Army chaplain with three decades of military service to speak at Folly Beach Methodist Church Nov. 8
from Staff Reports
For Army Col. S. Pinkie Fischer, a calling to ministry became a career that has taken her far from her native Brooklyn. Through seven deployments spanning Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and missions supporting NATO allies during the Russia-Ukraine crisis, she has helped soldiers navigate the spiritual and emotional demands of military service.
On Sunday, Nov. 8, the U.S. Army Central command chaplain will speak at Folly Beach Methodist Church ahead of Veterans Day. The service will be followed by special recognition of military personnel and veterans.
Based at Shaw Air Force Base, Fischer leads religious support for U.S. Army Central, the Army component of U.S. Central Command. Her career began in June 1996, when she enlisted in the Army Signal Corps, serving four years in the Oklahoma Army National Guard.
In 2000, she received a direct commission as a second lieutenant, becoming the first African American female chaplain in the Oklahoma Army National Guard. She entered active duty in 2005 and began her ministry with the 82nd Airborne Division.
In June 2021, Fischer returned as the first woman and first African American to serve as its division chaplain.
Within months, she was ministering to troops during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Interviewed by PBS NewsHour at Kabul’s airport, Fischer described soldiers seeking her out as they struggled with the suffering around them, particularly that of children.
Her deployments included Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom II in Iraq. She has served in support, airborne, and special operations units, with assignments at the Pentagon’s Office of the Chief of Chaplains, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the Eighth Theater Sustainment Command in Hawaii.
Fischer holds Airborne Jumpmaster and Pathfinder qualifications, involving oversight of military parachute operations and the establishment and control of landing and drop zones.
She holds a teaching diploma from Rhema Bible Training Center, a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees from Oral Roberts University, a doctorate in ministry, and a master’s degree in security studies. She also graduated from the Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College.
Her decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, and Combat Action Badge, along with international honors from Germany and Chile.
Fischer serves in a tradition dating to 1775, when the Continental Congress established Army chaplains. Today, the Chaplain Corps supports soldiers’ religious freedom, moral development, and spiritual well-being across many faith traditions. Its mission is to nurture the living, care for the wounded, and honor the fallen.
Army Col. S. Pinkie Fischer will be the guest speaker on Sunday, Nov. 8 at Folly Beach Methodist Church, located at 118 W. Indian Ave. For more information, visit follybeachmethodistchurch.com or call (843) 588-9174.
