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    Chaplains, Team Mildenhall join for ‘lunch and learn’

    Chaplains, Team Mildenhall join for lunch and learn

    Photo By Gina Randall | U.S. Air Force chaplain (Lt. Col.) Timothy Porter, 100th Air Refueling Wing chaplain...... read more read more

    UNITED KINGDOM

    04.23.2015

    Story by Gina Randall 

    100th Air Refueling Wing   

    RAF MILDENHALL, England - The Diversity Council hosted a religious diversity “Lunch and Learn,” April 23, 2015, on RAF Mildenhall, England.

    The event was open to all Team Mildenhall members and included a briefing, group discussion and question-and-answer session led by the Team Mildenhall chaplains.

    The group was welcomed by Lt. Col. Jason Barnes, 100th Air Refueling Wing chief of wing safety from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and chaplain (Lt. Col.) Timothy Porter, 100th ARW chaplain from Lebanon, Oregon.

    “My goal is that we give people an idea of how a diverse group of chaplains from different religious denominations serve together in meeting the diverse needs of the base population,” said Porter. “We’re going to go over some demographics on the different religious denominations that apply to our team. The denominations are very diverse, so how do we meet all their needs? How do we help them practice the free exercise of religion if they want to do that?”

    Porter highlighted Air Force Instruction 1-1, "Air Force Culture," which defines the Air Force’s stance on free exercise of religion.

    He explained how people are free to exercise their faith, but not at the expense of the job at hand—serving their country by protecting those at home and abroad.

    “Mission comes first,” Porter stated. “But commanders need to be sensitive to the spiritual needs of the people in their units and try to accommodate their requests for practicing their faith if at all possible.”

    Chaplain (Maj.) Randy Croft, 100th ARW deputy wing chaplain from Walla Walla, Washington, spoke about how chaplains must balance staying true to their particular religion while serving the religiously diverse base population.

    “Chaplains are represented by an endorsing agent to the Department of Defense,” Croft explained. “We are chaplains for all, pastors to some. This means that we will care for and support all Airmen and family members. However, if an Airman requests religious accommodation that goes outside the faith and guidelines from our ecclesiastical endorsing agent, we will find someone who can help [with their specific faith needs]. We provide for every military member.”

    Care and support from the chaplaincy comes in many forms, one of which being privileged communication. Whether practicing a religion, a specific faith, or not, service members and their families are welcomed to seek the council of a chaplain whenever the need arises.

    Chaplain (Capt.) Henry Hahm, 100th ARW chaplain from Long Island, New York, spoke about privileged communication.

    His message was clear — there are no grey areas. Even if the privileged communication presents a difficult moral dilemma for the chaplain, it’s protected by law.

    “We provide 100 percent confidentially. There’s no area where a chaplain is required to report,” Hahm said. “The law says we can’t report, no matter what someone says to us.”

    The chaplains are not assigned to a base to encourage the population into a particular faith, they are there to serve the people, spiritually and emotionality as required.

    “The chapel is here for all,” Hahm added.

    For more information, contact the RAF Mildenhall Chapel at DSN: 238-2822 or commercial at 01638 542822.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 04.23.2015
    Date Posted: 04.30.2015 08:03
    Story ID: 161753
    Location: GB
    Hometown: LEBANON, OR, US
    Hometown: LONG ISLAND, NY, US
    Hometown: OSHKOSH, WI, US
    Hometown: WALLA WALLA, WA, US

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