It was just another ordinary season for Tyler Bayless. He was getting into the swing of first year at seminary – his classes, his readings, his school work, his professors, his classmates – and things were going alright. On this seemingly ordinary of ordinary days, Tyler decided to visit the Air Force chaplain table that he had heard would be on campus that day.
Later that afternoon, he was calling the recruiter to start the process of becoming a military chaplain.
“I’ve always felt like I wanted to be in the military but decided not to go that route. I never figured out exactly how I fit in.” Tyler said, now well into his final year of the MDiv program at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and an Air Force chaplain candidate.
“So when I was talking to the recruiter at the table, just to learn more about the program, it felt like something I should do. I called my wife to talk to her about it, and later that afternoon I was calling the recruiter.”
Military chaplains perform a lot of the same functions as ministers do in the civilian world, such as planning and leading worship and providing counseling. The congregation just looks a little different.
“One of the great things about being a military chaplain is that you get to meet all kinds of people. Usually a congregation is one demographic and stays steady over a long period of time. But in the military, your congregation shifts every three to four years,” he says.
Another aspect of becoming a military chaplain that has been rewarding for Tyler has been the ability to work with other chaplains. This past summer Tyler had the opportunity to join with chaplains of other denomination and faith traditions. To him, the experience was invaluable, as those of different backgrounds came together to work, each bringing their wide range of experience and input.
Though it will be at least two more years before Tyler can serve as a full-time military chaplain in the Air Force, he is looking forward to serving God by assisting those who serve in the armed forces. Interested in serving as a military chaplain? Learn more.
Written November 2014