Thomas L. Solhjem

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Thomas L. Solhjem
Thomas L. Solhjem (3).jpg
Solhjem in 2019
Born1956 (age 65–66)
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1974–present
RankMajor General
Commands heldChief of Chaplains of the United States Army
Battles/warsGulf War
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
AwardsLegion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star Medal (4)

Thomas Lynn Solhjem (born 1956) currently serves as the 25th Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army. Solhjem is the first ordained Assemblies of God minister to attain the position.

Education[]

Solhjem received a Bachelors of Arts in Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries from North Central University in 1982. He completed a Masters of Divinity with Bethel Theological Seminary in 1988, and holds a second master's degree in Military Strategic Studies.

Military career[]

Solhjem began his military career in 1974 with the 82nd Combat Engineer Battalion. After serving on active duty for two years, he transferred to the Army Reserve, where he remained for fourteen years. After finishing his Masters of Divinity, he accessioned as an active duty chaplain in 1988.

Solhjem has given direct religious support to soldiers, totaling more than 68 months in combat zones.[1] Prior to his appointment as the Deputy Chief of Chaplains, he served in various key leadership positions to include United States Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), Command Chaplain, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as well as Command Chaplain, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Florida.

In July 2015, Solhjem was promoted to brigadier general and assigned as the 25th Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army.[2] In May 2019, Colonel William Green Jr., an African American Baptist minister, was nominated to succeed him as Deputy Chief of Chaplains.[3][4] On May 31, 2019, Solhjem was promoted to major general and assigned as the 25th Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army.[5][6]

As the Deputy Chief of Chaplains, Solhjem served as the chief strategist for the United States Army Chaplain Corps and senior coordinating general officer for actions assigned to Assistant Chiefs of Chaplains (Reserve Component) and the USACHCS Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army. As a member of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board, he and other members advise the Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff on religious, ethical and quality-of-life concerns.[2][7]

Awards and decorations[]

Combat Action Badge.svg Combat Action Badge
Master Parachutist badge (United States).svg Master Parachutist Badge
Ranger Tab.svg Ranger Tab
United States Army Staff Identification Badge.png Army Staff Identification Badge
75 Ranger Regiment SCSIB.png 75th Ranger Regiment Combat Service Identification Badge
German Silver Para badge.jpg Silver German Parachutist Badge
USArmyChapCorRegInsignia.png U.S. Army Chaplain Corps Distinctive Unit Insignia
ArmyOSB.svg 10 Overseas Service Bars
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 scarlet ribbon with width-4 ultramarine blue stripe at center, surrounded by width-1 white stripes. Width-1 white stripes are at the edges.Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze Star Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Silver oak leaf cluster
 Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal ribbon.svg Joint Service Achievement Medal
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Valorous Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Bronze star
 National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Bronze star
 Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with service star
Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svgBronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars
Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svgBronze-service-star-3d-vector.svgBronze-service-star-3d-vector.svgBronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg Afghanistan Campaign Medal with four service stars
Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svgBronze-service-star-3d-vector.svgBronze-service-star-3d-vector.svgBronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg Iraq Campaign Medal with four service stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal ribbon.svgHourglass Device Bronze.svg Armed Forces Reserve Medal with bronze Hourglass device
Army Service Ribbon
Award numeral 5.png Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 5
NATO Medal for service with ISAF
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

References[]

  1. ^ "Chaplain Promoted to Brigadier General". PENews. Jul 31, 2015. Retrieved Jun 15, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Miele, Jonathan C. (29 September 2015). "Deputy Chief of Chaplains, Chaplain (Brigadier General) Thomas L. Solhjem". United States Army. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
  3. ^ Mitchell, Jr., Nevalon (22 November 2018). "Chaplains/Ecclesiastical Endorsement Ministry". The National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
  4. ^ "PN801 — Col. William Green Jr. — Army". U.S. Congress. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
  5. ^ "PN457 — Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Solhjem — Army". U.S. Congress. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  6. ^ Jorgensen, Eric (4 June 2019). "Chief of Chaplains". United States Army. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
  7. ^ https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-solhjem-684b4a64
Military offices
Preceded by Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army
2015–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army
2019–present 		Incumbent
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