Photo By Staff Sgt. Kevin Ray Salvador | U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Daniel Starr, 475th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron chaplain,...... read more read more
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CAMP SIMBA, Kenya – U.S. soldiers from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 296th Infantry Regiment were visited by 1st Lt. Daniel Starr, the 475th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron chaplain, as part of Simba Cares, a weekly outreach initiative led by the chapel and behavioral health teams here April 30.
The program was designed to boost morale and reinforce spiritual readiness by bringing the chaplain and volunteers face-to-face with service members who may otherwise feel disconnected from the rest of the base.
“Simba Cares is a way for us to reach out to those people who maybe don't get to interact with us as often,” said Starr.
During each visit, the team interacted with soldiers for a much deserved break from the heat. The temperature at Manda Bay is typically above 80 degrees with high humidity due to its proximity to the Indian Ocean. With Soldiers posted outdoors for extended periods, Starr explained the purpose behind checking in on them.
“We want to make sure all the personnel out there feel like they’re being remembered… that they’re not forgotten,” Starr said. “We’re here to support—and we often take good information back to leadership.”
The program also serves as a subtle but powerful reminder of the need for whole-person readiness. Deployments in any environment can range from six months or more with some military personnel choosing to extend. Starr discussed how his visits relate to the length and conditions of deployment.
“Seeing the chaplain come around can be that actual reminder—‘oh yeah, I’ve got to take care of myself spiritually,’ regardless of if you’re religious or not,” Starr explained. “There are ways to refill your cup so we can keep doing the machine.”
Based out of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, Charlie Company 1st Battalion 296th Infantry Regiment of the Puerto Rico Army National Guard is made up of Puerto Rican enlisted soldiers and officers. Looking ahead, Starr envisions growing the effort through volunteer integration, creating more opportunities for interaction across different sections of the base. With units like Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 296th Infantry Regiment contributing to the base community, Starr emphasized the collaborative nature of the program’s continued growth.
“This is not one person’s work—it’s a lot of people coming together to make something successful and long lasting,” he added.
| Date Taken: | 04.30.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.02.2025 03:52 |
| Story ID: | 496784 |
| Location: | KE |
| Web Views: | 30 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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