Saleha wants cater to the spiritual needs of servicemen and help them get through difficulties. Photo source: US Air Force - Saleha J...
-Saleha Jabeen has made big history as she became the first female Muslim chaplain in the US Air Force
- When she came to America, Saleha had a strong passion for making a difference in the corporate world
- All that changed when she learned of the troubles soldiers were going through in the army, which made her want to help them A big history was made in the world as Saleha Jabeen was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Chicago at the Catholic Theological Union by the Air Force chief of chaplains. With the new development, she became the first-ever female Muslim chaplain in the department of the defense. She said that when she came to America 14 years ago as a student, she thought she would create a difference in the corporate world.
Her attention, however, shifted when she got to know of the travails servicemen encounter through her brother’s service in the army.
Saleha followed her brother's footstep as she joined the Army Medical Corps where she had the opportunity to work with chaplains and started helping soldiers out.
Saleha once told her friend in the force, Jamal Bey, about her interest to become a Muslim chaplain. Though Bey did not know how that will be, she supported anyway.
“My brother has been the source of my inspiration. 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,” Bey said. It should be noted that Saleha was endorsed by the Islamic Society of North America. On the completion of her training, she will be deployed to her station where she will support Airmen.
“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," she said .
Source: UGC
