Police Chaplain John South recently received word from the U.S. Army that he was being called back to active duty to fill an increasing need for chaplains in the military.
Chaplain South is a dear friend of PLEA and for well over a decade has worked in the capacity of a police chaplain where he has provided crucial counseling and ministerial services for officers in need. Until recently, he maintained the offices of LEM (Law Enforcement Ministries) at the PLEA Office.
Between active duty and reserve time, Chaplain South has accumulated 45 years of military service. He fought in the Vietnam War as an infantry soldier and as time passed he became a commissioned officer and attended seminary. He eventually transferred to the chaplain corps and continued his career rising to the rank of full Colonel which he still holds today.
Chaplain South has always held a special place in his heart for the men and women who serve in law enforcement and many a police officer has received the benefit of his unique counseling skills. Chaplain South had the special distinction of being only one of a handful of chaplains from out of state to work the scene at ground zero in New York City after the 9/11 terrorist attacks where he provided his counseling services to many of New York City’s public safety employees.
Chaplain South will be assigned to Fort Huachuca and will deploy from there to the Iraq/Afghanistan theater of operations; where he will be forward deployed with front line combat troops.
PLEA along with the men and women of the Phoenix Police Department wish Godspeed to Chaplain South in his new endeavor as he once again goes into harms way to provide a crucial and much needed service to our other men and women in uniform.