Serving in the Army could be a stressful job, but there are chaplains like Capt. Karl Flores who provide counsel and guidance.

Flores has been serving as a chaplain for the Guam Army Reserves for over eight years. He has been a source of guidance and encouragement for servicemen who seek his religious counsel.

It may be easy to think that a man like Flores had an easy-going journey. However, Flores’s story is of a long and strenuous, filled with disappointment and trials.

Born and raised on Guam, Flores always saw himself in the law enforcement field. For as long as he could remember, he believed that law enforcement was his calling in life. After joining the military at 17, Flores immediately signed up for the Air Force Security Forces and spent eight years of his life pursuing law enforcement.

“When I was in the Air Force, my passion was S.W.A.T., special weapons and tactics, so I pursued every opportunity that dealt with S.W.A.T.” Flores said. It was his goal that after the military, he would pursue S.W.A.T outside of the military. Flores went on to explain how he participated in different intense military schoolings in order to gain experience and make it in the S.W.A.T field.

After leaving the military, Flores immediately applied for every government law enforcement agency that was available. He was rejected for every job he applied for.

“I applied for the Superior Court Marshals three times and nobody hired me,” Flores said. After three years of applying, Flores finally realized that law enforcement doors were closing for him. “It was during the downward spiral when God started to call me into ministry,” Flores said.

It was at that point in his life when Flores began his new chapter of ministry. This chapter would lead to years of schooling to become a  minister and eventually rejoining the military where he now serves as a chaplain.