Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force

Last updated

Chief of Chaplains of the
United States Air Force
AF Chaplain Corps Seal.png
Flag of a United States Air Force major general.svg
Flag of an Air Force major general
Ch, Maj Gen Kitchens.jpg
Incumbent
Major General Randall E. Kitchens
since October 2021
Formation11 June 1948
First holder Maj Gen Charles I. Carpenter
DeputyDeputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force
Website https://www.airforce.com/careers/specialty-careers/chaplain

The Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force (HAF/HC) is the senior chaplain in the United States Air Force, the functional leader of the United States Air Force Chaplain Corps, and the senior advisor on religious issues to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force.

Contents

The position has been held by Major General Randall E. Kitchens since October 2021. [1]

List of Chiefs of Chaplains of the United States Air Force

No.PortraitNameTook officeLeft officeTerm length
1 CharlesCarpenter.jpg Maj Gen Charles I. Carpenter 11 June 194814 August 195810 years, 64 days
2 TPFinnegan2.jpg Maj Gen Terence P. Finnegan 15 August 19581 July 19623 years, 320 days
3 RobertTaylor.jpg Maj Gen Robert P. Taylor 1 September 196231 July 19663 years, 333 days
4 Chess edwin r.jpg Maj Gen Edwin R. Chess 1 August 19661 August 19704 years, 0 days
5 RoyTerry.jpg Maj Gen Roy M. Terry 10 August 19701 August 19743 years, 356 days
6 HenryMeade.JPG Maj Gen Henry J. Meade 2 August 19741 August 19783 years, 364 days
7 Maj Gen Richard Carr.jpg Maj Gen Richard Carr 1 November 197831 July 19823 years, 272 days
9 JohnCollins.jpg Maj Gen John A. Collins 1 August 19821 November 19853 years, 92 days
8 StuartEBarstad.jpg Maj Gen Stuart E. Barstad 2 November 19851 November 19882 years, 365 days
10 JohnMcDonough.jpg Maj Gen John P. McDonough 1 December 19881 December 19913 years, 0 days
11 DonaldHarlin.jpg Maj Gen Donald J. Harlin 2 December 19911 August 19953 years, 242 days
12 ArthurThomas.jpg Maj Gen Arthur S. Thomas 1 August 19951 August 19972 years, 0 days
13 WilliamDendinger.jpg Maj Gen William J. Dendinger 1 June 19971 May 20013 years, 334 days
14 LorrainePotter.jpg Maj Gen Lorraine K. Potter 24 May 20011 June 20043 years, 8 days
15 CharlesBaldwin.jpg Maj Gen Charles C. Baldwin 2 June 200427 May 20083 years, 360 days
16 Chaplains- Air Force.JPG Maj Gen Cecil R. Richardson 28 May 20081 June 20124 years, 4 days
17 MGen Stendahl Official Photo.jpg Maj Gen Howard D. Stendahl 31 August 201229 August 20152 years, 363 days
18 Costin 2018.jpg Maj Gen Dondi E. Costin 30 August 201520 August 20182 years, 355 days
19 Steven A. Schaick (3).jpg Maj Gen Steven A. Schaick 21 August 20182 July 20212 years, 315 days
20 Ch, Maj Gen Kitchens.jpg Maj Gen Randall E. KitchensOctober 2021present~2 years, 139 days

See also

Related Research Articles

A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.

Commander is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flags of the United States Armed Forces</span> Banners which represent branches of US military forces

The several branches of the United States Armed Forces are represented by flags. Within the U.S. military, various flags fly on various occasions, and on various ships, bases, camps, and military academies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badges of the United States Air Force</span> Military badges of the U.S. Air Force

Badges of the United States Air Force are specific uniform insignia authorized by the United States Air Force that signify aeronautical ratings, special skills, career field qualifications, and serve as identification devices for personnel occupying certain assignments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Staff (United States)</span> US Air Force headquarters staff

The Air Staff is one of the Department of the Air Force's two statutorily designated headquarters staffs: the other staff is the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, also known as the Secretariat. The Air Staff is headed by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General David Allvin. The Air Staff is primarily composed of uniformed United States Air Force officials who assist the Chief of Staff in carrying out his dual-hatted role: as the principal military advisor to the Secretary of the Air Force, and as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaplain Corps (United States Army)</span> U.S. Armys branch for religious services of multiple faiths

The United States Army Chaplain Corps (USACC) consists of ordained clergy of multiple faiths who are commissioned Army officers serving as military chaplains as well as enlisted soldiers who serve as assistants. Their purpose is to offer religious church services, counseling, and moral support to the armed forces, whether in peacetime or at war.

