For 13 years, Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Roach, the command chaplain of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26), has guided and mentored Sailors both spiritually and in everyday life. With a calm demeanor and a warm embrace, Roach is everything you would expect from a chaplain.

Dedicating his life to God and service, Roach has been involved in ministry for nearly 30 years, beginning in 1990 as a youth pastor. With time the young pastor matured in ministry and eventually answered the call to military service. Growing up in an Air Force family, a merging of the two worlds compelled Roach.

“I always had a sense that God had his hand on my life, that there was a calling,” said Roach. “I felt I should do something different than a traditional vocational occupation, but something that would be of eternal significance and serving in a broader capacity.”

With the events of 9/11, Roach took a deeper look at becoming a military chaplain, and in 2003, made the jump. However the transition was anything but simple.

“Rough,” Roach said. “It was really rough. I went from being a senior pastor at the church making decisions to being an ensign in the chaplain candidate program, being told what to do, how to do it, where to do it. I became a small fish in a big ocean.”

Besides learning the ins and outs of the Navy, Roach was also facing a situation at home as well.

“At first my wife hated the idea of me joining,” Roach said. “She thought I was leaving the ministry and I let her know I was staying with the ministry, just in a different capacity. It took her about 3 months to come around and now she absolutely loves it.”

Going active duty in 2006, Roach deployed often with Seabees and his experiences began to weigh on him and his faith leading him to potentially leaving the service and ministry.

“After my first tour I wanted to resign my commission and leave,” said Roach. “The constant deployments and exercises, being away from the family; it was hard and I was thinking about going back to civilian life. What really bothered me though was a mission we had in Thailand and seeing all the people there.”

With his faith wavering, Roach looked at other avenues to pursue, including becoming a public affairs officer. With an education in television and radio, Roach went through the process of converting job fields, getting approved and his package ready. He only had one more hurdle before making the switch.

“I needed to reconcile with God,” Roach said. “I was having internal turmoil. A conversation with what I thought to be was God or maybe it was my imagination as at that point I wasn’t sure if I believed in God anymore. In my mind I was feeling like there was no presence of God.”

It was in that moment Roach’s life changed forever.

“When I had that thought, I heard something telling me, ‘would you like to know what it’s like to not have my presence?’” explained Roach. “I said sure because it was only my imagination anyway and I had a strange experience. The room got dark. It got cold and it wasn’t cold outside. I felt lonely. I felt desperate. I felt like I was sinking into a pit with no way out. I heard that same voice say, ‘this is what it’s like for you to not have my presence.’ So I said, ‘okay God, I do believe.’ And immediately, as soon as I said I believed all of that left. I went in the next morning to the office and I put my public affairs officer package in my desk and I decided to stay as a chaplain.”

With his faith renewed, Roach has used his experience when mentoring and guiding those who come see him. Even with the periodic questions or thoughts on faith, he knows in his heart God is real and that his calling is real.

“I know that what I do is valuable and important,” said Roach. “It’s incredibly important to have chaplains and I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be and I’m going to keep pressing on.”

Roach continues to lead and inspire, whether it is through bible studies, worship services or one-on-one counseling. As long as the Navy will have him, Roach will be happy to serve.

“I think I got about 8-10 more years in me,” Roach chuckled.

John P. Murtha is underway conducting routine operations as a part of USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

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