SHELLSBURG — Chaplain Brian Reeves received his certificate for the The Salvation Army’s (TSA) highest honor of Chaplain 1. Reeves completed the needed 195 hours of training in emotional, spiritual and mental health care. In fact, he had almost double the hours needed. Outside of TSA, he has also been a Sheriffs Chaplain, Fire Dept Chaplain and a Hospice Chaplain.
He stated, “I have always had a desire to serve people. I enjoy working with folks to strengthen their emotional, spiritual and mental health, especially during a crisis.” Reeves has been a pastor for 38 years and currently serves 2 congregations in Shellsburg.
In a disaster, the Chaplain 1 is deployed first before any other spiritual care team members. They are the spiritual care officer, being part of the Command Staff. Their responsibility is to assess the needs for emotional and spiritual care and formulate a plan to fulfill those needs. This includes building relationships with the local faith community, mental health entities and provide referrals to support the community. The Chaplain 1’s responsibilities also include supporting the Command Staff and volunteers deployed to the disaster with the stress that can arise during the deployment.
Reeves has been on 5 deployments, including the Greenfield, Iowa tornado and the Blair, Nebraska flood, both in 2024.
When asked why he chose The Salvation Army to further his training, he stated, “There was a local Salvation Army team. I saw what they did during the 2020 derecho. They did a lot! Also, the Salvation Army obviously meets the practical needs of people in difficult times, but also encourages spiritual and emotional care to be given too. That’s not the case with every helping organization.”
“The most important thing to do in a disaster is pray! There is so much you don’t know. You don’t know the area. You don’t likely know your team members. Most importantly though, the real need is to fit together as a team,” he noted.
Reeves shared that if a volunteer agrees to deployment, there is a 72 hour notice to arrive there. If you can drive there, gas mileage is reimbursed, otherwise airfare is covered. Meals and lodging are covered also. “You haven’t lived till you sleep in a gymnasium with 200 other snoring men, CPAPs and all! Sometimes you are in a hotel. You can expect 12-14 hour days. Deployments can be up to 2 weeks long,” he went on to say.
In a disaster, what the eye sees, what the ear hears, and even the smells of a disaster, can evoke strong reactions. There is also the human suffering, shock and disbelief; it takes a toll on everyone, volunteers, first responders, and of course the resident survivors in the community. I asked Reeves how he maintains his own internal mental and emotional balance.
He states, “I pray. I keep myself mentally prepared. At the end of my shift, I take a walk to decompress. There is standard protocol for after deployment care of folks. TSA calls to the volunteer at intervals and they process and debrief the experience- what was bad, what was good, etc. They check on how you are fitting back in with your personal life- how are your relationships at home, your sleep, etc.”
Reeves went on to say, “It can be challenging for my family too. A deployment changes schedules and duties of spouses and kids, as well as the congregations I pastor. Doing video calls with my family is a welcome relief! A person often experiences a sense of exhaustion for a week even after being back home.”
Reeves eventually would like to become a trainer in chaplaincy for the TSA and be more involved after he retires.
I asked Reeves to share a positive experience. He spoke of a 10 year old boy whose slab home was blown away. He appeared to be wandering out in a field. When Reeves approached him, the boy said he was looking for his nerf football. Reeves’ sensitivity to the boys only stated need, a nerf football, compelled him to find a way to get one. It had to be brought by someone coming from Omaha, as the local stores were damaged by the disaster and had none. Reeves noted, “It took 2 days to get it, but the boy just hung on to it. It was a major deal for him.”
As Chaplain Reeves journey proves, helping people in genuine need makes a lasting impact.