Photo By Tech. Sgt. Diana Cossaboom | U.S. Air Force Col. Stephen Jost, 20th Fighter Wing commander, is briefed by Staff...... read more read more
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SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. - During a "Behind the Scenes" event, Col. Stephen Jost, 20th Fighter Wing commander, joined the Chaplain Corps here to experience and observe the impact chaplains have on Team Shaw members and the mission.
The chaplains have a unique ministry plan at Shaw; they actually integrate into the units to personalize interaction with the Airmen.
"The chief of staff of the Air Force's vision is that eventually there will be a religious support team for every squadron in the Air Force," said Lt. Col. David Kelley, 20th FW wing chaplain. "Our strategic vision highlights the priority of unit engagement that we are to be out in the units providing spiritual care to Airmen where they are at, as opposed to having Airmen come to us in the chapel building."
An RST consists of one chaplain and one chaplain assistant teamed together to provide spiritual care for Airmen and families and advise leadership in one specific unit.
The close contact with the Airmen, to the ability to walk through their units and engage with them, is critical for chaplains to build the bonds that enable ministry and spiritual care to transpire, said Kelley.
Jost's embed with the chapel team allowed him to receive an intimate view of their everyday efforts to reach out to Airmen and Soldiers of Team Shaw, said Maj. Richard Holmes, 20th FW deputy wing chaplain.
The force is under a lot of stress with the operations tempo, but the chapel team brings a very unique capability to the mission because they are able to sit down with the Airmen and provide a non-attributional, non-threatening environment to work through issues or stressors the Airmen or Soldiers may have, said Jost.
"It is important for the wing commander to see what chaplain religious support teams are doing in order for him to be more aware of how we gather our information for our warrior ministry care plan at Shaw," said Holmes.
The target for each RST is to spend at least 18 hours a week engaging directly with the units on base.
The RST's are out on visits, at events or engaging with units on base 90 percent of their time during the week and have offices in every unit on base, said Kelley.
The chapel team's job is essential to the mission here at Shaw. They are able to communicate with the Airmen and plug into the pulse of the base, said Jost.
"It's a real privilege for us to be the Chaplain Corps here, and it's a privilege to take care of the Airmen and their families," said Kelley. "Our Airmen and their families are doing incredible work serving our country, and for us to come alongside them and help is something that we highly value."
Chaplains' critical job, ensuring Airmen and their families have an outlet where they can obtain guidance and spiritual care, provides Airmen the opportunity to maintain spiritual resiliency and keep themselves mission ready.
| Date Taken: | 04.02.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 04.08.2015 12:11 |
| Story ID: | 159414 |
| Location: | SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 76 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Behind the Scenes: Chaplain Corps, by TSgt Diana Cossaboom, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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