Col. Jacob Goldstein's colorful career has taken him to hotspots such as Afghanistan, Kuwait, Kosovo, Bosnia and Granada.

The Brooklyn raised yeshiva boy is one of 7 Jewish chaplains in the active army, ministering mostly to non-Jews. "I supervise, mentor and pastor 35 chaplains responsible for the religious needs of 16,000 soldiers." He is also Chief Chaplain for the NYS Army National Guard, the first Jew in this position.

Born in a DP camp near Paris, his parents were Holocaust survivors who arrived in Cincinnati in 1947. "Jake" went to Brooklyn to further his Jewish studies, where he was ordained as rabbi.

Among the first to enlist in the Lubavitcher Rebbe's Tefillin Campaign during the Six day War, Goldstein traveled regularly to Camp Smith, an army base in New Jersey to put on Tefilin with Jewish soldiers stationed there.

A non-Jewish chaplain took a liking to Goldstein and asked him, "Why come here as an outside visitor? Join the army, and do your ministry as part of the system, from the inside!"

The priest persisted, declaring, "I'll write to the head 'Jewish bishop' to get his blessing." Goldstein relayed the priest's request to the Rebbe. "To my surprise, the Rebbe responded affirmatively. 27 years later, I'm still in uniform!"

"When my family was young, the long calls of duty were difficult. Asked if I should cut my tour of duty short, the Rebbe replied: 'What's the rush? You are spreading G-d's word.' This clear direction and sense of purpose gives me the strength to continue through difficult times."

Rather than a conventional pulpit or congregation, Goldstein held Rosh Hashanah, 2001 services at the WTC destruction site. He stayed at Ground Zero for five months, offering comfort and counsel through the recovery effort. "It was very emotional, no matter how strong you are."

Goldstein was called up for deployment abroad during the 1991 Gulf War, and told the Rebbe he was bringing along a Megillah for Purim. The Rebbe said, "There'll surely be a Megillah where they send you, but you won't have to read it. Moshiach will come before you go to Saudi Arabia."

Goldstein's initial order to Saudi Arabia was reversed and he was stationed in Israel with the Joint Task Force Patriot Defenders. The Megillah wasn't needed; the war ended right before Purim.

In peacetime Goldstein serves as NYC Assistant Commissioner of Housing, and has spearheaded many projects to improve the quality of life in his community. His many awards and citations attest to his dedicated service during wartime.