Upholding and Preserving Chaplaincy in America
Preserving the trust that sustains chaplaincy as a lawful & vital expression of faith, service, and spiritual life in American.
Who We AreUSFCN is a vital, bold, visionary initiative focused on strengthening America’s Spiritual Core!
Builds on the proven success of chaplaincy in our schools and institutions.
Opens doors in new schools and institutions for a nationwide impact.
Promotes quality spiritual care for the nation.
Builds a foundation that enables people to endure hardship, form character, carry responsibility, and live with hope.
Upholds and preserves the sacred trust of chaplaincy in America.
Sets national certification standards for chaplains and coaches called to serve in schools and institutions.
Teams with faith-based endorsers and partners.
Certifies that chaplains and coaches are properly credentialed, endorsed, and equipped to bring hope, trust, and compassionate care.
What We Believe
We believe children deserve daily spiritual support that helps form character, integrity, purpose, and hope. Chaplains and coaches bring the full continuum of life and service — supporting students, families, public servants, warfighters, veterans, and all those who protect and lead our communities.
To view the USFCN Statement of Faith and learn more about our organization, click the link below!
Meet the Team
Chaplain Tom Solhjem, Major General, USA Ret.
Executive Director & Co-Founder
Tom enlisted in the Army in 1974 for active duty, and then the Reserves while serving for six years as the senior pastor of a church, returning to active duty as a Chaplain in 1988. He served as a chaplain at all levels, culminating a 49-year career as the 25th Chief of Chaplains and shepherd for the Department of the Army’s 1.2M Active, Guard, Reserve, Civilians, and 4.8M Family Members.
Founding Partner of Global Spiritual Awakening and Renewal, focused on restoring healthy spiritual and faith life, promoting healthy outcomes.
Founder and President of General Consulting Network. Tom consults and speaks on constitutionally grounded free exercise of religion in the public square through the lens of the military chaplaincy model.
Serves as the Executive Director of the U.S. Family Chaplaincy Network upholding a National Standard for US Chaplaincy primarily in K-12 and academia with potential to reach into all institutions and agencies of government and civil society.
Chair, Advisory Board of LUKE Holdings, Inc. a faith-based health care provider focused on warfighters, veterans, first responders, and their families.
Tom’s passion for the freedom of religion is fueled by a Christian faith and calling to ministry. His lifelong skills, and experiences, prepared him to lead at the strategic and organizational levels, always investing in people, building teams, and striving to serve God, Country, and those entrusted to his care.
EDUCATION:
MS, US Army War College in Strategic Studies, Carlilse Barracks, PA
MDiv, Bethel Theological Seminary, Arden Hills, MN
BS in Pastoral Studies, North Central University, Minneapolis, MN
Tom married Jill (Walberg) Solhjem in 1977. They reside in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Central Virginia. They have four adult married children and six grandchildren. Tom and Jill are involved in ministry with their local church and community by leading, mentoring, encouraging and serving as the Lord leads.
Chaplain Randy Kitchens, Major General, USAF Ret.
Deputy Executive Director & Co-Founder
Randy is a retired Chaplain, Major General from the Department of the Air Force having served over 37 years in the Chaplain Corps at all levels. His last assignment was the 20th Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force and the 2nd Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Space Force having served as the senior pastor for more than 770,000 Department of the Air Force active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilians. Prior to his military chaplaincy service, he served in pastoral roles for seven years.
As Founder and President of REK 20, LLC, he speaks and consults in the areas of Religious Liberty and Servant Leadership and preaches as requested in fulfillment of his continued calling to Christian ministry.
Serving as the National Chaplain and Advisory Board Member for the Air and Space Forces Association (AFA), he also serves as the AFA State Chaplain and Local Chapter Chaplain in Florida.
Serves as the Deputy Executive Director of the U.S. Family Chaplaincy Network, Inc., upholding a National Standard for US Chaplaincy, primarily K-12 and academia, with potential to reach into all institutions and agencies of government and civil society.
