Dobbins Chapel team grows first Reserve wing offering fund

Photo By Master Sgt. Michael McGhee | Capt. Alexa Pearl, 700th Airlift Squadron, speaks with Lt. Col. Antonio Ortiz-Guzman, 94th Airlift Wing chaplain, at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia, during a luncheon for Airmen. The Chapel Tithes and Offering Fund has recently supplied meals for Airmen to foster camaraderie around the wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Michael McGhee)  

MARIETTA, GA, UNITED STATES

05.19.2021

Story by Master Sgt. Michael McGhee 

94th Airlift Wing

Since the inception of the pilot program the funds continue to grow and give back to Airmen by funding luncheons for Dobbins units, said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Antonio Ortiz-Guzman, 94th Airlift Wing chaplain. This is the first time the fund has been executed from the Air Force Reserve Command.
“I think the CTOF has been an enhancement tenfold to the power of visitation, connection, and boosting morale in the shops to show that we care,” said Ortiz-Guzman. “Bringing the CTOF over to the Reserve is a powerful tool.”
The numbers vary depending on the size of the units, but the totals have ranged from feeding only a few Airmen up to a squadron of 55. One of the biggest benefits of providing meals to base units is opening lines of communication from the officers, supervisors, and enlisted Airmen.
“Communication is a process; that first time or first interaction sets the tone,” said Ortiz-Guzman. “Asking questions: How long have you been here? Are you full or part-time? Then an introduction by myself as the base chaplain. It’s that start, so when we continue to do our follow-up visitation, we already have a start.”
Establishing these lines of communication gives members of the chaplain corps an opportunity to reach back to someone seeking information for worship, training programs, or to speak with a staff member about a personal matter.
“One of the biggest things we talk to them about is, now it doesn’t matter if they’re in military status or not. They have total confidentiality because the chaplain staff are in status fulltime,” said Ortiz.
As chaplain corps continues to make tremendous strides on base, faith and worship services are not the only tools in their arsenal. There are various training programs the chaplain’s team can teach at a unit, with some units already taking advantage of those programs.
“I think the leadership training they offer is probably going to be one of the biggest pieces for our supervisors to utilize,” Chief Master Sgt. Daniel Gadsden, 94th Airlift Wing Maintenance Squadron superintendent. “They can take the opportunity to get those one-hour classes throughout the week to talk about leadership opportunities.”
“I thought it was phenomenal, really,” said Gadsden. “We had a great turnout and I think the folks in the maintenance squadron really enjoyed it.”
The chaplains office says they have plans to continue providing meals and growing the scope of the CTOF program.

• Date Taken: 05.19.2021
• Date Posted: 05.20.2021 09:11
• Story ID: 396904
• Location: MARIETTA, GA, US