FRANKFORT, Ky. –
Service members of the Joint Force Headquarters, along with family and friends, gathered at the Wellman Armory auditorium on Boone National Guard Center to celebrate the promotion of the newly instated state chaplain Jan. 26.
Chaplain Angela White was promoted to colonel; pinned by her husband, son and daughter, and officially recognized as the next State Chaplain by the Adjutant General during the ceremony.
“It’s important that people recognize her accomplishments,” said Maj. Gen. Haldane Lamberton. “The role of a chaplain in our organization has evolved significantly over the past two decades. Chaplain White’s ministry extends across a vast geographic area, supporting Airmen and Soldiers deployed worldwide. My hat is off to Chaplain White and her family for their dedication.”
The State Support Chaplain (Col.) William Draper highlighted White’s diverse and accomplished background, emphasizing her unique qualifications for the role. White began her military career by enlisting in the Air Force before being commissioned as an Army Nurse. She served as a pediatric and ICU nurse at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and Winn Army Community Hospital in Fort Stewart, Ga. In addition, she is a Board-Certified Chaplain through the National Association of Veterans Affairs Chaplains.
“I believe the skills she has honed throughout her career will enhance her ability to connect with enlisted Servicemembers and support military families,” Draper said. “Her specialized training also strengthens our chaplains’ capacity to provide pastoral care in crisis situations.”
Among those celebrating White’s promotion was retired Chaplain Fred Ehrman, a former 123rd Airlift Wing chaplain who mentored her when she decided to pursue seminary at Asbury Theological Seminary in 2011. He also supported her transition back into the Kentucky Army National Guard as a chaplain in 2014.
“I have always admired her,” Ehrman said. “She has a genuine love for Soldiers, whether they are veterans at the VA, deployed service members overseas, or those just hanging out here in the armory. Her promotion is a testament to her sacred calling to care for the souls of Servicemembers everywhere.”
For White, serving in the Kentucky National Guard is more than a duty—it’s a personal mission.
“I see the Soldiers of the Kentucky National Guard as an extension of my family,” she said. “Whether I’m at an armory, in the field, or at the VA hospital, I go in with the mindset that I’m there to bless those I meet. But at the end of the day, they are the ones who bless me.”
White is the second female chaplain in the history of the Kentucky National Guard. The first was Chaplain (1st. Lt) Diana Moore, who served in 1976.