HEIDELBERG, Germany — Chaplain (Maj.) Khallid Shabazz, one of the only five imam chaplains in the Army, is an Alexandria native who wasn’t always a chaplain, a Muslim or even named Khallid Shabazz.
An imam is a leader of prayer or Muslim congregation. Shabazz is an imam chaplain for the U.S. Army in Europe.
Shabazz used to be known as Michael Barnes, a 23-year-old Jarvis Christian College graduate working at a major department store chain in Baton Rouge making $67 a week before he decided to enlist in the Army. (More)