Your Spiritual Fitness

Story by Lt. Raymond Summerlin, Sector St. Petersburg, Fla., Chaplain 

St. Petersburg, Fla. -- Have you ever heard of "CREDO"?  CREDO is an acronym which stands for Chaplains Religious Enrichment Development Operation and is basically a retreat and training program established by the United States Navy Chaplain Corps in 1971. 

St. Petersburg, Fla. -- Pictured above is Chaplain Raymond Summerlin. Coast Guard photograph by PA1 Tasha Tully.

CREDO's vision from the beginning was to show and share the unconditional love of God throughout the sea service communities by modeling healthy family relationships, empowering people to discover hope, encouraging members to access community resources, and supporting them throughout the process. 

Today, CREDO's are located around the world (note locations on the side bar).  CREDO's are "owned" by the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps and "operated" by the United States Navy Chaplain Corps.  CREDO has been going through a transformation process the last few years and we now see them referred to as "Spiritual Fitness Divisions".    

Retreats are available to anyone who possesses a military identification card (Active Duty, Reservists, DOD personnel, family members, etc) at no cost.  FREE!  Yes, FREE, and that includes the United States Coast Guard!  The cost of food and lodging during the retreat are at no cost to you, the member.  All you have to do is locate a retreat center, check availability dates and sign up for a retreat with the local CREDO or Spiritual Fitness Division in your area. 

CREDO has been mainly engaged in conducting retreats over the years, however, CREDO has been transforming the last few years by providing training opportunities; providing Mobile CREDO platforms aboard Naval vessels; and offering Warrior/Sailor transitional counseling for personnel returning from hostile environments overseas.

What can CREDO do for me in the Coast Guard?  The retreats are a tremendous resource to utilize for the Coast Guard Family.  The core retreat programs for CREDO are the Personal Growth Retreat (PGR), the Marriage Enrichment Retreat (MER) and the Spiritual Growth Retreat (SGR).  I would strongly recommend you consider one of these retreats for you or your spouse.  Of course, they let you go together on the Marriage Enrichment Retreat!  Call today and inquire about the dates, locations and specific program details. 

Final thought ... I am sure we are taking care of ourselves professionally by attending the required training needed to obtain the next pay grade.  However, are we taking care of ourselves personally, spiritually and within our marriages?  If so, we may see the fruits of our labor - if not, we may not see the next promotion!