Ministering to the Military in Our Midst

  “The Lord will settle international disputes.
The nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
All wars will stop, and military training will end.
Thank God, who gives us victory over death through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

 Isaiah 2:4; 1 Corinthians 15:57 NLT

     When death comes calling

     Life's most unwelcome guest knocks on the door of military members, as it does all humans.  Despite the hazardous duties performed by people in uniform, death still shocks and separates and saddens.  Bereavement and grief break the hearts of spouses, children, parents and friends of the person killed in combat.  Should you, as a pastor, be asked to help with a funeral of a service member, this chapter can give you some guidance on what to expect, and how to minister effectively.

                                             How Casualty Notifications used to happen:

• Telegram
• Cable
• Telephone call

In the early days of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, many will remember news stories of families who received official-sounding telephone calls claiming to be from the Red Cross or the military, informing them that their loved ones had been killed.  Those notifications were hoaxes, but the emotional toll on families was incalculable. THIS NO LONGER HAPPENS!

                                                  How casualty notifications happen today:

  Primarily done in person by a Military Team

• Officer
• Chaplain
• Medical personnel
• Pastor (if known)

                                                              Serious Injury Notifications
   

     There will be a contact person with the Family Assistance Center who can provide assistance with how to communicate with the injured service member, travel to visit him/her, etc.  The Family Assistance Center should have been identified to the family member prior to deployment, but if not, they can make contact through the military member’s unit.

     Preference is given to the notification being made in person, but sometimes it will be made via telephone from a headquarters of the military branch, the military member’s unit, or sometimes, if communication allows, and if able, by the military member.

                                       Types of Military Services in Casualty Situations

• Memorial Ceremony: This is patriotic in nature and command-oriented. It is a military function, conducted by the military to honor and memorialize the fallen military member. It may or may not be conducted in a military chapel.  It may be performed both in theater for the deployed unit, and at home for family and friends.
• Memorial Service:  This is a religious service, and stresses spiritual comfort. Like a funeral service,  the rites of the chaplain’s denomination guide the service. The chaplain normally plans the service with the assistance of the fallen military member’s chain of command.  The chaplain has greater discretion in this service than in the Memorial Ceremony.  It may be performed both in theater for the deployed unit, and at home for family and friends.
• Military Funeral:  The military funeral has distinct elements: 1) military ceremony 2) religious service.  The military ceremony recognizes the service and sacrifice of the military member to the nation and strengthens the spirit of the military members present. It is serious and dignified. The military funeral combines military ceremony with the resources of worship to meet the needs of the mourners. As a religious rite, it extends spiritual ministry to family members, friends, and fellow military members. Services in the chapel or church and the graveside form the worship portions of the funeral.  The elements of the military funeral are coordinated through a funeral home with the family, church, military unit, and any needed military establishments.

                                                           The Role of the Local Pastor

• The military chaplain or funeral home should ask the next-of-kin if there is a pastor they would like them to ask to help with counseling or the funeral service. 
• The family’s wishes will determine the degree of military involvement and honors at the service.
• The family may choose to use the chaplain or their local pastor for the funeral, or both.
• The local pastor will aid in all regular manners in the funeral.
• The local pastor will be instrumental in the follow up of spiritual and emotional care of the family,  as with any other family going through a loss.

                        What the Military Service Member is entitled to in the event of death:

• Military chaplain (if available)
  Coordinated through a funeral home and military unit
• Casket
  Coordinated through a funeral home
• Honor Guard
  Coordinated through a funeral home and with a military establishment
• Due to demand, a bugler may not be available; in that case, a tape/CD reproduction may be substituted.  If you want a bugler to play taps, a local high school or college may be able to help.
• Burial Flag
  Coordinated through a funeral home
• Burial in a Veteran’s Cemetery
  Coordinated through a funeral home and with the Veteran’s Cemetery
• Grave marker 
  Coordinated through a funeral home

                               How to get Emergency Information from Home to the Field

• American Red Cross—Contact the local office of the American Red Cross in your community.
  If there is not a local office, call 1-800-RED-CROSS.    
  Make notes of all correspondence through the Red Cross.
  Be sure to record the tracking number assigned to the message.
• Use military member’s chain of command at the home unit, if there is a rear detachment element.