CALEDONIA, MI, May 04, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Chaplain Colonel (Ret.) Herman Keizer Jr. is a distinguished biographee of Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are chosen from among a pool of the most prominent professionals and are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Mr. Keizer secured a stellar reputation across a diverse career of service specifically excelled as a chaplain with the United States Army. He was called to serve in that capacity when studying at Calvin College, as he was drafted into the Army while enrolled in an undergraduate program there. Once stationed at Fort Belvoir at the rank of private first class, Mr. Keizer accepted the position of chaplain assistant, then once his two-year military assignment ended, he returned to school to finish a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy.

A desire to further his education prompted Mr. Keizer to enroll in the Calvin Theological Seminary, where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity in 1968, the same year he became an ordained minister through the Christian Reformed Church in North America, where he would serve as the director of chaplaincy ministries after an honorable discharge from the Army. Mr. Keizer also pursued advanced academic credentials by completing a Master of Arts in Education from Columbia Teachers College in 1978 before finishing a Master of Theology at the New York Theological Seminary in 1979.

Mr. Keizer capably pursued a broad range of professional appointments throughout a storied career. From 1968 to 2002, he was a United States Army chaplain and affiliated with Calvin College and Seminary; he also held the rank of NATO command chaplain and was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany, between 1994 and 1997; through that critical appointment, Mr. Keizer capably interacted with and trained other NATO chaplains active around the world.

From 2000 to 2002, Mr. Keizer elevated his global profile through a key appointment in the United States Department of State as chaplain and advisor to the ambassador-at-large for the Office of International Religious Freedom. This assignment required extensive travel across countries on the African continent, leading to valuable exposure to diverse cultures. Additionally, between 2002 to 2017, Mr. Keizer contributed to the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship as a consultant and writer.

Between 2012 and 2014, Mr. Keizer was proudly affiliated with the Moral Injury and Soul Repair Center as a co-director. In this role, he partnered with Dr. Rita Brock at Brite Divinity School, which was a division of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. As an essential administrator of the unique project, he assisted in organizing conferences focused on post-traumatic stress disorder, particularly for soldiers who felt compromised in carrying out specific military duties that conflicted with their religious beliefs; in this capacity, Mr. Keizer relied on vital experience accumulated during his time as a dedicated consultant in PTSD treatment between 2005 and 2017.

Mr. Keizer has been duly recognized for his selfless dedication to service and outstanding professional achievements. Throughout his decorated military career, he accepted numerous honors, including a Purple Heart in recognition of his bravery during an incident in Cambodia dating to the Vietnam War era. He was also a five-time Bronze Star Medal recipient, commendations that denoted heroic service, and he also held one Bronze Star with a V device, which is the fourth-highest military decoration for valor. Additionally, the American Association of Professional Chaplains honored him with a Distinguished Service Award, and both Calvin College and the Calvin Theological Seminary granted Mr. Keizer the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Additional commendations were granted to Mr. Keizer in celebration of his broad success. For example, in honor of his extraordinary efforts to help others cope in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell acknowledged his determined and dedicated counseling support. He was also featured in Millennium Magazine. Furthermore, in 2012, Mr. Keizer won the David E. White Leadership Award, and he was posthumously inducted into the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor.

Mr. Keizer was the National Chaplain for the Military Order of the Purple Heart in his later years. Mr. Keizer died on December 22, 2017.

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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. The suite of Marquis® publications, including Who's Who in America® and Who's Who in the World®, remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the globe. Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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