In the United States Armed Forces, a major general is a two-star general officer in the United States Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Air Force Chaplain Corps</span>

The Chaplain Corps of the United States Air Force (USAF) is composed of both clergy—commissioned officers who have been endorsed and ordained by a religious organization—and enlisted Religious Affairs. As military chaplains, their main purpose is to support the free exercise of religion by members of the military service, their dependents, and other authorized personnel. They also provide advice on spiritual, ethical, moral, and religious-accommodation issues to the leadership of the United States Department of Defense.

In the United States armed forces, the Chiefs of Chaplains of the United States are the senior service chaplains who lead and represent the Chaplain Corps of the United States Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Navy created the first Office of the Chief of Chaplains in 1917; the Army followed in 1920, and the Air Force established its own in 1948 after it became a separate branch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cecil R. Richardson</span> United States general

Chaplain Cecil Roland Richardson, USAF, retired as the 16th Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force, effective June 1, 2012, with an official retirement ceremony on May 30, 2012. He was appointed to that assignment on May 28, 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps</span> Position in the US Navy

The Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps (CHMC) is a position always filled by the officers serving as Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy as a "dual hatted" billet since 2000. The CHMC oversees religious ministry in the Marine Corps which one Commandant of the Marine Corps defined as "a vital function which enhances the personal, family, and community readiness of our Marines, sailors, and their families. Chaplaincy supports the foundational principle of free exercise of religion and helps to enrich the spiritual, moral and ethical fabric of the military."

Chief of Chaplains may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howard D. Stendahl</span> United States Air Force general

Howard Douglas Stendahl is the Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force, promoted to Major General with an effective date of August 2, 2012. He was officially promoted and installed as the Air Force Chief of Chaplains at a ceremony held at Bolling Air Force Base on August 31, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armed Forces Chaplains Board</span>

The Armed Forces Chaplains Board (AFCB) is an organizational entity within the United States Department of Defense established to advise the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness on religious, ethical, and moral matters, in addition to a number of policy issues affecting religious ministry and the support of the free exercise of religion within the military services. It is made up of the three Chiefs of Chaplains and three active-duty Deputy Chiefs of Chaplains of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force</span>

The Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force is the second senior-most chaplain in the United States Air Force Chaplain Corps, holding the rank of brigadier general, and acting as principal deputy to the Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby V. Page</span> United States Air Force general

Bobby Vincent Page is a retired Brigadier General in the United States Air Force who served as the Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force from 2012 to 2016. In that position he served as the second most senior chaplain in the United States Air Force, the Deputy to the Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force, and a member of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hiram "Doc" Jones</span> American minister and military chaplain (born 1937)

Hiram Lee "Doc" Jones is an American United Methodist leader and retired US Air Force chaplain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dondi E. Costin</span> American pastor, U.S. Air Force major general, and university president

Dondi Enos Costin is a former major general in the United States Air Force. He has led the United States Air Force Chaplain Corps and served as Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force since August 30, 2015. He retired effective September 1, 2018, and served as president of Charleston Southern University until June 30, 2023. On March 31, 2023, he was named president of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven A. Schaick</span> United States Air Force general

Steven Alan Schaick is a retired major general in the United States Air Force, and an ordained Presbyterian minister, who last served as the 19th Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force. He previously served as the 25th Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force, Headquarters U. S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. As the deputy chief of chaplains, he was a member of the special staff of the Chief of Staff, Schaick assists the Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force in establishing guidance on all matters pertaining to the religious and moral welfare of Air Force personnel and their dependents and directing and maintaining a trained, equipped and professional Chaplain Corps of more than 2,200 chaplains and chaplain assistants from the active and Air Reserve components. As a member of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board, he and other members advise the Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff on religious, ethical and quality-of-life concerns.

References

  1. "General Officer Announcement". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 23 February 2022.