'A passion for chaplaincy': NEWAC clinics get their own chaplain

Don Blomberg, a former pastor with experience in rural settings, became NEWAC’s first chaplain in June. Originally from northern Wisconsin, he spent the last 23 years in Wyoming, where he was a pastor as well as a VA chaplain in Cheyenne for 13 years.

“We were excited to come back to the trees and the water,” Blomberg said, referring to himself and his wife Nancy.

A graduate of Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota., Blomberg ran a dairy farm in Wisconsin for several years before taking on his first pastoral job in Iowa. After receiving his Master of Divinity degree from Denver Seminary in Colorado, he took on his first senior pastorship in Tioga, North Dakota.

Following were pastorships in Frederic, Wisconsin, (12 years) and Albin, Wyoming, (10 years) before he began to “feel a passion for chaplaincy,” he said. He went back to school to receive his Certificate of Chaplaincy from Denver Seminary and landed at the Cheyenne VA.

“My dad served in World War II and came back with a shell on his back, so I saw the effects of war,” he said, noting that his father’s wound never healed, and he spent his life dealing with the pain. 

Despite that, he didn’t speak of the war or his time in the military, Blomberg said, and he rarely complained. He worked as an electrician and helped raise five boys.

“I saw what war does to people with my dad. I think that’s given me more compassion for Veterans from all walks of life,” he said. “I developed a love and passion for Veterans, and wanted to see how I could help them.

“I know not everyone's going to live their life like my dad did,” he said. “In fact, very few will, but I can walk with others and try to encourage them, help them and let them know they're not alone in this. So I'm grateful for that opportunity.”

In Wyoming, Blomberg was an outpatient chaplain, working with Cheyenne’s far-flung clinics, spanning some 250 miles from Rawlins, Wyoming, to Sidney, Nebraska. He also worked with homebound Veterans. A typical day saw him in a clinic in the morning before hitting the road to meet with Veterans in their homes.

“I had a lot of days where I would get up in the morning and it was dark, and by the time I got home at night it was dark,” he said.

While he won’t be logging those kinds of miles in northeastern Wisconsin, his expertise in working with rural Veterans will be a boon in his new position.

Blomberg will split his time between the three clinics — Green Bay, Cleveland and Appleton. Blomberg said his goal is to develop relationships with Veterans and let them know he is there for them.

“Distance is a huge barrier,” he said. “We try to find other ways to make that happen. You have to be creative. You make yourself available or meet virtually. You find things that are workable for certain situations.

“Hanging out with Veterans and just being available (are important),” he said. “Really taking the time to let them know that when things happen … they have a chaplain they can turn to.”

Chaplains can serve as a sounding board — not just for Veterans, but for their families and caregivers, he said — providing solace in times of stress and facilitating prayer when needed, Blomberg said, regardless of faith.

“Faith looks differently for all people. We basically walk with them where they’re at,” he said. 

Chaplains also provide support for VA staff, and Blomberg said the NEWAC staff is adjusting well to having a chaplain they can rely on.

“That’s as valuable as the work I do with Veterans,” he said. “Lots of staff are unfamiliar with what chaplains do, so they’re trying to figure this out too. They’ve been very welcoming, very encouraging and very supportive of chaplain services.”

Robert Allen, chief of chaplain services for the Milwaukee VA, said hiring a chaplain for NEWAC was long overdue, as VAs are required to have chaplains serving all outpatient clinics. 

He noted that Blomberg built Cheyenne’s outpatient clinic chaplaincy program, and he’s doing the same for NEWAC.

“He brings that level of expertise,” Allen said. “He’s a terrific fit and a tremendous plus for us. He hit the ground running. The staff is head over heels about Chaplain Don.”