About UsOur Chaplain
The
Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr. was born October 4, 1952, in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. As a youth, Ken earned his God & Country Award, achieved
the rank of Eagle Scout, and was elected a Vigil Honor Member (Order of
the Arrow) in the Boy Scouts of America. Ken graduated in 1970 from Upper
Dublin High School in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. In 1972, he took first
place in a national public speaking contest co-sponsored by Reader's Digest
and the Boy Scouts of America. This earned him a $3,000 scholarship and
resulted in an appointment by President Nixon to the American Revolution
Bicentennial Commission.
Ken's college degree is a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania, in 1974 with a major in communications. His graduate degree is a Master of Divinity (magna cum laude) from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1977 with a concentration in Bible and theology. His post graduate degree is a Doctor of Ministry from Eastern Seminary in 1984 with a focus on pastoral care. Ken was ordained a United Methodist clergy of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference in 1975.
While in college and seminary, Rev. Beale served six years as Director of Youth Ministry at Jarrettown United Methodist Church in Pennsylvania. After graduating from seminary, he pastored for ten years at Fredericksburg United Methodist Church in Pennsylvania. In 1988, Ken was appointed by the Bishop to the Indianhead Council, Boy Scouts of America in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he functioned for seven years as Director for Institutional Relationships. Ken is currently President and Senior Consultant of Kingdom Builders, Ltd,. a non-denominational church consulting firm.
At present, Chaplain (Colonel) Beale is the Command Chaplain, US Army Reserve
Command headquartered at Fort McPherson, GA. Previously, he was the Chief
of the Chaplain Recruiting Branch, US Army Recruiting Command headquartered
at Fort Knox, Kentucky; and the Assistant Staff Chaplain for Administration
and Operations for the 88th Regional Readiness Command headquartered at
Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Prior to these active duty assignments he served
as a Reserve Component Chaplain with the Office of the Staff Chaplain, 88th
Regional Support Command and with the 457th Transportation Battalion. His
only previous active duty time was when he volunteered in support of Operation
Desert Shield/Storm, where he was cross-leveled as Chaplain to the 3rd Brigade
of the 84th Division stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in 1991.
Chaplain Beale was commissioned a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve in 1987 at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. He completed the Chaplain Officer Basic Course in 1991 and the Chaplain Officer Advanced Course in 1994 at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, United States Army Chaplain Center and School. In 2002, he completed the United States Army Command and General Staff Officers College. He attended the Chaplain Division Course at Fort Jackson, South Carolina in 2004; and the Senior Unit Ministry Team Orientation (SUMTO) Course in 2007 at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. He is currently enrolled in the Army War College class of 2010.
Chaplain Beale's awards and decorations include the Army Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Military Volunteer Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" device and Bronze Hourglass, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon. Chaplain Beale has been awarded the United States Army Recruiter Gold Badge with 3 Sapphire Stars.
Chaplain Beale is married to the former Kathleen Moran and resides in Woodbury, Minnesota. He is the father of four adult children: Matthew, Timothy, Christiana, and Sarah; and six grandchildren.
