Assisting Chaplains during deployment

Photo By Estella Holmes | U.S. Army chaplain assistant Sgt. Keely Browning, noncommissioned officer in charge at Enduring Faith Chapel, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, prepares communion for a Protestant Christian service, June 12, 2016.  

AFGHANISTAN

06.22.2016

Story by Estella Holmes 

U.S. Forces Afghanistan

BAGRAM AIRFIELD AFGHANISTAN (June 22, 2016) – Chaplain assistants in Afghanistan provide a unique support to service members deployed here. They directly support their chaplain and they also bring a breadth of knowledge, support, and caring that this military occupational specialty consistently provides to our troops, both at home and deployed.

Chaplain assistants are part of a religious support team that consists of a chaplain and his assistant. Each member of the RST has specific duties. Service members are aware of the duties of the chaplain, but they should also remain aware of what the other member of the team, the chaplain assistant, does to help.

“Assistants, like chaplains, must have a strong desire to take care of soldiers and families,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Keely Browning, noncommissioned officer in charge of Enduring Faith Chapel, deployed with the 518th Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

Browning is the chaplain assistant for 518th RSSB Chaplain (Maj.) Paul Ormond. She accompanied her chaplain to BAF for a nine-month tour.

Chaplain assistants may either deploy with their RST or they can deploy with their unit and be assigned to a chaplain upon their arrival in theatre. As a member of a RST, the assistant deploys to take care of the unit and to support a chaplain, or several chaplains.

While deployed the chaplain will circulate around the theater to visit all the members of the organization, to provide spiritual support wherever it may be needed. The chaplain assistant provides the administrative and logistical support for these trips to ensure the chaplain can focus on the needs of the troops. A typical week will have the RST conducting services on BAF on the weekends and during the week the team travels to outlying forward operating bases to support the spiritual needs for all the members of the unit where they work and live.

Browning has been a chaplain assistant for a number of years. “In four years, I have been assigned to three different chaplains. The chaplain who completes my team is assigned based on mission needs, just like any other MOS,” said Browning.

Chaplain assistants are not required to adhere to any particular faith, or religion. A religious support team can consist of many different faiths.

“You can be an atheist, but must agree to support any religion,” said Master Sgt. John G. Nygren, senior enlisted advisor to the command chaplain. “I have a faith background. My father was a pastor. My background has been helpful in my career, but not at all needed to be successful as a RST.”

The chaplain assistant is the enlisted member of the team. They must maintain all the basic skills of any other military specialty, while also conducting other specialized duties like weddings, family support, and redeployment briefings.

“Some people have the misconception that we are just the chaplain’s driver or that we just work in the chapel and yes, these are some RST jobs, but we are Jack’s and Jill’s of all trades,” said Nygen.

Nygren has worked directly with 20 different chaplains of various religious denominations, during his career, “variety in chaplains and jobs has been the norm.“

“During my career, one day I might perform mechanics on a car and another be instructing other CAs in a classroom setting,” he continued.

Chaplain assistant duties will vary depending on assignment. To help prepare all chaplain assistants to perform their current duties better, to prepare for future opportunities, to cross-level knowledge, or introduce new concepts, monthly training on different topics is provided on BAF for chaplains assistants throughout Afghanistan.

Among the many tasks performed by chaplain assistants is preparing the chapel for services, which are held throughout the week.

The chapels provide a location for a variety of religious and denominational services, each requiring a set up specific to the practice of that faith. The chaplain assistant ensures the transition from one service to the next is completed in time and to the standards required for the next religious service.

The chaplain assistant may be known as the ‘other member’ of the religious support team, but they are equally committed to provide care to the troops and their families as they continue to seamlessly provide for the spiritual and religious needs of all members of the organization.

• Date Taken: 06.22.2016
• Date Posted: 06.22.2016 09:48
• Story ID: 202058
• Location: AF