Chaplaincy-no easy job

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Melissa Harvey
  • 301st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
NAVAL AIR STATION FORT WORTH JOINT RESERVE BASE, Texas --  Air Force chaplains can find themselves in any number of situations while in a deployed environment. Being able to navigate these situations no matter where they are while being a representative of their faith is the day-to-day challenge they face.

Learning just what these challenges can be is important for potential future chaplains.

Approximately 30 Air Force chaplain candidates who are in the middle of a five-week tour around the United States where they will see different sides of life as a chaplain visited Fort Wolters in Mineral Wells, Texas July 20-21.

At Fort Wolters candidates learned basic land navigation skills such as how to read maps and use a compass. They also learned about counterintelligence, what their troops could be dealing with in the midst war, and how they will need to know cultural and religious aspects of the nation they are deployed to in order to be effective. The classes were taught by 610th Security Forces personnel from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas.

While class time was an emphasis, hands on scenarios were very much a part of training. For example, candidates participated in a four-hour land navigation challenge in one exercise and in another, they had to learn how to effectively negotiate with local village people, role played by 610th SFS personnel, in a simulated deployed environment.

It is during training times like these candidates determine whether chaplaincy is something they would like to pursue, according to Master Sgt. Tyler Harris, a chaplain's assistant, at Travis Air Force base, Calif.
At the same time it is a chance for cadre, current chaplains, to observe candidates for potentials.

In order for candidates to get to this point in the candidacy program, they have to meet certain requirements.

"They have to be working on a degree of at least 72 hours of master's level [courses] in theology and they have to be endorsed by a recognized religious endorser," said Capt. Jonathan Farquhar, 301st Mission Support Group chaplain. "For most folks they go to Commission Officer Training first, then there is a two week Chaplain Candidate course and then they will go into this [candidacy tour]."

This is a good opportunity for them to see what the Air Force is about and see if they are dissolutioned about what being a chaplain would really be like, he said.

For one candidate, 2nd Lt. Charlie Johnson, the tour has served its purpose.

"It's everything I thought it would be...," he said. "I didn't know we were going to be here with other people though. So, for me, as a chaplain candidate that is super important because we don't have a lot of exposure to the rest of the Air Force...being here with the SFs [security forces] especially, has been really nice because it's given me a sense of feeling of how I can fit in more with the operational Air Force, especially in more of a deployed type of environment, not just an office."

In the end, candidates who will go on to become chaplains will need to be able to do one thing no matter where they are.

"When we go places we should bring the "holy" into peoples' mind," Farquhar said. "Can they [candidates] continue to do that under the different stresses and the different environments that the military is in? [While] in a pluralistic environment, in other words, with people of different faiths than your own."

After candidates completed their time at Fort Wolters, they visited the 301st Fighter Wing at NAS Fort Worth JRB, where they were briefed by Brig. Gen. Ronald B. Miller, wing commander.