RICHMOND, Virginia –
Col. Seung Lee, Virginia Army National Guard state chaplain, and Maj. Will Cochrane, the VNG deputy full-time support chaplain, presented certificates of appreciation and state chaplain coins to six members of the Virginia Defense Force Chaplain Corps June 7, 2025, at Waller Depot in Richmond, Virginia. These certificates were presented to VDF chaplains and religious affairs specialists in recognition of their willingness to conduct weekly chapel services at Fort Barfoot’s Bulla Chapel during the 2024 annual training season.
“These weekly chapel services play a central role in providing service members an opportunity to freely exercise their right to worship,” said Lee. “This is something that is guaranteed to every member of the military by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.”
Additionally, these chapel services also offered service members an opportunity to strengthen both their spiritual and mental wellbeing, which is at the heart of the military’s focus on holistic fitness.
“The Bulla Chapel could not have been manned each week without VDF chaplain and RAS support,” Lee said. “I am extremely grateful for their willingness to step up and serve both God and country.”
VDF chaplains are professionally trained, ordained clergy members that are in good standing with their respective federally recognized ecclesiastical endorsing body. These chaplains faithfully serve all components of the Virginia National Guard in providing for the free exercise of religion, according to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The Virginia Defense Force is authorized by Section 44-54.4 of the Code of Virginia as the all-volunteer reserve of the Virginia National Guard, and the VDF serves as a force multiplier integrated into all VNG domestic operations.
Members of the VDF volunteer their time for training and community support and are only paid when called to state active duty by an authorization from the Governor of Virginia.
The VDF’s primary lines of effort are operations center augmentation, interoperable communication, agency liaison and cyber network defense as well as direct support to the VNG with logistics, medical, chaplain, legal and public information capabilities.