“Military chaplains bring God to soldiers and soldiers to God”

“Military chaplains bring God to soldiers and soldiers to God” is a popular saying among chaplains. “Bring God to soldiers and soldiers to God” was cited in Military Chaplains’ Review in 1991. It’s not known where the saying originated.
   
 
Google Books
Military Chaplains’ Review 
1991 (Google Books date may be incorrect—ed.)
Pg. 53:
Evangelism In the Ranks
Gil A. Stricklin
“Bring God to soldiers and soldiers to God” has been the agreed-upon mission of all military chaplains since the establishment of the Chaplain Corps in the Army more than 200 years ago.
 
18 July 1996, Augusta (GA) Chronicle, “Chaplain: McLeroy plans to remain in the ministry,” Richmond County Neighbors, pg. 19, col. 5:
“The purpose of the chaplain is to bring God to soldiers and to bring soldiers to God. We use the metaphor of a bridge.”
(At Fort Gordon, Colorado—ed.)
 
5 December 1998, The Stars and Stripes (Europe), “Personal Tough: Chaplains offer troops a shoulder to lean on” by Chuck Roberts, pg. 13, col. 3:
Eubank said, “I’m really thrilled to do this as a part of the chaplaincy’s mission of helping to bring God to soldiers and bringing soldiers to God.”
(Chaplain Don Eubank—ed.)
     
Google Books
The Army Chaplaincy: Professional Bulletin of the Unit Ministry Team
1999 (Google Books date may be incorrect—ed.)
Pg. 19:
The Chaplaincy is firmly grounded in its mission to bring God to soldiers, and to bring soldiers to God.
 
USA Today
02/17/2002 - Updated 08:40 PM ET
Chaplains put faith on front lines in Afghanistan
By César G. Soriano, USA TODAY
(...)
“The thing we do as chaplains is to bring God to soldiers and soldiers to God,” says Army chaplain Capt. Charles Barna, a Baptist minister from Cleveland. “It gives them the feeling that God is looking out for them, that they are doing the right thing, that their mission here is right.”
 
Baptist Message (Newsjournal for Louisiana Baptists)
FOR GOD AND COUNTRY
Military chaplains bring God to soldiers and soldiers to God
Submitted by Mark Kelly on Thu, 07/17/2008 - 02:00
Nothing happens randomly in the life of a military chaplain.
 
Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System
May 22, 2013
News: Chaplains aid guardsmen during tornado aftermath
145th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Story by Sgt. Anthony Jones
(...)
“My job is more broad. I’m not just a counselor, not just someone who does counseling in an office. I bring the faith component to the discussion. There is and old saying that we bring God to soldiers and soldiers to God,” Jordan said.