National Meetings

The Military Chaplains Association conducts an annual convocation at various locations around the Nation.

These meetings are normally in late April or early May.   Currently, they are known as the “MCA National Institute.”  Their agendas typically include presentations and discussion pertinent to chaplaincy as a ministry profession, annual awards ceremonies, and the Annual Membership Meeting.  Attendees represent our five constituent chaplaincies.  They include active duty, Guard, Reserve, prior service, and retired chaplains.  Leaders from religious faith groups, the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, and subject matter experts from other disciplines join with us.

In addition to legal requirement of an annual meeting for MCA members, these annual gathering are important for sustaining an environment of Joint Service and inter-agency collaboration among chaplains.  In 2007, 2009, and 2011 MCA co-located the National Institute with the bi-annual convocation of Veterans Affairs Department chaplains.  These cooperative ventures were particularly fruitful for community networking and mutual understanding as we seek to improve care for Wounded Warriors.  Our national meeting in 2010 occurred in Columbia, SC and 2011 in Hampton, VA.  For a summary of sites in years prior, go to the link below.

National Meeting Sites from 1931-2009

2012 National Meeting, San Antonio, TX

The 2012 National Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 17 April through Thursday 19 April at the LaQuinta Inns & Suites San Antonio Convention Center in San Antonio, TX.  Look for a registration form and information on hotel reservations on Thursday, 1 March.  Plan arrive Monday or early Tuesday  Register on Tuesday afternoon.  Other meeting activities will include Chaplain (Colonel) Herman Keizer, USA (Ret.) speaking on “Moral Injuries During War,” and Chaplain (Brigadier General) Douglas E. Lee, USA (Ret.) briefing on the mission of the newly formed Chaplains Alliance for Religious Liberty.  We will also provide assistance for participants who ewant tpo use this occasion for recording highlights of your service as a chaplain.  These recordings will be deposited in the Library of Congress as part of the Veterans History Project.