DoD
Pentagon-Approved Endorser
4
Louisiana Federal BOP Facilities
8
DPSC State Institutions
49 yrs
Continuous Standing
Louisiana Chaplaincy Through AEGA
Home of AEGA. Every federal track plus a state corrections system.
Louisiana is the home state of AEGA Ministries International, headquartered in Monroe at 2149 Hwy 139. Louisiana is a state where an AEGA-endorsed chaplain can serve across federal chaplaincy tracks and the state corrections system. The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections operates eight state correctional institutions including the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, Elayn Hunt Correctional Center, Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women, Allen Correctional Center, Dixon Correctional Institute, David Wade Correctional Center, B.B. Rayburn Correctional Center, and Raymond Laborde Correctional Center, separate from federal Bureau of Prisons facilities. AEGA-endorsed chaplains carry the same ecclesiastical credential across every Louisiana track.
An AEGA Louisiana Chaplain Endorsement is the ecclesiastical document AEGA Ministries International issues to candidates entering any chaplaincy track inside Louisiana. AEGA is approved by the Pentagon, the VA, and the Bureau of Prisons. Endorsement requires AEGA Ordained Minister credentials, which a Louisiana applicant obtains through the standard credentialing pathway.
The Tracks AEGA Endorses
One endorser, every chaplaincy assignment.
AEGA appears on the recognized-endorser lists maintained by the Department of Defense Armed Forces Chaplains Board, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Louisiana chaplains carry one endorsement across every track Louisiana hosts.
Military Chaplaincy
Barksdale AFB (Air Force Global Strike Command, 2nd Bomb Wing), Fort Johnson (formerly Fort Polk, Joint Readiness Training Center), Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans (Belle Chasse), Louisiana Army National Guard, and Louisiana Air National Guard (159th Fighter Wing at NAS JRB New Orleans). Active Duty, Reserve, and Guard.
Chaplain Training Pathway
AEGA doesn't run a CPE residency or seminary, but we map where endorsement fits alongside CPE pursued at ACPE-accredited Louisiana centers. CTE at the Annual Conference Retreat carries up to 3.0 CEUs.
Board-Certified Chaplain
The professional credential awarded by APC, BCCI, or NACC for chaplains who complete four units of CPE. Required by most large Louisiana hospital systems alongside AEGA ecclesiastical endorsement.
Civil Air Patrol Chaplaincy
The U.S. Air Force Auxiliary commissions chaplains who serve CAP wings nationwide. CAP Louisiana Wing carries AEGA-endorsed chaplains across Louisiana.
Law Enforcement Chaplaincy
Police, sheriff's department, fire department, and state patrol chaplains across Louisiana. ICPC Louisiana chapter recognizes AEGA-endorsed law enforcement chaplains. New Orleans PD, Baton Rouge PD, Shreveport PD, Louisiana State Police all carry chaplain programs.
VA Chaplaincy
VA medical centers including Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (New Orleans), Overton Brooks VA Medical Center (Shreveport), and Alexandria VA Health Care System. AEGA is approved by the VA to endorse VA chaplains.
Federal Prison Chaplaincy
Four federal Bureau of Prisons facilities operate in Louisiana: FCI Oakdale I, FCI Oakdale II, USP Pollock, and FCI Pollock. AEGA is an approved endorsing agent for all federal prisons.
Hospital Chaplaincy
Ochsner Health, LCMC Health, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Willis-Knighton Health System, and Tulane Medical Center. Staff chaplains, palliative-care, contract chaplains across Louisiana hospital systems.
Why AEGA Endorsement Holds Up
Federally recognized by the agencies that matter.
Some endorsing bodies only endorse military chaplains. Some only endorse hospital chaplains. AEGA carries chaplains across every track Louisiana hosts under one Spirit-filled fellowship covering.
DoD AFCB-recognized.
AEGA is listed by the Department of Defense Armed Forces Chaplains Board as a recognized endorsing body. Louisiana military chaplains at Barksdale AFB, Fort Johnson, NAS JRB New Orleans carry AEGA endorsement.
VA and BOP-recognized.
The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Federal Bureau of Prisons both maintain AEGA on their approved-endorser lists. Louisiana VA medical centers and 4 Louisiana BOP facilities accept AEGA endorsement letters.
One endorser, every track.
A Reserve military chaplain may transition to VA chaplaincy. A hospital chaplain may take on a DPSC assignment. AEGA endorsement travels with the Louisiana chaplain across every track.
49 years of standing.
Endorsing-body recognition is built on organizational longevity. Louisiana chaplain boards, hospital credentialing offices, and DPSC hiring offices recognize AEGA on file because AEGA has carried chaplains since 1976.
Frequently Asked
Becoming a chaplain in Louisiana, answered.
What chaplaincy tracks does AEGA endorse for in Louisiana?
Every track Louisiana hosts. Military (Barksdale AFB, Fort Johnson, NAS JRB New Orleans, Louisiana Army National Guard), federal Bureau of Prisons (4 Louisiana facilities), VA medical centers (Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (New Orleans), Overton Brooks VA Medical Center (Shreveport), and Alexandria VA Health Care System), Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (8 state correctional institutions), hospital chaplaincy (Ochsner Health, LCMC Health, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Willis-Knighton Health System, and Tulane Medical Center), law enforcement (New Orleans PD, Baton Rouge PD, Shreveport PD, Louisiana State Police, ICPC Louisiana chapter), and Civil Air Patrol Louisiana Wing.
How does Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPSC) chaplaincy work?
DPSC employs chaplains directly across 8 state correctional institutions in Louisiana. DPSC chaplains are state employees, separate from federal Bureau of Prisons chaplaincy. The role administers, supervises, and performs work involved in a program of spiritual welfare and religious guidance for inmates in a Louisiana state correctional setting. DPSC requires ecclesiastical endorsement from a recognized faith body; AEGA satisfies this.
Do I need AEGA Ordained Minister credentials before becoming a chaplain in Louisiana?
Yes for federal tracks (military, VA, federal BOP) and most state tracks (DPSC, large hospital systems, ICPC-affiliated law enforcement). All require ecclesiastical endorsement from an ordained minister credential. AEGA's Ordained Minister credential is the prerequisite; the endorsement letter follows once you are approved.
What military installations in Louisiana use AEGA-endorsed chaplains?
Barksdale AFB (Air Force Global Strike Command, 2nd Bomb Wing), Fort Johnson (formerly Fort Polk, Joint Readiness Training Center), Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans (Belle Chasse), Louisiana Army National Guard, and Louisiana Air National Guard (159th Fighter Wing at NAS JRB New Orleans). AEGA is approved by the Pentagon as an Endorsing Ecclesiastical Organization with the United States of America Military Chaplaincy Program.
How long does the Louisiana chaplain endorsement letter take?
Endorsement letters are prepared by the AEGA office once an applicant is approved as an Ordained Minister. The credential review itself is the long pole; most credentials are issued within three to five weeks. Once approved, the endorsement letter follows within days. The annual renewal cycle includes the Chaplain Annual Report Form, with a May 1 deadline each year.
Learn more about becoming an AEGA Chaplain.
Pentagon-approved. VA-approved. Federal BOP-approved. Spirit-filled covenant fellowship. 49 years of continuous standing. AEGA endorsement carries chaplains across every track Louisiana hosts.