Within the framework of the visit to the United States of America, the delegation of the State Agency for Religious Issues, the Chairman of the Agency, Zaza Vashakmadze, and the head of the Legal Maintenance Office, Davit Davitashvili, are having meetings about the USA experience of chaplain service. The chaplain of the military hospital of the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Olga Westphal, shared her experience to the representatives of the Agency. She is a military chaplain with 20 years of experience and performs chaplain service within the framework of a military hospital.

Olga Westphal informed the Agency's delegation in detail about the selection of military chaplains, their training, practice of activities and the importance of service. She also talked about the differences and similarities between the activities of military and hospital chaplains and provided information on what procedures chaplain organizations go through for the accreditation of serving in military units and what criteria are used to train those who wish to become chaplains.

Agency representatives were interested in the proportional number of chaplains in military units and religious diversity. Also, their attitudes towards the religious diversity of military personnel. According to Olga Westphal, a chaplain is first of all a spiritual person and then a clergyman, because only such an attitude can instill trust between a chaplain and a serviceman.

In conclusion, the chaplain of the military hospital of the US Department of Veterans Affairs wished success to the chairman of the Agency in the development of the chaplain service in Georgia and promised unconditional help if necessary.