Rev Alice McDermott - British Chaplain in USA

I’m writing this after a unusually quiet week working mainly from our home in southern California. The two previous weeks have seen me travel across the US to Washington DC, to a gathering of exchange officers from around the US followed by me leading a week-long spiritual resilience walk in Northern California.  My name is Alice McDermott, and I’m currently serving overseas as an Royal Air Force (RAF) Chaplain in the regulars; I am accompanied by my husband Colin who is an RAF veteran of 30 years service.

It’s back on the road again tomorrow, as I head to the airport.  This time I will fly to London to begin the first stage of the handover of my role as British Forces Chaplain (USA) and also attend the RAF Church of Scotland & Free Church conference.  

This has been the most amazing tour of my many years in the RAF, but as always, these things come to pass.  In the New Year, Colin and I will relocated back to the UK and move into the next phase of life as I retire from regular service.  But, the story won’t end there as I plan to continue to serve as a reservist; allowing me to spend more time with my husband and aging mother.  

Just as the story does not end here, it doesn’t start here either! 

My journey started many years ago, probably earlier than this… but I would define the turning point in my story to be when I was flying on OPERATION HERRICK.  I had joined the Women’s Royal Air Force in 1988 on a cadetship and was serving as an RAF pilot; I was one of the first cadre of female pilots.  Just after 9/11, I found myself in the Captain’s seat of my C130 Hercules flying into Afghanistan for the first time, and as I crossed the border that first night, my loadmaster came onto the intercom and in the quiet of the night asked if what we were doing was safe.  Of course I answered “yes, we’re trained for this” but inside I was not so sure.  So having grown up in Church, but having wandered away on my journey into the military and aviation, I reached out to God in prayer that night.  My prayer was simple - get us home from this safely, and I’ll give Church another chance.  After numerous nights flying in and out of Afghanistan, the detachment was over, I returned home and those prayers that I’d sent up every night were quickly forgotten.  I got on with life, everything was fine, and we headed up to Scotland where I spent a tour instructing elementary flying training.  

Three years later, we returned south as I headed back to fly on the front line on the newer Hercules… but just as I was about to start training on the aircraft, I found a lump.  In a matter of weeks, after expedited appointments at the hospital, a fluid filled cyst was found in my breast and the scare was over.  However, it had allowed my sister-in-law to ask me about where my faith had gone, and I later found out she had a whole prayer chain lifting me before God through the scare.  Conscious that others do not have such good news results, I personally experienced huge relief and in that moment remembered my promise years earlier from the seat of my aircraft on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Within days, I announced to my husband that I was going to go to church.  Together, we went to Newbury Baptist Church and I was caught in a whirlwind as I looked at my childhood faith through the eyes of the experiences I had lived through.  I quickly rediscovered God’s Grace and Mercy and returned my life to Christ having taken off on my own path so many years earlier.  This culminated with my baptism at age 36 and it was in the water that I heard my call to ministry.  Five years later, I gave in and tested that call, left the RAF, studied at the Scottish Baptist College and afterwards was ordained as the Pastor of Saint James Road Baptist Church, Watford.  Fast-forward another two years, and after a little bit of banter with some chaplains I knew, I found myself with an irresistible itch to scratch.  

I joined the Reserves in 2016, spending four years in a part-time role whilst at Watford before joining the regulars for six years.  Next summer, will be the end of six years.  The opportunities I’ve had to follow God‘s call have been incredible and the privilege of ministering in a environment I know so well has brought much fulfilment.

The past three years serving in the USA have been an amazing adventure for both me and my husband.  I was asked to establish this new role, and so with what I knew of the USA from my time flying Hercules around the world and the adventures I’ve had with my husband on many holidays here over the years, we moved here in Autumn 2022 and I started to establish the first in-country based military chaplaincy and leave the foundations in place for my successor. My remit was to put in place a Chaplaincy reaching out to all service personnel and their families serving here.  There’s no such thing as a typical week as I balance flying across the states to visit people in their various places and contexts, to engage one-to-one and in groups, to connect and make sure chaplaincy is known.  I also have a squadron of around 80 located just over an hour from where I live in Santa Clarita on the north side of Los Angeles.  I have visited 23 states (3 on vacation and the rest with my role), 11 US Bases, 2 Defence Corporations, the Pentagon and the British Embassy during my time here.  I have wept with those who have wept, and rejoiced with those who have rejoiced.  And I’ve had the privilege of being at many different events, from speaking at the local Veterans’ Day through to offering prayers and bringing a British Military presence to the funeral of a 99 year old WAAF veteran who came to the US with her son as a war bride after WWII.  

If you think this could be where God is calling you next, please scratch that itch and make contact!