The Covenant
Having accepted God's Call to minister to people who serve in the armed forces of our country. I covenant to serve God and these people with God’s help; to deepen my obedience to the commandments, to love the Lord our God with all my heart, soul, and mind and strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. In affirmation of this commitment, I will abide by the Code of Ethics for chaplains of the United States Armed Forces, and I will faithfully support its purposes and ideals. As further affirmation of my commitment, I covenant with my colleagues in ministry that we will hold one another accountable for fulfillment of all public actions set forth in our Code of Ethics.
The Code of Ethics
I will hold in trust the traditions and practices of my religious body.
I will carefully adhere to whatever direction may be conveyed to me by my endorsing body for maintenance of my endorsement.
I understand, as a chaplain in the United States Armed Forces, that I will function in a pluralistic environment with chaplains of other religious bodies to provide for ministry to all military personnel and their families entrusted to my care.
I will seek to provide for pastoral care and ministry to persons of religious bodies other than my own within my area of responsibility with the same investment of myself as I give to members of my own religious body. I will work collegially with chaplains of religious bodies other than my own as together we seek to provide as full a ministry as possible to our people. I will respect the beliefs and traditions of my colleagues and those to whom I minister. When conducting services of worships that include personas of other than my religious body, I will draw upon those beliefs, principles, and practices that we have in common.
I will, if not in a supervisory position, respect the practices and beliefs of each chaplain I supervise, and exercise care not to require of them any service or practice that would be in violation of the faith practices of their particular religious body.
I will seek to support all colleagues in ministry by building consecutive relationships wherever I serve, both with the staff where I work and with colleagues throughout the military environment.
I will maintain a disciplined ministry in such ways as keeping hours of prayers and devotion, endeavoring to maintain wholesome family relationships, and regularly engaging in educational and recreational activities for professional and personal development. I will seek to maintain good health habits.
I will recognize that my obligation is to provide for the free exercise of religion for all members of the military services, their families, and other authorized personal. When on active duty, I will only accept added responsibility in civilian ministry if it does not interfere with the overall effectiveness of my primary military ministry.
I will defend my colleagues against unfair discrimination on the basis of gender, race, religion, or national origin.
I will hold in confidence any privileged communication received by me during the conduct of my ministry. I will not disclose confidential communications in private or in public.
I will not proselytize from other religious bodies, but I retain the right to evangelize to those who are not affirmed.
I will show personal love for God in my life and ministry as I strive together with my colleagues to preserve the dignity, maintain the discipline, and promote the integrity of the profession to which we have been called.
I recognize the special power afforded to me by my ministerial office. I will never use that power in ways that violate the personhood of another human being, religiously, emotionally or sexually. I will use my pastoral office only for that which is best for the persons under my ministry.
The Reverend Dr. James R. “Jim” Carter serves as the Presbyterian & Reformed Commission on Chaplains and Military Personnel Executive Director and Ecclesiastical Endorser (PRCC). He also serves as the Chaplain Ministries Coordinator for the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) which oversees the Civilian and Armed Services Chaplaincy Ministry. The PRCC is made up of seven Reformed Presbyterian denominations. Dr. Carter returned to the PRCC Commission after serving in a local pastorate for six years following his retirement from many years of active service in the Army Chaplaincy reaching the rank of Colonel. He held a number of ministry leadership positions and was deployed twice to combat during his years of service.
Dr. Carter is a native of Monroeville, Alabama. After attending Belhaven College and Reformed Theological Seminary and receiving his ordination as a Presbyterian Minister (PCA), Jim entered the Army Chaplain Corps in 1988. He previously served in the Army Reserves as a Second Lieutenant Chaplain Candidate from 1986-1988. Chaplain Carter’s degrees include a Bachelors of Art from Belhaven College, Jackson, Mississippi; a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi and a Doctor of Ministry from Erskine Theological Seminary, Due West, South Carolina. Chaplain Carter’s military education includes the U.S. Army Chaplain Basic Course and Advanced Courses, Combined Arms Service Staff School (CAS3), the Command and General Staff College, and the Chaplain Lieutenant Colonel Course.
His previous military assignments included: 24th Infantry Division, 3rd Engineer Battalion (Combat), Fort Stewart, Georgia; 2-7 Infantry Battalion, Fort Stewart, Georgia with a combat tour in Saudi Arabia-Iraq (Operation Desert Shield and Storm); 59th Ordnance Brigade, Sogel, Germany; 409th Base Support Battalion, Grafenwoehr, Germany; 4-5 Field Artillery Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas and 4-1 Field Artillery Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas, and 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Riley, Kansas; Area III Installation Chaplain, Camp Humphrey’s, Korea; Brigade Combat Training Religious Support Observer Controller (BCTP), Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; 3rd Regiment and Senior Pastor of the West Point Cadet Chapel, United States Corps of Cadets, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York; Deputy Installation Chaplain and Chief of Religious Support Operations, Fort Bliss, Texas; 4th Infantry Division Chaplain, Fort Hood, Texas and Multi-National Division Baghdad Command Chaplain, (MND-B) Baghdad, Iraq (Operational Iraqi Freedom (OIF 07-09); Senior Pastor of the Protestant Congregation and Deputy Installation Chaplain, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Carter’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with two Stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon.
Dr. Carter is married to the former Terri Ganey of Mullins, South Carolina. They have two children (Sarah) married to Michael O’Brien and son Chaplain (CPT) David Carter is married to Emily Wenrick Carter and grandsons James Haddon Carter and Reggie Taylor Carter. He enjoys sports, tennis, traveling, reading and serving his local community. Jim and Terri live in Mullins, South Carolina.
"It is a hardship upon the Regiment I think, to be denied a Chaplain."
SOURCE: George Washington to Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia, 4/29/1757, The Writings of George Washington, 2:33
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