A Needs Assessment of Congregation and Clergy Roles in Serving Military Families

Abstract: In this study of 45 clergy in a military town, the role congregationshave, if any, in providing pastoral care to military congregants andtheir family members was examined, along with the professionaldevelopment needs of clergy who serve military families and theroles social workers who specialize in military social work can playin meeting those needs. Although 93.3% of respondents said theyprovide pastoral counseling to military families, only 35.6% saidtheir church has a military ministry. The number one topic (80.5%)out of 16 that military families wanted to discuss during pastoralcounseling was marital discord.