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- The Rev. Daniel J. Sparks is the senior editor of ArmyChaplaincy.com. He serves as a chaplain with the 36th Engineer Brigade at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. He previously served with the 2nd Infantry Division and 43rd Sustainment Brigade at Fort Carson, Colorado.
Fr. Sparks is a priest of the Reformed Episcopal Church and author of the book He Shall Direct Thy Paths: Reflections for America's Soldiers and Heroes.
Posts by The Rev. Daniel J. Sparks:
Confessions of a Candy Chaplain
I confess.
I’m a candy chaplain.
Jolly Ranchers are my signature, though I have been known to use other brands. Chocolate is a crowd favorite, but Jolly Ranchers are what they’ve come to expect.
I requested that my unit supply me with 100 pounds of Jolly Ranchers before we deployed. Army bureaucracy didn’t make it happen in time–so [...]
How do I contact an Army chaplain recruiter?
A frequent question from readers of this site is “How do I contact an Army chaplain recruiter?” A handful of chaplain recruiters cover large regions of several states. You may locate your nearest chaplain recruiter by visiting http://www.goarmy.com/chaplain/find_a_recruiter.jsp and typing in your ZIP code.
CAAF says chaplains should serve on courts martial
According to CAAFlog, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) has declared invalid military regulations that prohibit chaplains from serving on courts martial.
Traditionally, chaplains have been excluded from serving on courts martial because of conflict of interest concerns. Chaplains, as clergy, hear the confessions of Soldiers. It is unethical and illegal to disclose [...]
Questioning my faithfulness to God’s call
[I originally wrote this reflection in April 2007 while deployed to Baghdad, Iraq. I had ministered to the casualties of another unit earlier in the day.]
9 April 2007
It is times like these that cause me to examine my faithfulness to God’s call. Am I living up to the standard of godliness for the vocation of [...]
A chaplain and his mistress
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 [...]
United States Army Chaplain Corps branch insignia
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. Chaplains had no official branch insignia nor officer rank [...]
Chaplain Loan Repayment Program
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 [...]
Chaplain Candidate series to be expanded
Probably the most popular articles on my website are those about the Army Chaplain Candidate program. I began writing the articles to help others learn more about the chaplain candidate process, something I didn’t know much about when I first became a candidate.
The series has been on hold for a while because of my [...]
