| Research demonstrates that individual and organizational health is improved with successful mentoring. Proper mentoring of military chaplains increases the unit's effectiveness and ultimately helps the commander's mission success, but its delivery and success may vary. In the unique military environment in which Army chaplains work, it is fast-paced, diverse, and dangerous. It demands precise execution. Leaders at both religious schooling and initial military schooling train the potential military chaplain in their respective arenas but with varying degrees of success. Ultimately, the military chaplain is a complex composite of many influences as they bring their formal ministry to their assigned military flock. The problem examined in this research was that current mentoring theory has been vetted and examined in contexts of education, healthcare, and business, but was not fully applied to military chaplain contexts, which have unique challenges. The military environment requires strict adherence to shared values, uniformity in all means of communications, mandatory relocations every 18 to 36 months to posts throughout the world, and duties performed in combat zones. This is not required, to this degree, within the civilian sector. The research explored the perceptions of mentoring experiences and practices of military chaplains for potential improvements in the mentoring process. This qualitative, holistic case study examined the personal mentoring experiences of six senior U.S. Army chaplains. A semi-structured interview with the participants took place at select military installations, and related mentoring documentation from the participants was discussed. Results indicated that these U.S. Army senior chaplains had diverse mentoring influences and experiences prior to and during their military chaplain careers, and that deliberate mentoring programming for them was almost non-existent during their civilian and military chaplaincy education. Chaplains' fundamental divine calling into the ministry and their deep love and compassion for others was the largest and sustaining mentoring influence on both themselves and for their mentees. Chaplains expressed doubt and mistrust at formal mentoring programs forced upon them by both the Army and the Army Chaplain Branch, rather, preferring to emphasize individualized relational mentoring. Recommendations for practical application included renewed emphasis on relational mentoring from senior leaders at installation, Chaplain Branch, and Department of the Army levels. Further research is needed to explore mentoring experiences and potential applications both from the Army Chaplain Branch and the sister services of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force Chaplain Branches. |
