Light the Way

Staff Sgt. Nikki Webb, 319th Air Base Wing chaplain assistant, lights a candle in the chapel sanctuary for a worship service at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. Sept. 24, 2014. Chaplain assistants’ duties involve taking care of the logistical aspects of worship services and different events that the chaplains coordinate. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Xavier Navarro)

Spiritual Guidance

Chaplain (Capt.) Christopher Watson, 319th Air Base Wing chaplain, is one of three chaplains available for Airmen to seek counseling from at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. The most vital resource that chaplains are able to offer Airmen and their families is 100 percent confidential counseling regardless of what is discussed. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Bonnie Grantham)

Grand Forks Air Force Base Chapel Team logo (informational seal)

Grand Forks Air Force Base Chapel Team logo on blue informational seal design created using photos and vector graphics in full RGB color with drop shadow effects on white background created using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator CS4. The Chapel Team at Grand Forks AFB, N.D., is part of the U.S. Air Force Chaplain Corps, which provides spiritual care and the opportunity for Airmen, their families, and other authorized personnel to exercise their constitutional right to the free exercise of religion. This is accomplished through religious observances, providing pastoral care, and advising leadership on spiritual, ethical, moral, morale, core values, and religious accommodation issues. In accordance with Chapter 3 of AFI 84-105, commercial reproduction of this emblem is NOT permitted without the permission of the proponent organization and or unit commander. (U.S. Air Force graphic/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

Grand Forks AFB Chapel Team logo (center component)

Grand Forks Air Force Base Chapel Team logo (center component) created using vector graphics in full RGB color on white background using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator CS4.The Chapel Team at Grand Forks AFB, N.D., is part of the U.S. Air Force Chaplain Corps, which provides spiritual care and the opportunity for Airmen, their families, and other authorized personnel to exercise their constitutional right to the free exercise of religion. This is accomplished through religious observances, providing pastoral care, and advising leadership on spiritual, ethical, moral, morale, core values, and religious accommodation issues. In accordance with Chapter 3 of AFI 84-105, commercial reproduction of this emblem is NOT permitted without the permission of the proponent organization and or unit commander. (U.S. Air Force graphic/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

Piece of the Fight: Shining the light from the shadows

Published Nov. 25, 2014
By Airman 1st Class Bonnie Grantham
319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- It's the thing that pushes you forward when you want to go backward. It's the light at the end of the tunnel. It's the first thing you think of in the morning, and the last thing you think of at night. When you feel like giving up, but something keeps you from doing it, that's defined as your spiritual resilience.

When people think of "spiritual resilience," it's common for them to think of religion, but that's not all it is. The Chapel team exists to aid in fostering the spiritual resilience of every Airman, regardless of his religion or lack thereof.

"If you're a Christian, Buddhist or even an atheist, beliefs affect every part of your life," said 319th Air Base Wing Chaplain (Capt.) Christopher Watson. "Spiritual fitness isn't just a pillar or domain; it is the foundation of Comprehensive Airman Fitness because beliefs direct you in everything that you do."

The Chapel Corps is made up of commissioned officers who have been endorsed and ordained by a religious organization and enlisted chaplain assistants. At Grand Forks AFB there are three chaplains and three chaplain assistants; together they make up what is called the religious support team (RST).

Chaplains serve as visible reminders of the holy, directly or indirectly supporting the free exercise of religion for all Airmen, their family members and other authorized personnel. They serve Airmen in many different ways, though.

One vital resource that only the chaplains can offer any DOD card-holding member is 100 percent confidential counseling.

"Regardless of what you tell the chaplain, it stays between you and the chaplain," said Tech. Sgt. Nathaniel Jones, 319th ABW NCO-in-charge of chapel operations. "If you have no faith at all they're still willing to talk to you, and it's still 100 percent confidential."

When the chaplains are helping specific people, they do not disclose details to anyone, including commanders and first sergeants, said Watson.

"Chaplains are like the shadows," said Watson. "No one will ever know about a lot of what we do."

While the Chapel Corps does a lot of their work in the shadows, they are also busy planning morale-boosting events for Airmen.

One example would be the annual Spiritual Wingman Day that the 319th ABW Chapel team has designed. Spiritual Wingman Day is a day where Airmen are able to put their day-to-day tasks on hold and attend three different seminars throughout the day that are meant to offer ways for Airmen to strengthen their spiritual fitness. There are faith-based and non-faith-based seminars offered to accommodate the needs of Airmen.

Another way the 319th ABW Chapel team is fostering Airmen morale is through retreats offered to Airmen in different stages of life. From September 2014 to April 2015, the Chapel team has scheduled a total of seven retreats; four single Airmen retreats, two married Airmen retreats and one family retreat.

When morale is low in a unit, the chaplains can also be the voice of the Airmen directly to the commander, said Jones.

"We just want you guys to know that we are here for you and we care for you," said 319th ABW chaplain assistant Staff Sgt. Jere Ross. "We're that spiritual pillar; we want to make sure Airmen are ready to go at anytime."

Spiritual fitness is difficult to define because it is unique to each individual, but the chaplains are always there to help Airmen figure out their own definition or to accommodate their pre-existing definition.

"The fact is, we're a chaplain to everyone," said Watson. "We oversee religious education in our own religious affiliation, but outside of that, we're here for everyone. We will do the research to get anyone spiritually fit."