Archive - March, 2007

A chaplain and his mistress

By 18 March 2007. Filed in Ethics.

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An Army chaplain has confessed to adultery and threatening to murder his mistress, according to an Associated Press article.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. – A 10th Mountain Division chaplain was stripped of his rank and sentenced to five months in military prison after pleading guilty to adultery and threatening to kill his mistress when she wanted to end their relationship, Fort Drum officials said Friday.

Capt. John Lau – a Southern Baptist minister described by the mistress as a manipulative sadist – was tried by a military judge who also ordered him dismissed from the Army with all pay and allowances forfeited.

Lau, 50, admitted he threatened to hunt down and kill Amanda Tyler, a 34-year-old British woman he met in 2004 while stationed in England, brought to the U.S. and “married” during a mock ceremony last year at Niagara Falls.

This is quite a sordid tale. Mr. Lau stated that he and his wife wanted some “spice” in their sexual relationship. So, he brought in Ms. Tyler to engage in such immorality. It is unclear to me whether Ms. Tyler was actually complicit in the lurid relationship. She stated that she was “under duress” in the relationship, though she apparently lived with the family and even went on vacations with them.

When Mr. Lau was deployed to Iraq, Ms. Tyler stated that she was going to move out. He apparently responded by threatening three times that he would kill her.

So, let’s see…if all the details of this story are true, there are adultery, enslavement, and murderous threats involved. I think that’s three strikes against the chaplain, both as a military officer and as a minister. He admitted to adultery and threatening to kill Ms. Tyler. The article included no reference to whether he has been defrocked. One can only hope that he will be expelled from ministry in the Southern Baptist Convention.

United States Army Chaplain Corps branch insignia

By 18 March 2007. Filed in News & Commentary.

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The U.S. Army Chaplain Corps was established on 29 July 1775. “The legal origin of the Chaplains is found in a resolution of the Continental Congress … which made provision for the pay of chaplains.”[1]

Prior to 1880, there was no distinctive Chaplain Corps branch insignia.U.S. Army Chaplain Corps Christian Branch insignia Chaplains had no official branch insignia nor officer rank insignia. However, during the Civil War, chaplains generally wore captain officer rank insignia. From 1880 to 1888, a shepherd’s crook was used as branch insignia.[2] In 1898, the silver Latin cross was adopted as the branch insignia for Christian chaplains, and it remains in use today.[3]

For more information about the Chaplain Corps branch insignia, Corps plaque and logo, and Corps history, see the following:

Chaplain Loan Repayment Program

By 3 March 2007. Filed in News & Commentary.

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The Army Chaplain Recruiting Branch has announced the following programs in the February 2007 Chief of Chaplains newsletter.

For ordained clergy who have already earned a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) or master degree in religious studies of at least 72 hours, who have completed at least two years of pastoral ministry, and who are otherwise qualified to serve as a chaplain in the Army Reserve, the Army will now repay your student loans up to $20,000 in exchange for three years in the Army Reserve.

The Selected Reserves is currently offering a Chaplain Loan Repayment Program (CLRP) to attract qualified clergy who have completed their civilian education and have outstanding school loans. For a three year service obligation, a qualified individual may receive up to $20,000 in loan repayments. The loan must originate from a qualified lending institution, be incurred in the pursuit of the professional degree which qualifies a person for the chaplaincy and be verified prior to signing the written agreement for the CLRP. The loan repayment will be paid in amounts not exceeding $6,666.66 at the end of each qualifying year. The individual must request in writing the payment of each annual installment. Current chaplain candidates may not participate in this program.

This is a new incentive for clergy to serve as Reserve chaplains. This seems to be a very good deal considering the commitment is only three years.

There is also a bonus available, though I doubt an individual can receive both the loan repayment and the bonus.

A $10,000 bonus for newly accessioned officers, payable upon successful completion of the Chaplain Officer Basic Course (CHOBC) and assignment to a USAR Troop Program Unit (TPU) is currently available.

There is also help available for chaplain candidates.

The USAR provides Tuition Assistance for Chaplain Candidates up to $4,500 per year (Contact Dale Spannbauer, Fort McCoy, WI at 608-388-5072).

Chaplain candidates should be aware that they will owe a year to the Army Reserve for every year of tuition assistance received. Thus, if a chaplain candidate receives tuitition assistance but decides to go on active duty with the regular Army before completing his Reserve commitment, he will be required to repay the tuition assistance monies to the Reserve.

If you have questions about these programs, I will do what I can to answer them. However, the best qualified people to help you are here:

For more information on qualifications for U.S. Army chaplaincy, visit the website at http://chaplain.goarmy.com or call 866-684-1571 and follow the prompts to reach your local Chaplain Recruiting Team (CRT) who can answer your questions.