Chaplains and the Bearing of Arms
By regulation, U.S. Army chaplains are noncombatants and do not bear arms. From time to time, this becomes a matter of discussion among chaplains. It's not an issue for me. My denomination insists on me not using weapons in my capacity as a chaplain. I doubt that my church would endorse chaplains if it were otherwise. The Geneva Conventions, however, do not strictly prohibit noncombatants from carrying self-defense weapons. Medical personnel are also noncombatants and carry weapons to defend the helpless and the injured in their care. In my work I occasionally meet chaplains from other countries where bearing arms is the norm. I think the current policy is the right one, though, and here's why. <!--more-->During my first combat deployment, many troops were surprised to find that I was not carrying a weapon. They were surprised, not shocked or offended or angered that I wasn't armed. When they asked, "Hey, chaplain, where's your weapon," their question...