Spiritual Mentoring

Spiritual Mentoring with the Military

Spiritual mentoring ministry links older military personnel (still serving and veterans) and younger military personnel, at military chapels. Military personnel at various stages of their lives (single, married, divorced, widowed) are invited to share secular and spiritual life experiences with those who are still relatively junior.

This ministry creates a venue for military personnel and spouses to see their secular experiences through a spiritual lens, as well as one in which both mentors and mentees are invited to learn more about and to deepen their faith, through a journey of accompaniment. It is a ministry designed to be flexible, to accommodate the varying schedules of military personnel and spouses.

Obtain spiritual guidance for both spiritual and secular decisions in navigating moral, ethical, leadership decisions faced in combat and non-combat situations. For spouses, obtain spiritual guidance for navigating different life situations while away from extended family.

Spiritual mentors are not meant to be counselors or spiritual directors—think of them as a type of “faith battle buddy” or “wingman” or even a “soul friend.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is spiritual mentoring?

Encounter, a relationship between two people of faith.
Known in ancient times as a “soul friend.”

What is the difference in military spiritual mentoring? In military spouse mentoring?

Involves older military personnel (still serving and veterans, and spouses) with at least 10 years military experience/marriage.
As possible, officers paired with officers & enlisted with enlisted. NOTE: Not necessarily applicable to spouses.
Share both secular and spiritual life experiences through a spiritual and vocational lens— mentoring with a spiritual twist.
Think of a mentor as a “spiritual battle buddy” or “spiritual wingman.”

How do I become a spiritual mentor?

You qualify if you have served at least 10 years in the military (or been married to a military member for 10 years) and are in communion with the Roman Catholic church (no perfection expected!).
Use the Google forms below to request to become a mentor.

What’s expected of me as a spiritual mentor?

Attending a four-session training course focused on active listening and role-playing. Sessions last about 1-1.5 hours in length with recommended weekly prep exercises.
Help your mentee see their religious and secular life through a spiritual lens, to see where God has been present in their lives.
Be an active and respectful listener.
Offer fresh perspectives based on their own lives and serve as a sounding board.
Be in a right spiritual relationship with God (no perfection expected!).
Honor the confidentiality of your mentee, unless they disclose something illegal or potentially harmful to themselves or others.

What kind of training does a spiritual mentor receive?

The training course will include about four 1-1.5 hour Zoom interactive sessions.
Sessions 2-4 include ~30 minutes of requested prep time to facilitate conversation.
Training materials and the resource guide will be hosted on the University of Dayton’s Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF) for military members. Military Spiritual Mentors will be asked to access the course to review the material. MilSpouse Spiritual Mentors will have access to a Google Docs folder with slightly different training material and resources.

How do I become a spiritual mentee?

You qualify if you are in the military (or married to a military member) and are in communion with the Roman Catholic Church (no perfection expected!), or currently pursuing communion with the Roman Catholic Church through OCIA.
Use the Google form below to request to become a mentee.

What should I expect as a spiritual mentee?

An active and respectful listener.
Confidential conversations in an open space if in person.

What should I *not* expect as a spiritual mentee?

A counseling session (your mentor is not qualified!)
Formal spiritual direction.
Protection from disclosure of illegal or harmful activity.

What’s expected of me as a spiritual mentee?

Review and sign mentor-mentee contract.
Clearly communicate to your mentor what you would like to discuss.
Questions like, “how to integrate faith and being in the military?” “I’m about to deploy— what to expect?” “Should I stay or leave the military?” For spouses “My spouse is about to deploy, what should I expect?”
Advise if you cannot make a session with your mentor. We understand—life happens.

Does a spiritual mentee receive training?

At this point there is no training but there is a short 20–30-minute orientation so you can better envision what to expect during the course of your mentoring relationship.

Do I have to be Catholic to participate?

At this time mentors should be practicing Catholics, though military members undergoing OCIA or contemplating coming into the Catholic Church can be mentees.
In future iterations of spiritual mentoring with the military it is envisioned that the other faiths will adopt this concept of accompaniment.

What is the Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF)?

Spiritual Mentoring training materials and resource guide will be hosted on the University of Dayton’s Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF), which is “an Internet distance-learning program to support catechist and adult faith formation in the Church;” for more information see https://vlcff.udayton.edu/. Military spiritual mentors will be registered by the VLCFF staff for the Military Spiritual Mentoring training course. NOTE: Military spouse spiritual mentors will have access to training and resource material hosted in a Google Docs folder.

Would you like to be a Military Spiritual Mentor?

Has your Catholic faith been a lifeline and guide throughout your military career? – Consider becoming a spiritual mentor – your witness matters!
Served 10+ years in the military? – You have enough experience to mentor!
Why not relay your military experiences to a more junior officer/enlisted member within the military Catholic faith community? – They’re already observing you – this is your chance to share and grow together.
Training prepares you with online access to formation and a resource guide, virtual 4-week formation – 1.5/session.

Would you like to be a MilSpouse Spiritual Mentor?

Has your Catholic faith been a lifeline and guide throughout your time affiliated with the military?
Have you been affiliated for 10+ years with the military?
You can make a life-changing difference to a new spouse!
Training prepares you with online access to formation and a resource guide, virtual 4-week formation – 1.5 hours/session.

Would you like to be a Mentee?

Are you junior military and maybe have wondered about the following questions or others?
Do you feel like you are alone in your faith life in the military?
Do you wonder how you can align your faith and your military career?
Have you experienced something in the military that you would like someone who will listen?

Would you like to be a MilSpouse Mentee?

Are you just starting out as a military spouse and have maybe wondered about the following questions or others?
Do you feel like your lost and don’t know how to navigate being a military spouse?
Do you feel alone in your faith life and/or are you missing your extended family?

Spiritual Mentoring in the Media

Catholic Military Life · Col. Suzy Streeter, USAF (Ret.) on Spiritual Mentoring in Military

Military spiritual mentoring pilot program takes flight – 17 JAN 2025
Learning to be a Soul Friend — The Mission of Suzy Streeter – 2025
Military spiritual mentoring course soars to new heights with the VLCFF – 07 JUN 2024

Locations that piloted this initiative:

Service personnel from these locations have been mentored:

Aviano AB, Italy
Beale AFB, CA
Camp Lejeune, NC
Fort Bragg, NC
Fort Carson, CO
Fort Drum, NY
Fort Gordon, GA
Fort Wainwright, AK
Joint Base Charleston, SC
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK
Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA
Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, TX
Misawa AB, Japan
Naval Station Mayport, FL
Naval Weapons Station Charleston, SC
Nellis AFB, NV
Offutt AFB, NE
Peterson SFB, CO
Pittsburgh, PA
MCB Quantico, VA
Ramstein AB, Germany
Tinker AFB, OK