My Journey into Army Chaplaincy - Padre Trevor Homfray-Cooper

My chaplaincy journey started soon after I began serving as a church pastor, when the new Asda store in the town needed a voluntary chaplain. A few years later, I got involved in part time hospital chaplaincy, alongside my church work. I continued my part time involvement with hospital chaplaincy even after moving to another church, and it was this chaplaincy involvement which led to me receiving an email early in 2018 which had at the top an advert for Army Chaplains.

I thought that this sounded interesting, never having considered it before. I had always enjoyed the
outdoors, as well as keeping relatively fit, and so thought this could be a possibility. I talked it through with my wife,
then my children, prayed lots, and spoke to several military chaplains that I knew, before feeling that this was the
right path to take, so put in my application.

For me, the process for entry took about a year from application to starting, with medical and security checks to be
cleared before any further assessments can take place. Effectively, I was applying to both the United Board (UB) as
well as the British Army, and had to pass the assessment from the UB (a series of group and individual interviews to
assess my calling and suitability for ministry in the military) before going onto the Army Officer Selection Board
(AOSB). 

This was several days of physical and mental assessments, as well as judging presentation and problem-
solving skills. I was quickly notified that I had passed and within days was being offered a commission with the Royal
Army Chaplains’ Department (RAChD).

Having served as an Assemblies of God pastor for fourteen years, in two churches, I was now joining the British Army
at the age of 47!

First up was initial transition training at the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre (AFCC), which lasted three weeks. One
of the initial activities was to swear allegiance to the Queen, as this is when my military service started. This is
different to other officers, who count their service from their commissioning at the end of Sandhurst.

Other training included classroom-based learning about operating in the military, organisation of the army and the RAChD, and plenty more. There were also practical aspects, from sorting out uniform to learning to salute, and, also as a non-conformist, sorting out the appropriate clerical clothing.

After the course finished, we also took part in a chaplains’ battlefield study tour (learning about historical conflict).

After finishing at the AFCC, we moved house and reported for duty at my first unit; 1 Signal Regiment at Stafford.

Current practice is to go straight from transition training at AFCC to Sandhurst, without a gap, but I spent five
months at unit before Sandhurst, which helped me learn a few more military skills and develop my fitness in
preparation.

I was made very welcome to the unit and it was good that both my wife and I made friends there. I have
since found that chaplains are generally made very welcome in every unit, and are held to be a valued part of the
care and spiritual provision for soldiers, officers and their families.

Late September, I started the nine week Commissioning Course (Short) (CCS) at Sandhurst, along with about hundred or so others, which included doctors, nurses, physios, lawyers, gap year commissions, reserve officers and three other chaplains (one of whom was reserve and so only did the first two weeks). It was a challenging couple of
months, but I really enjoyed it! There were very tough parts, such as when exhausted, soaking wet and having to
walk with all your kit after being “attacked” in the middle of the night, and so moving to a new safe area. But there
was plenty of fun, as well as great opportunities to minister as chaplain to fellow officer cadets.

As chaplains we do not carry weapons or ammunition, so it was strange taking part in the practice attacks or even being on guard duty (stag) during the night without having a weapon, but it gave great opportunities for discussions and relationship building. The whole Sandhurst experience is a valuable one as it gives an insight into the training that the soldiers and officers go through, as well as the opportunity for practicing humility and service.

Back at unit, it was full speed into the Christmas preparations and activities. As a church minister, you get used to
Christmas being a very busy period with everything going on, but in the military, the unit generally finishes a week or
so before Christmas, so generally, the actual Christmas week is much quieter.

In the New Year, I had the opportunity to go skiing for the first ever time, as an Adventurous Training (AT) activity
with my unit. I was amazed at how quickly we moved from the nursery slopes at the beginning of the week, to
competently going down a red run by the end of the week. I have subsequently been on two further ski trips, as well
as a mountain biking course, and some multi-activity AT excursions over the last six years.

Deploying on exercises and operations is very much unit dependant, and I have been deployed on Op CABRIT to
Estonia for six months, as well as on numerous exercises on Salisbury Plain, as well as other training areas in the UK, plus a five-week multi-national exercise in North Macedonia. I also deployed to Dubai as part of supporting the
soldiers who were involved in the evacuation of Afghanistan in Op PITTING.

The role of army chaplain is defined as providing spiritual support, pastoral care and moral guidance, and these can
be exercised in a variety of ways; interactions around the base or whilst on deployment, over a hot drink or meal in
the field, doing a service in a variety of locations, one-to-one meetings in an office, in a classroom, whilst doing
physical training (PT) or a myriad of different settings. It is never boring or predictable!

I am currently serving in my fourth chaplaincy position (we move units approximately every two years), and still
loving my role as Army Chaplain. Although there is the need to operate within the structures of the British Army, as
well as part of the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department, I have found there is also a freedom to minister in accordance
with my sending church expectations, and as chaplains, we are trusted to operate as we feel appropriate. I still find it
amazing that I am an Assemblies of God minister who has the great privilege of working in and for the British Army.