A retired lieutenant colonel of the United States Air Force, Father Thomas Maikowski served as a reserve Catholic chaplain. For 25 years, Father Thomas Maikowski provided religious guidance and counseling for fellow soldiers and earned numerous medals for his work.
With a history dating back to 1775 when the military chaplaincy was first established by Continental Congress, the United States Air Force Chaplain Corp officially began in 1949 under the leadership of Chaplain Charles Carpenter. The separate chaplaincy was a result of the National Security Act, which designated the Air Force as a separate branch of the military in 1947. The Chaplain Corp serves the purpose of helping service men and women exercise their right of religion as they fulfill their military duties.
Those interested in becoming an Air Force chaplain must have United States citizenship and possess an ecclesiastical endorsement. A bachelor’s degree and postbaccalaureate in theology or a related field are also necessary. Other stipulations of earning a position as an Air Force chaplain include meeting the commissioning requirements for height and weight standards and completing two years of religious leadership experience, with an exception made for those entering as a reserve chaplain or chaplain candidate.
With a history dating back to 1775 when the military chaplaincy was first established by Continental Congress, the United States Air Force Chaplain Corp officially began in 1949 under the leadership of Chaplain Charles Carpenter. The separate chaplaincy was a result of the National Security Act, which designated the Air Force as a separate branch of the military in 1947. The Chaplain Corp serves the purpose of helping service men and women exercise their right of religion as they fulfill their military duties.
Those interested in becoming an Air Force chaplain must have United States citizenship and possess an ecclesiastical endorsement. A bachelor’s degree and postbaccalaureate in theology or a related field are also necessary. Other stipulations of earning a position as an Air Force chaplain include meeting the commissioning requirements for height and weight standards and completing two years of religious leadership experience, with an exception made for those entering as a reserve chaplain or chaplain candidate.