Church of God Chaplain Gloria A. Bun Promoted to Colonel
The Church of God’s first woman to serve as a Military Chaplain has been selected for promotion to the rank of Colonel. Chaplain Gloria Bun, a third generation Church of God member, has served as a U.S. Air Force Chaplain for the past 21 years, having held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel the past four years.
Chaplain Bun
Born and raised in North Carolina as the daughter of a Church of God minister, Chaplain Bun enrolled in East Coast Bible College to begin preparing herself for the ministry to which she knew God called her. Upon graduation, she continued her studies at the Church of God Theological Seminary (now Pentecostal Theological Seminary), completing a Master of Divinity degree and meeting the educational requirements for a Military Chaplain.
“In 2000, the General Assembly of the Church of God converted the ministerial rank of Licensed Minister to Ordained Minister making it possible for Chaplain Bun to meet the military’s requirement for ordination to apply to become a Chaplain,” stated Richard Pace, director of the Church of God Chaplains Commission. “When this change in polity took place it opened the door for Church of God women ministers to become military chaplains.”
Chaplain Bun became a U.S. Air Force Chaplain in 2001 with her first assignment at Keesler Air Force Base, MS as an Air Force Reserve Chaplain. In 2003 she transitioned to Active Duty to serve at Holloman Air Force Base, NM, Yokota Air Base, Japan, and Lackland Air Force Base, TX. In 2008 Chaplain Bun served a combat tour in Balad, Iraq where she was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. In addition to her civilian education, Chaplain Bun graduated from the Squadron Officer School, the Air Command and Staff College, and Air War College.
Chaplain Bun transitioned from Active Duty back to the Reserves in 2010 to continue her service at Yokota Air Base, Japan where she lives with her husband, Toshi Bun. There she serves as the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the 374th Airlift Wing Chaplain. In her current capacity she is responsible for assisting the Wing Chaplain in directing Yokota’s extensive ministry program providing spiritual support to the 5th Air Force, United States Forces Japan (USFJ) and the 374th Airlift Wing. This ministry oversees the spectrum of all religious practices and ensures a climate of religious freedom and spiritual wellness through the promotion of religious accommodation, care and ethical advice.
“The Church of God Chaplains Commission commends Chaplain Bun for the outstanding ministry she has provided to thousands of military personnel and their families as an Air Force Chaplain,” Pace continued. “She acted courageously in leading the way into the arena of Military Chaplaincy for Church of God women ministers. This same God-given courage also helped her minister on the battlefields of Iraq caring for the wounded, maimed, and those imminently departing this world to stand before God. Upon her selection for promotion to the rank of Colonel, the Church of God family congratulates Chaplain Bun for this significant accomplishment. Her ministry responsibilities and influence will expand significantly as she assumes the duties associated with a Chaplain in the rank of Colonel. She is an inspiration for young women across the Church of God who sense God calling them to ministry. May God continue to bless Chaplain Bun, her family, and her ministry.”