Randy is passionate about religious liberty, religious formation of the people of faith, and teaching leadership at all levels. His earnest desire to aid and assist new areas of government and schools seeking to incorporate chaplaincy, spiritual care, religious education and leadership is why he continues to serve today. He loves working with teams to develop and achieve their mission and ministry goals.
EDUCATION:
PhD, Louisiana Baptist University, Shreveport, LA
DD, Louisiana Baptist University. Shreveport, LA
MS, Air University, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
MDiv, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY
BA, Mercer University, Macon, GA
Randy married Sherri (Stricklen) Kitchens in 1981. They reside in the city of Oxford in Central Florida. They have two adult married children and five grandchildren. Randy and Sherri are involved in ministry with their local church and community by leading, mentoring, encouraging and serving as the Lord leads.
Sam Solhjem
Chief Operating & Financial Officer
Samuel Solhjem is a former US Army officer with 8 years of active duty and 3 years of reserve service. His primary area of expertise is operational planning and logistics. He regularly served as lead planner for training and real-world operations both stateside and abroad. He has managed personnel, facilities, equipment, and various operations and unique missions throughout his military career.
After leaving the Army, Sam achieved certification and licensing in the insurance and finance sector while working for State Farm in insurance sales and customer support and retention. This experience led him to pursue an MBA and follow his passion to be involved in business and ministry simultaneously.
Serves as the Chief Operating and Financial Officer for the U.S. Family Chaplaincy Network, Inc., upholding a National Standard for US Chaplaincy, primarily K-12 and academia, with potential to reach into all institutions and agencies of government and civil society.
Sam is a passionate and proven leader in the many different environments. Areas of expertise include operational planning and execution, customer/client advising and relations, business & fiscal planning and management.
EDUCATION:
BA, University of North Dakota
MBA, Strayer University
Sam married Dr. Caitlin (Porter) Solhjem in 2018 and they live rurally in the greater Charlottesville, VA area. They attend a local community church near the Shenandoah National Forest and are seeking to grow their family.
Members of the Board
Steve retired from the U.S. Army (Colonel) in 2022, having served over eight years active duty in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps and his last 20 years active duty as a chaplain. He has been a licensed attorney for forty years, with particular experience in constitutional and religious-liberty law.
During his final four-year assignment at the Pentagon, Steve developed, authored, and reviewed authoritative policies and regulations for the Army Chief of Chaplains and, in many cases, for policies prescribed for all Army and Joint military and civilian personnel. His responsibilities included oversight of federal legislative and State Department initiatives affecting chaplaincy and religious liberty. He also authored two manuals implemented Army-wide, including DA Pamphlet 165-19, Moral Leadership, which describing and directing how personal religious belief and spiritual formation should contribute to ethical leadership and decision-making in the Army’s pluralistic workplaces, consistent with applicable constitutional and legal standards.
Steve is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America and serves as Associate Pastor of Lakeview Presbyterian Church in Vernon Hills, Illinois. He is also a full-time PhD candidate in Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where he also served as part-time faculty for a masters-level chaplaincy course.
Steve serves as a commissioner on the Presbyterian and Reformed Commission on Chaplains and Military Personnel, the endorsing body for seven evangelical Presbyterian and Reformed denominations. He serves as a legal advisor to the Commission and its chaplains on matters involving chaplaincy and religious liberty.
Steve has a particular passion for preaching and theology. His dissertation explores theological aesthetics and the practical importance of Scripture’s pervasive portrayal of a fearsome divine beauty.
Education:
PhD Candidate in Systematic Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois
MDiv, Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri
JD, Southern Illinois University School of Law, Carbondale, Illinois
BA, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
Steve and Suzanne were married in 1988 and reside in Green Oaks, Illinois. They have three adult children.
Chaplain Steve Prost, Colonel, USA Ret.
USFCN Board Member
Your Support is Important
We believe God has opened a door for such a time as this.
Help us accelerate our divine mission and extend its impact nationwide.
Schools and institutions deserve our Support!
Will you prayerfully consider partnering with us in this sacred calling?