I was sworn in as a chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces in April of 2012. It has been one of the most rewarding areas of my life.
One of the things I appreciate about the CAF in general and the Chaplain Branch in particular is that there is an emphasis on training, especially for our specific trades.
For myself, that included Basic Military Officer Qualification (BMOQ), which was twelve years ago this month, Basic Occupational Qualification (BOQ), and then three more courses that would bring me to the Operational Function Point (OFP).
For various reasons, I was delayed in getting my final three courses. The push came when the Chaplain School completely overhauled the training and the courses I needed were being offered for the last time.
A couple of weeks ago, I completed my final course to be a fully trained chaplain, even though I have been doing the work since 2012. It feels very good to get to this point.
I am thankful for my chaplain colleagues that I have been able to spend time with and to learn from. But even more, I am thankful for Amanda who had to take on a lot of responsibilities every time I have had to go away on course. I do not take this lightly.
