U.S. Army Chaplain Discusses the Rise of Spirituality Among Today’s Youth with YourUpdateTV

August 28, 2025 at 10:25 AM EDT

NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spirituality is on the rise among today’s youth with 77% of Gen Z considering themselves to be spiritual. The U.S. Army is experiencing this shift firsthand and recognizes spiritual readiness as one of the five essential domains of the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) system, underscoring its value in helping Soldiers build strength, resilience, and a sense of purpose—on and off the battlefield.

By cultivating spiritual readiness, Soldiers are better equipped to manage stress, maintain motivation, and overcome challenges. This sense of inner purpose positively influences the other H2F domains—mental, physical, nutritional, and sleep readiness—reinforcing the Army’s holistic approach to wellbeing.

Army Chaplains, like Chaplain James Drake, play a pivotal role in building spiritual readiness by providing guidance and resources to help individuals foster meaningful connections and a sense of belonging, regardless of their personal beliefs.

Drake, a National Guard Soldier in the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps, has firsthand experience guiding young service members on their spiritual journeys and is uniquely positioned to provide insights into how young adults can reconnect with their spirituality. He recommends that young adults begin to identify their deeper purpose – or their “why,” – which will naturally guide them toward discovering what they want to achieve and how to get there.

On August 21, 2025, Drake conducted a nationwide media tour with TV and radio stations around the country, touching on his own experiences with spirituality and answering the below questions:

What do you think is behind this rise in spirituality among Gen Z? Are you seeing this trend reflected among Soldiers?
Why is spirituality so important to overall health and wellbeing?
Talk about the role spirituality has played in your own life.
What advice do you have for young people who are interested in beginning a spiritual journey, or in deepening their faith?

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW THE ARMY HELPS SOLDIERS BE ALL THEY CAN BE, VISIT GOARMY.COM

About YourUpdateTV:
YourUpdateTV is a property of D S Simon Media. The video included and release was part of a media tour that was produced by D S Simon Media on behalf of U.S. Army

Dante Muccigrosso
Director of Media Integration & Client Reporting
E: dantem@dssimon.com
C: 973.524.0104

A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ff802c27-7764-4624-9126-1aa4eb0bb617