A Descriptive, Comparative Study of Preexisting Leadership Qualities and Leadership Effectiveness of Theologically Conservative United States Army Battalion-Level Chaplains

This immediate demand for spiritual and professional leadership can be overwhelming for a new battalion-level chaplain (Blackaby 2001; Howell 2003). They perform or provide religious service for Soldiers who have volunteered to serve their country. By going through the same military training in conjunction with their religious education and experience, chaplains are able to integrate with Soldiers where traditional clergy cannot. There is additional pressure to perform because chaplains, as commissioned officers, are evaluated immediately through an annual Officer Evaluation Report (OER hereafter, DA Form 67-9). With no time to acquire new skills, battalion-level chaplains are forced to rely on their existing leadership qualities to lead the battalion spiritually and advise their commander (AR 165-1, 3-2). This study describes the relationship between preexisting leadership qualities and the level of leadership effectiveness of battalion-level chaplains.