Captain Chaplain's military service encompasses more than 29 years in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, giving him a unique perspective on homeland security, port security, and force protection. He was assigned to the White House as the Coast Guard's representative in the Office of National Drug Control Policy and worked to defend the U.S. borders from the threat of illegal substance importation.

Captain Chaplain was Chief of Operations in the First Coast Guard District and directed or oversaw tactical mission planning and execution for all operations conducted from northern New Jersey to Canada. He successfully orchestrated the rescue efforts involving JFK Jr. and Egypt Air 990. In the aftermath of the USS Cole attack, he was also responsible for approving and implementing the Force Protection Plans for Navy and Coast Guard ships visiting the New England coast.

While serving as Operations Planning Officer for the Coast Guard's Commander of the Atlantic Area, Chaplain was instrumental in the development of response plans for the mass migration of illegal immigrants to the U.S. from Haiti and Cuba. These directives, which resulted in the rescue of more than 55,000 individuals in the summer of 1994, were also a vital part of maintaining control of our southeastern border.

Captain Chaplain is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, and also holds a degree from the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia.