Lt. Jalicia was commissioned as a Salvation Army officer (pastor) in 2025 and was appointed to the Youngstown Citadel Corps in Youngstown, Ohio. Get to know her testimony, her call to officership, and advice for young Salvationists who receive the call to officership.

Camp not only became a safe place where Jalicia felt loved, but a place that helped realize her life’s calling. 

When Jalicia was seven years old, she attended Camp NEOSA in Ohio, the first place she thought she received the call to officership. She spent the next 10 summers at the camp that became her safe place. There, she nurtured that nudge to become an officer (pastor), strengthened her faith, and experienced emotional transformation. Over those 10 years, she watched camp staff members and leaders serve with humility and preach the gospel with boldness, skills she knew God was calling her to develop for herself.

Though the call to officership isn’t something she accepted lightly, she chose this path with careful precision and prayer. 

“Coming from a background shaped by generational struggle, poverty, and brokenness, I recognize that my story is part of God’s redemptive plan,” Jalicia said. “I didn’t choose this path to escape where I came from. I chose it to go back and minister to those still in it. God made it clear: this calling wasn’t just for me, it’s the ones coming after me.”

Cadet Life

At the College for Officer Training that she eventually enrolled at, Jalicia’s faith was strengthened in more ways than she could ever imagine. “The structured spiritual disciplines — daily devotions, corporate worship, and service — have deepened my relationship with Christ,” she said. “I’ve also had to confront parts of myself — past wounds, pride, insecurity — and surrender them to Christ. That kind of soul work is hard, but it’s necessary.” 

Her favorite parts about life as a cadet involved leading youth nights at a local corps, serving in community ministries, and showing up in real, vulnerable ways. “The classroom has its place, but ministry outside the walls is where I come alive,” she said. 

Jalicia cited community at the CFOT  around her as a pivotal moment in her training and education. “The community has shaped me, and the classroom and field have equipped me to be a better officer and a more compassionate servant.” Her session mates became her family: “We’ve cried, laughed, prayed, and worked together. We’re not just classmates; we’re family in Christ.”

Being An Officer

Community is important for Jalicia, and it’s important to her to show up for the community at her first appointment. “I’m looking forward to building authentic relationships in the community and creating a space where people feel known and loved.” 

Jalicia advised anyone who may feel called to be a Salvation Army officer to lean into the discomfort, despite not feeling ready enough. “God doesn’t call the qualified — He qualifies the called. If He placed the call in your spirit, trust that He’ll walk with you through the process.”

Going Deeper

A passage that has always stood out to Jalicia is Isaiah 61:1-3. “… He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives …” (Isaiah 61:1b, NIV). That verse became Jalicia’s mission as she was commissioned as an officer. “That’s not just Scripture — it’s my mission. I’ve lived it. And now I get to be a vessel of that same hope for others.”

Jalicia is inspired by Commissioner Israel Gaither, the first Black National Commander of The Salvation Army. Commissioner Gaither rose through the ranks of The Salvation Army at a time when leadership didn’t always reflect diversity, but he walked with boldness, excellence and faith. “He paved the way for people like me to see ourselves in leadership,” Jalicia remarked. “His legacy reminds me that representation matters, and that we must always lead with both courage and compassion.”

#didyouknow

Did you know that The Salvation Army has had a presence at the Olympics?

The Salvation Army began outreach at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY. The Olympics committee grew worried about visitors waiting outside in the cold, so called on the local Salvation Army to help. Salvation Army officers and soldiers came and served warm drinks to visitors waiting for transportation to the events. 

This outreach continued during the 1984 Summer Olympics, 1988 Winter Olympics, 1992 Summer Olympics, and 1994 Winter Olympics.

A Salvationist Love Story

When Israel Gaither entered the College for Officer Training in 1962, he met a young session mate from Ohio named Eva Shue. Later, when they were each commissioned to the Western Pennsylvania Division, their friendship turned into love. 

Only it was the 1960s, and interracial marriage was illegal in 16 states. Israel was Black and Eva was white. But sympathetic to their love, Salvation Army leadership supported their marriage. Israel Gaither and Eva Shue were married in 1967, making this the first interracial marriage between Salvation Army officers (pastors) in the United States. 

Years later, Israel Gaither served as the National Commander of The Salvation Army, the first Black Salvation Army officer to step into the role.  

To read more about Israel and Eva’s love story, click here.