In recognition of October 22-28 as Pastoral Care Week, this is the third in a three-part series focusing on the ministry of CBF-endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors.

Chaplain Ron Howard, right, talks with a staff member at DCH Health System. Photo courtesy Ron Howard

ATLANTA – Although the settings are quite different – a hospital in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and a Navy bureau in Washington, D.C. – Cooperative Baptist Fellowship endorsed chaplain Ronald Howard said he applies many of the same techniques in patient care and managing staff. The biggest difference, he said with a chuckle, is in the Navy, he has rank as a captain and works alongside doctors and nurses who are admirals.

"The saying goes as a chaplain in the military, you wear two collars," Howard said. "Knowing when to be a chaplain and knowing when to use your rank as a senior officer is invaluable."

As senior reserve chaplain, Howard spends one week every two months working at the Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, the headquarters command for Navy medicine. His role is to serve as an adviser to the surgeon general on religious and moral issues, as well as manage the deployment and utilization of reserve chaplains.

"Primarily, the length of this war is an issue," Howard said. "Fighting it with an all volunteer military means that everyone is beginning to deplete resources. It doesn’t help that we are fighting a war at the same time our goal is to down-size the military."

Military reserve chaplains face several unique challenges, including job security. Many pastors are self-employed, and because of separation of church and state laws they are not guaranteed a job, like other soldiers, when they return from military service. Howard said in some extreme cases churches have called another pastor and evicted families from parsonages.

The role of a chaplain is unique in the military, and Howard said one challenge for chaplains is to lead worship experiences that are consistent with their tradition but respectful of other soldiers’ beliefs.

"[Reserve chaplains] voluntarily signed up for this and [their] job is not to be a warrior, but to be there for that young Marine or sailor – to provide pastoral care for those people who are serving their country," Howard said. "You have to have the calling, ‘I’m willing to be there to minister to them and help them get through some very difficult times in their lives.’"

As the associate director of pastoral care services for DCH Health System in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Howard faces many similar issues. Recently, a Muslim patient was dying in critical care when Howard offered to help his family.

"I spoke to his wife and told her that we realized that it was important for his bed to be facing towards Mecca," Howard said. "When I offered to have him moved to another room, her jaw dropped. Some of the staff were griping about the move, but I think we showed that by showing respect and concern to other people, we gain their ear."

George Pickle, the Fellowship’s associate coordinator for chaplaincy and pastoral counseling, said the Fellowship touches people in both diverse settings through the daily duties of Howard.

"Chaplain Howard is uniquely qualified to minister to people in the extremely complex and different worlds of the hospital setting and military service," Pickle said.

For more information on chaplaincy and pastoral counseling or to learn about the Fellowship’s endorsement process, contact George Pickle at (770) 220-1617 or gpickle@thefellowship.info.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.