Canadian Chaplain Starts Kandahar Tour the Hard Way

This piece, courtesy of my brother the Mad Colonel, appeared recently in the Halifax Chronicle-Herald and was picked up on the DND news feed. The story makes the essential point that once chaplains are seen by the troops, then their services will be utilized.

Tough start to female chaplain’s tour
Belanger presided over ramp ceremonies for two soldiers, both women, in two weeks
By PATRICE BERGERON The Canadian Press
Tue. Apr 28 - 5:55 AM
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Afghanistan has never been a very hospitable place where women were concerned, but the start of Maj. Martine Belanger’s tour of duty has been even more difficult than most.

The Catholic lay chaplain has become a familiar face at Kandahar Airfield after she presided recently over ramp ceremonies for Canada’s two latest fallen soldiers, both of them women.

Read the whole story here.