A Church of God chaplain speaks of his experience of recruiting chaplains of all faiths to serve in the Air Force.
By Chaplain (Captain) Lance Giannone, USAF, Chaplains Accessions, HQ AF Recruiting
Chaplain Giannone
Wayne Roberson (Church of God Chaplains Commission’s) once told me that I could be a recruiter for the Air Force because I genuinely believe in the Air Force as a tremendous place to do ministry. I never thought one day I would actually be a recruiter. Ten years later I now find myself working at HQ Air Force Recruiting Service Randolph AFB, Texas.
I began recruiting Sept 05 and quickly came to realize this job was unlike anything I had done before. Prior to recruiting I was assigned to Shaw AFB, South Carolina and the USAF Academy, Colorado. Both jobs involved typical ministry within the Air Force which I thoroughly enjoyed; parish work, counseling, visitation, flight line ministry, etc. Recruiting was a completely different animal. Nothing I previously did prepared me to be a recruiter. I remember thinking to myself how large the learning curb was for this job. It was not until one year later that I felt confident with my new role. Now on my fourth year as a chaplain recruiter I have come to see what a blessing it is to be a “Gate-Keeper” for the Air Force Chaplain Corps.
I recruit Catholic Priests for the Air Force and assist with Protestant recruiting as well. My responsibilities include marketing, budgeting, Temporary Duty Assignments to seminaries, conferences and recruiting events such as ministry familiarization tours and discernment retreats. Most of my day is spent preparing marketing concepts, ensuring applicant paperwork is managed as well as responding to the many emails and phone calls we receive. When I’m not in the office I’m on the road selling the Air Force Chaplain Corps to interested clergy.
The highlight of recruiting is working with individuals who have a desire to serve and mentoring them along the recruiting path toward active duty. The process is 8-12 months long and during this time you get to know an applicant fairly well. I enjoy informing an applicant of his/her accession; however, it is difficult to inform an applicant when he/she has not been accessed. More often than not, recruiting requires mentoring individuals regarding God’s will and their desire to serve as an Air Force chaplain. The desire to serve may be present; however, the applicant may not be accessed for a variety of reasons. Helping individuals discern God’s will in this situation can be challenging.
Our office accesses 25 chaplains annually based upon the needs of the Air Force. Well over 100 people apply annually to the AF Chaplain Accessions Office; understandably it is highly competitive to become an Air Force Chaplain. Currently we have just fewer than 500 chaplains on active duty.
My tour in recruiting ends next summer. I don’t know where the Air Force and God will send me; however, wherever I end-up going I know it will be fun. Being an Air Force chaplain is a very fulfilling and rewarding job where God has used me in my ministry to recruit numerous other chaplains to carry the Gospel of Christ around this world.
Chaplain Giannone is a graduate of Lee University and the Church of God Theological Seminary, Cleveland, Tennessee. He and his wife Christina reside at Randolph AFB, TX.
To learn more about the Church of God Chaplains Commission chaplaincy programs, visit the Chaplains Commission website at: www.cogchaplains.com.