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As the United States conducts foreign policy and military
operations, it must assess and consider the impact of religion in
societies to achieve long-term stability in a region. So say
authors Chaplain (Col) William Sean Lee, ARNG; Lt Col Christopher
J. Burke, USAF; and Lt Col Zonna M. Crayne, ANG, in proposing that
the role of military chaplains be expanded to include what they
term "religious liaison," allowing for formal involvement of
indigenous religious leaders in stability operations. Rather than
avoiding religion in implementing foreign policy, they would allow
chaplains to directly interface with indigenous religious leaders
to develop dialogue, build relationships, promote goodwill, and
create formal inter-religious councils. Lee, Burke, and Crayne
recommend changes to doctrine, training, and assignments necessary
to facilitate this expanded role. They note commanders often use a
military lawyer and intelligence officer when making substantial
decisions; chaplains can be just as important to a commander
conducting stability operations. This policy implementation would
assist the US military in transforming the asymmetric, soft power
of indigenous religious influence into a significant source of
power for mission accomplishment and enable a greater chance for
achieving US foreign policy goals.
The three researchers of "Military Chaplains as Peace Builders:
Embracing Indigenous Religions in Stability Operations"-Chaplain
(Col) William Sean Lee, Lt Col Christopher J. Burke, and Lt Col
Zonna M. Crayne, all Air Force Fellows-make suggestions that bring
the chaplain business into the twenty-first century. Religion and
culture in general have been long neglected by planners, policy
makers, and diplomats. Our experience in Phase IV, or the
constructive phase, of Operation Iraqi Freedom has clearly exposed
this inattention as a serious flaw in bringing peaceful development
to Iraq. These authors suggest that military chaplains can be a
part of a better solution. It is not a case of trying to proselyte;
it is rather one of engaging local religious leaders to facilitate
the stabilization process. Currently, US military chaplains not
only provide religious and spiritual support to military personnel
and their families, but also train to conduct religious area
analyses and assessments, primarily for the purpose of advising the
commander on indigenous religious culture and practices. The thesis
of this paper is to suggest an expanded role as religious liaison,
wherein the chaplains would have a direct interface with local
religious groups and religious leaders. The chaplains would develop
a dialogue, build relationships, promote goodwill, and even help
create formal inter-religious councils. The authors recommend
changes affecting doctrine, training, and assignments that are
necessary to facilitate this expanded role of chaplains. Commanders
often have a military lawyer and intelligence officer by their side
when addressing operational decisions. Chaplains of the future
should be equally important to the commander conducting stability
operations. Our leadership must be comfortable in the understanding
that an individual does not have to become religious in order to
understand religion.
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