NAV EX 3rd QTR. 2017 NavEx 3rd Qtr 2017 - FINAL Draft | Page 19

The Power of Prayer
USCG Photo
Doug Kroll, USCG Aux
Rev. Dr. Doug Kroll, left, Auxiliarist from District 13, officiates at the Change of Command ceremony for the USCGC Healy.
Story by Doug Kroll
Navy chaplains are assigned to the Coast Guard (referred to as Coast Guard Chaplains during the assignment)
to provide Religious Ministry to Coast Guard members. Due to the limited number of Coast Guard Chaplains,
they may be prevented or delayed in the timely response to Religious Ministry requirements.
The Coast Guard recognizing that the CG Auxiliary is composed of many skilled volunteers, some of whom
have clergy credentials, called on these qualified Auxiliarists to fill this need by establishing the Auxiliary
Clergy Support Program. Officially authorized by COMDTINST 1730.5 in late October of 2016 and it was
announced the following month by ALCOAST 398.
Auxiliarists with clergy credentials must meet many of the same qualifications as members of the Navy
Chaplain Corps, which are described in COMDTINST 1730.5. There is a significant vetting process. The
Chaplain of the Coast Guard, at Coast Guard Headquarters, administers this program and its associated
qualification and training requirements.
The Clergy Support Program does not replace Coast Guard Chaplains, but supplements and supports their
mission. Clergy Support Auxiliarists serve under the direct supervision of their designated Coast Guard
Chaplain and must coordinate and report all Religious Ministry support to that Coast Guard Chaplain.
This past May (2017) the first six Auxiliary Clergy Support volunteers were approved. The following month
one of those six was called upon to fulfill a need. The CGC HEALY (WAGB-20) the largest ship in the
Coast Guard fleet had a change of command scheduled for 22 June and the PACAREA Chaplain, the D13
Chaplain and the Sector Columbia River Chaplain all had previous commitments for other ceremonies and
were unavailable. They called Auxiliary Clergy Support Volunteer, The Rev. Dr. Doug Kroll (Flotilla 130-06-
06), to see if he could provide the prayers at the change of command ceremony. He agreed. The ceremony,
which included VADM Fred Midgette, Commander, Pacific Area, and had RADM Throop, Thirteen District
Commander, in attendance, had an Auxiliarist providing the Invocation and Benediction Prayers. It was a
first and provided a very public example of the purpose and value of the Aux. Clergy Support Program. If you
are an Auxiliarist who holds clergy credentials and want to support Religious Ministry programs in the Coast
Guard supervised by Coast Guard Chaplains you can obtain more information reading COMDINST 1730.5 and
by contacting: DVC-HH Kroll.
OR express
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