The United States Army Reserve Chaplaincy in the Army after Next

Abstract : The United States Army is reshaping the force for the twenty-first century. An ongoing endeavor which looks into that near distant future is the Army After Next (AAN) project. The focus of the project is on issues of interest to the Army looking out thirty years. The AAN focuses in four areas: (1) probable geopolitical realities, (2) evolving military art and science, (3) human and organizational behavior issues, and (4) technology. The United States Army Reserve's (USAR) chaplains will be key advisors for commanders and soldiers' spiritual leaders in this new environment. This paper explores the implications of the AAN on the mission, composition and training of United States Army Reserve (USAR) chaplains with particular emphasis on the USAR chaplain's dual citizen role. The thesis is that training is the most important element in designing future ministry for the USAR chaplain.