story ID: | 571088 |
| Location: | FORT LEONARD WOOD, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 20 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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