Chaplains play a unique role in the American military — and in our conception of spirituality. Each one is endorsed for the role by the church or faith organization they belong to, but on the job, they minister to individuals from all manner of religious traditions, including atheists. Since the Department of Defense lets them work 100 percent confidentially, folks in the service trust them deeply, no matter their beliefs.
Chaplain Capt. Jenna Carson loves to preach — loves everything about it, from reading and meditating on scriptures to craft her message to the feeling she gets when she stands at the pulpit, heart fluttering briefly before she feels a little surge of power and starts to speak. But she likes counseling, too, and listening to those who come to her with questions, confessions, joys and sorrows.
A former missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (she served in Tampa, Florida), Carson is now the first female Latter-day Saint chaplain in the United States military. Her days at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, are very different from what she expected while majoring in English at BYU, hoping to become a teacher. An astute professor suggested she attend Harvard Divinity School, where she learned about chaplaincy and embraced a three-year Master of Divinity path.
Carson says she felt a call to serve that was decidedly strange. Her faith didn’t have female military chaplains at the time, and she’d never been drawn to the service. Still, she asked. Then she asked again, every few months. She became a hospital chaplain, then a federal prison chaplain. Along the way, she divorced. But in 2021, a call from church headquarters let her know that single men and women could be now endorsed as chaplains on a case-by-case basis. She was commissioned an officer and chaplain in the U.S. Air Force in July 2022.
Now, she devotes her days to helping men and women of all backgrounds in whatever way she can, whether that means listening, preaching or just showing love. “Often, when I’m counseling, I’m just praying to know what to say and what not to say. I want to allow them to make meaning and find what they need to receive support in their life — sometimes spiritual, sometimes more secular.”
Carson spoke to Deseret Magazine about her work with a mandatory disclaimer, required to obtain permission for this interview: Her views are her own and not those of the U.S. Department of Defense.
Deseret Magazine: What does a military chaplain do?
Jenna Carson: Besides counseling and preaching, we provide invocations at military ceremonies and advise leaders on moral, ethical and religious matters. We are officers and complete mandatory professional education during our careers. We also officiate weddings and funerals, although I have not yet had the chance. My days are mostly filled with counseling sessions and invocations at different events and ceremonies. I also teach a “Mindful Monday” class on the base each week, guiding participants through mindful movement and meditation.
DM: What’s it like to minister to those who don’t share your faith?
JC: I’m there to listen and speak with the most unbiased, nonjudgmental presence I can muster. Sometimes people have a strong religious belief and we talk about God. But when people have had bad experiences with religion, I might just lead them through a meditation to help them find calm and feel grounded. There are theological differences, but I love learning about all spiritual backgrounds. I think it’s a gift to be open-minded.
DM: Has that changed how you view your own spirituality?
JC: I have to walk a careful line. I need to remember that I am rooted in a religious tradition. I lean on a metaphor I developed in graduate school. I see myself as a tree. The roots keep growing deeper, like my relationship with Jesus. But the branches extend outward. I like to think these other religious traditions are feeding me and helping me to grow and expand my view.
“I’m there to listen and speak with the most unbiased, nonjudgmental presence I can muster. There are theological differences, but I love learning about all spiritual backgrounds. I think it’s a gift to be open-minded.”
DM: Why chaplaincy?
JC: It reminded me of my Latter-day Saint mission, but without proselytizing. I meet people where they are, with no agenda of my own, and hear their stories without trying to pull them in any direction. That felt like a sacred space because I love listening to people and supporting them. There was a time I thought about becoming a therapist, but I wanted to be able to talk about God. Chaplaincy is the best of both worlds. I’m not a mental health professional, but I do basic short-term counseling. And if people want it to be focused on a higher power, that’s just a special world. That drew me in. I had never considered joining the military until I felt that call.
DM: What is that like as a woman?
JC: There are not a lot of women in military chaplaincy. And I had a strong desire to serve women who have faced a lot of difficulties in the service. But there are also a lot of men who come to me. And I’ve been surprised at the openness of some of them to see me as a spiritual authority. As a chaplain. That’s something that I wasn’t quite expecting.
DM: Do chaplains have to go to boot camp: What was that like?
JC: Boot camp was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I went through officer training school. It was almost nine weeks. Trust me, I was counting every day. I put in a lot of work to get my body stronger beforehand, but it’s hard to prepare yourself for the heat in Alabama in August and September. But it was more challenging to me mentally. It was a whole new worldview that I had never experienced and I did not feel like I fit in. I was like, what did I sign up for?
DM: You stuck it out. What’s the hardest part of your job now?
JC: Life in the military requires a lot of mental resilience. I try to be structured and take care of myself. Hearing all the things people share can take a lot out of you emotionally but also physically. I process a lot by journaling and I also practice yoga, but sometimes I need to stop doing and just be and breathe and read and nap. Sometimes I cannot go out and be social. I need to conserve my energy and guard my personal time. I’m an introvert. I love people, but I replenish my energy alone.
DM: What have you learned about people?
JC: We’re all basically the same at a fundamental level; everyone just wants to be happy and safe and loved. When we hurt each other, it comes because we ourselves are hurt. I’ve worked in a prison with people who have had some hard life circumstances and found much of the same in the military. A lot of these amazing young people are here trying to create a better life. They might struggle, but I think God’s mercy is greater than anything I could imagine.
DM: Any last word?
JC: With God I feel so strong, I feel so empowered. I’m a lot more assertive than I used to be. The more broken I realize that I am and the more I need God, the easier it is for me to see that I’m just the same as everyone else. I’m not closer to God or truth because of my position. I’m just here to walk the path and support. And I need support like everyone else does.
This story appears in the June 2024 issue of Deseret Magazine. Learn more about how to subscribe.