Chaplain (Col.) John B. Murdoch
In the Fall of 2019 Chaplain Charlie Sattgast stepped down from being the Chief of Chaplains for Civil Air Patrol for a variety of personal reasons. I was serving as the Deputy Chief of Chaplains and was interviewed by General Smith for the position of Chief of Chaplains. I was selected and became the 20th Chief of Chaplains for CAP. My experience as the 12th Chief of Chaplains and that of serving as an Endorsing Representative for our Fellowship of Churches was very helpful as I embarked on this my second tour as the Chief. I was also aided by the effective and excellent groundwork laid by Chaplain Sattgast.
One of the first things I needed to do was evaluate and select my team. I kept the leadership team Ch Sattgast had in place, but moved Ch Pugsley to my Deputy Chief position and added Ch Hughes to take her vacated position. I had been given the assignment of getting the writing projects Ch Sattgast had started over the finish line. Having been part of the original team, I knew the importance of these projects, but also knew I needed to cast a vision for the rest of the program and minister to all of the Chaplain Corps. Recognizing the ideas I had and the amount of work the position brought with it, I knew I would need assistance keeping everything moving and on track. Therefore, I created a new position for the Chaplain Corps leadership team, that of the Executive Officer. The Executive Officer was to assist the Chief in keeping everything on time and moving forward. I asked Ch Miner to be my Executive Officer. This position was added to CAPR 80-1. The two major writing assignments that I was responsible for were the conclusion of CAPR 80-1 and CAPP 40-80, both of which were completed by the end of my tour along with several other projects. This could not have been accomplished without the effort of my leadership team and their faithful and diligent work.
I was also able to benefit from the positive relationship Ch Sattgast had developed with the United States Air Force Chief of Chaplains Office. He was very much respected and that made our transfer of leadership much easier, and we moved ahead without missing a beat. That smooth transition was also the result of Ch, Maj Gen Steven A. Schaick, the USAF Chief of Chaplains, and his team in the Air Force Chief of Chaplains Office.
Over the years of my CAP Chaplain career, I had heard that CAP Chaplains were able to fill in for the USAF Chaplains when they were deployed if needed. When CAP was made a total force partner with the Air Force, that concept became much more real. As I reflected on this partnership, I realized that there needed to be a connection with the Air Force that would validate that concept. Yes, we were the Air Force Auxiliary, and we are a total force partner. So, how can the CAP Chaplain Corps partner with the USAF Chaplain Corps? As I talked about this with my leadership team, different aspects of this started to come into focus. Chaplain Miner and I began discussions and as we talked some foundational concepts began to form. Ch Tillery was brought into the discussions as we recognized the need for basic military education that would coincide with our Volunteer University education and academically align us with the Air Force Chaplain Corps. We needed both aspects of training. Ch Tillery had retired from the Air Force Chaplain Corps and taught in the Air Force Chaplain College, thus giving him the credentials needed to bridge both academic disciplines. Chaplain Miner and Chaplain Tillery ran with the concept and the Auxiliary Chaplain Corps College was established in 2020 with Chaplain Tillery being the Dean.
One of the first classes taught in the ACCC was a result of our Memo of Understanding with the Veterans Affairs Chaplaincy. The VA needed chaplains to help with funerals for our veterans. The Military Honors Course was developed using CAP Chaplains who had served in the military as the faculty. Those chaplains who graduated were then qualified to conduct VA funerals, and the VA was given a list of the graduates. This ministry is continuing today.
As the team was developing other courses and ideas, I had the opportunity of briefing Ch, Maj Gen Steven A. Schaick on the CAP Chaplaincy. I shared the vision of our Auxiliary Chaplain Corps College and that one of the goals of the college was to solidify the relationship between our Corps and to show the Air Force our chaplains were qualified to help fulfill needs the Active component may have. Chaplain Schaick approved our interaction with the Commandant of the Air Force Chaplain College, and we met with the Commandant and his team. As we discussed the idea of CAP Chaplains training to the same scale as the Air Force Chaplains, we realized it was possible, since the Air Force Chaplain Basic Course was in digital format and easily accessible. Ch Schaick approved our use of the Basic Course and today we are training with these materials. This aspect of the Auxiliary Chaplain Corps College has truly laid the foundation to allow access to helping our Active Duty Chaplains for all who have graduated from the college and meet the other Active Duty requirements.
Chaplains Miner and Tillery along with the faculty have developed more ideas and academic opportunities that coincide with the new and expanding ministries CAP Chaplains are able to become involved in. No one is required to participate, and our CAP Chaplaincy responsibilities are primary, but all who wish to develop other ministries within our CAP Chaplaincy are welcome.
Not only are CAP Chaplains able to develop new ministry opportunities, but the ACCC team has also developed the Center for Religion, Ethics, and Excellence in Leadership. CREEL is a part of the Auxiliary Chaplain Corps College and is a think tank and curriculum development component, allowing chaplains to do further education in ethics, leadership, and religion.
My tour of duty as your Chief has ended and Chaplain Pugsley is now the Chief. She has developed a strong relationship with the USAF Chief of Chaplains Office and continues the dialogue and team relationship. Our total force relationship has been solidified, and at this year’s Chaplain Corps College for both CAP and the Air Force both Chaplain Kitchens, the Chief of Chaplains for the Air Force, and Chaplain Pugsley, the Chief of Chaplains for CAP, participated. A vision and teamwork have truly equaled success.
During my tenure as your chief, I shared three E’s of service. Excellence, Expedience, and Example. We are examples of our Faith Traditions. The Preacher reminds us in Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with might. . . ” Excellence is one of the CAP Corps Values and should permeate all we do! The Auxiliary Chaplain Corps College has been established to help all of us develop our skills, become excellent in all we do, and do it mightily.