Hugh's News & Commentary

One of the joys and benefits of being the director of Chaplains Ministries, IPHC is that I am required to visit our active duty chaplains once every two years when feasible. That requirement and responsibility is especially meaningful when you can fly nonstop to Honolulu, Hawaii. I was privileged to take Melvine with me. She ministers to the wives of our chaplains and their children. Our trip was to visit with Lieutenant Commander Timothy R. Moore, Chaplain, United States Navy, his wife, Pam, and two of the children, Emily and Joseph, who are at their lovely home at Pearl Harbor (brand new housing).

Timothy is the Command Chaplain at Naval Submarine Support Command Pearl Harbor. I did not know this fact, but learned it on my visit with Chaplain Moore that the United States Navy lost 52 submarines during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, the Submarine Force lost 375 officers and 3,131 enlisted men. 16,000 men actually made war patrols. Their casualty rate of 22% was the highest of any branch of service.

As the ecclesiastical endorser for the International Pentecostal Holiness Church I am afforded the privilege and opportunity to meet with commanders and supervisory chaplains at all levels on my visits. I am given the equivalent, honorary rank of Brigadier General of Rear Admiral, Lower Half while aboard a military installation on on a ship. I met with his commander and supervisory chaplain at Pearl Harbor, and both gave Chaplain Moore high marks. He is a shining star for Southwestern Christian University as an alumnus of this great institution of Christian higher education, and we, as a denomination, should honor this good and faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ as well.

Here is a copy of an e-mail from Commander David Bynum, the Submarine Command Force Chaplain following my visit on Monday, April 19, 2010:

"While you were here I mentioned some of the great work being done by Chaplain Moore. Besides fulfilling his duties as Command Chaplain at Naval Submarine Support Command Pearl Harbor, he was selected as the Pacific Fleet representative to serve on a committee charged with a complete revision of the Navy Tactical Reference Publication (NTRP) 1.05.1, "Religious Ministry Lay Leader." This seventy-four page text, completed in March 2010, is the source document for the appointment and training of Lay Leaders within the Navy. Chaplain Moore contributed directly to this revision as an editor of the entire work and a singular contributor of the Personnel Qualification Standards Appendix ensuring that Standardized Learning Objectives are consistently achieved. The impact of his contribution is truly Navy wide. This publication will likely serve as the standard of training for the next 20 to 30 years. Chaplain Moore should be exceedingly pleased with the achievement of such a lasting accomplishment.

It has been a wonderful pleasure to work with a such a fine chaplain and minister of the Gospel. I applaud you and your faith group for sending us your very best!"

V/r David

CDR David Bynum, USN
Force Chaplain

It must be pointed out that this document is being used not only by the Navy, but the Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines. Chaplain Moore had never told me about this achievement, but I learned it from his supervisory chaplain and the commander of the Naval Submarine Support Command, William R.Stevenson, who has been selected for promotion to Captain in the Navy (or full colonel in the Marine Corps, Air Force, and Army).