Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Chaplain candidate Saleha Jabeen was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Chicago at the Catholic Theological Union by the Air Force chief of chaplains, Dec. 18, becoming the first female Muslim chaplain in the Department of the Defense.Second Lt. Saleha Jabeen, chaplain candidate, and Master Sgt. Alexander James, recruiter, sign recruitment paperwork after Jabeen’s commissioning ceremony Dec. 18, 2019, at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Jabeen is scheduled to continue training and be assigned to a unit once she has completed all initial training requirements. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Armando A. Schwier-Morales)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Chaplain candidate Saleha Jabeen was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Chicago at the Catholic Theological Union by the Air Force chief of chaplains, Dec. 18, becoming the first female Muslim chaplain in the Department of the Defense.Friends and family members of chaplain candidate Saleha Jabeen pin on her second lieutenant rank during a commissioning ceremony Dec. 18, 2019, at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Jabeen entered the Air Force as the Defense Department’s first female Muslim chaplain candidate. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Armando A. Schwier-Morales)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Chaplain candidate Saleha Jabeen was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Chicago at the Catholic Theological Union by the Air Force chief of chaplains, Dec. 18, becoming the first female Muslim chaplain in the Department of the Defense.Second Lt. Saleha Jabeen, chaplain candidate, hugs a friend after being commissioned into the Air Force, Dec. 18, 2019, at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Jabeen was endorsed by the Islamic Society of North America to become the first female Muslim chaplain in the Department of Defense. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Armando A. Schwier-Morales)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Chaplain candidate Saleha Jabeen was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Chicago at the Catholic Theological Union by the Air Force chief of chaplains, Dec. 18, becoming the first female Muslim chaplain in the Department of the Defense.Air Force commissions first female Muslim chaplain
                        
                        
                        Chaplain candidate Saleha Jabeen is commissioned by Maj. Gen. Steven Schaick, Air Force chief of chaplains, Dec. 18, 2019, at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Jabeen is the first female Muslim chaplain in the Air Force and Department of Defense. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Armando A. Schwier-Morales)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Chaplain candidate Saleha Jabeen was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Chicago at the Catholic Theological Union by the Air Force chief of chaplains, Dec. 18, becoming the first female Muslim chaplain in the Department of the Defense.Maj. Gen. Steven Schaick, Air Force chief of chaplains, speaks about chaplain candidate Saleha Jabeen Dec. 18, 2019, at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Schaick spoke about the significance of diversity in the chaplaincy as he commissioned the first female Muslim chaplain in the Air Force and Department of Defense. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Armando A. Schwier-Morales)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Chaplain candidate Saleha Jabeen was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Chicago at the Catholic Theological Union by the Air Force chief of chaplains, Dec. 18, becoming the first female Muslim chaplain in the Department of the Defense.Second Lt. Saleha Jabeen, chaplain candidate speaks about her journey and what it means to her to be the first female Muslim candidate, Dec. 18, 2019, at the Catholic Theological Union, Chicago. Jabeen began her journey in India and transitioned from a student of the corporate world to a student of faith. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Armando A. Schwier-Morales)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Air Force commissions first female Muslim chaplainPublished Jan. 10, 2020
                    
                    By Tech. Sgt. Armando A. Schwier-Morales
                    
                    
                    Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
            **ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) --**In a room full of family, friends and mentors, history was made with the affirmation “So help me God.”
Chaplain candidate Saleha Jabeen was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Chicago at the Catholic Theological Union by the Air Force chief of chaplains, Dec. 18, becoming the first female Muslim chaplain in the Department of the Defense.
“I first came to the United States 14 years ago as an international student,” Jabeen said. “I thought I would study and make an impact in the corporate world.”
However, when she learned of the trials faced by service members through her brother’s deployments and service in the Army, the impact she had set to make wouldn’t be in the corporate world.
Jabeen followed her brother into the Army where more lessons about her goals and dreams came to light. While in the Army Medical Corps, Jabeen received opportunities to work alongside chaplains and help out her fellow Soldiers.
“My brother has been the source of my inspiration,” Jabeen said. “It was because of his dedication and getting to see his military career that I recognized the importance of the chaplaincy in the armed forces. I saw that when one member gets deployed, all of their family members join them.”
During her time in the Army, Jabeen met Army 1st Lt. Jamal Bey, from the 451st Civil Affairs Battalion. They became good friends and mentored each other. When Jabeen told Bey about her dream of becomimg a Muslim chaplain, Bey at the time didn’t have a reference point but he supported Jabeen in blazing a trail for being the first.
“The commissioning of Saleha is great because as a father you want to be able to tell your children that they can be anything,” Bey said at Jabeen’s commissioning ceremony. “I now have Jabeen to point to as an example of a woman that broke this barrier.”
Air Force chaplains are religious ministry professionals who support the spiritual needs of Airmen around the world. The Department of Defense has service members of many faiths and those of no faith, but the DoD didn’t have a female Imam, a spiritual leader in Islam.
“Any time we advance religious freedoms, it’s a win for all persons of faith,” said Maj. Gen. Steven Schaick, Air Force chief of chaplains. “The fact is America is a place where the Constitution guarantees your freedom to embrace or abstain from religious ideals, and the Chaplain Corps, which Jabeen just entered, exists to ensure every Airman has a religious freedom advocate. This is a big day not just for Muslims, but for persons of all faiths. I could not be more proud of our Air Force for being willing to commission and embrace the first female Imam in the Department of Defense.”
Jabeen was endorsed by the Islamic Society of North America to become the first female Muslim chaplain in the Department of Defense. But, Jabeen’s journey in the Air Force chaplaincy has just begun. She is scheduled to complete training and will then be assigned to a duty station where she will support Airmen. Along the way, she hopes to continue inspiring people and breaking barriers.
“When other people look at what I have done, I want them to know that God has a plan for you and to go out there and be the best version of yourself and accomplish the mission you were specifically designed to complete. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you and when they try — be kind, be generous, be resilient and don’t quit.”AFWN 



USAF 



AF 



Commission 



officer 



chaplain 



Muslim 



diversity 



women 



female 



Army 



Army Medical Corps 



family 



SecAF 



Secretary of the Air Force 



Imam 



chaplain corps 



Air Force chief of chaplains 



faith 



Islamic Society of North America 



DOD 



Department of Defense 



Catholic Theological Union Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil