Photo By Senior Airman Erin Dunkleberger | U.S. Air Force Capt. Tyler Harris, 378th Air Expeditionary Wing chaplain, far right,...... read more read more
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The Chaplain Corps’ mission, to provide spiritual care and ensure the free exercise of religion, becomes especially critical downrange, where isolation, operational tempo, and combat realities weigh heavily on service members. Having the necessary skill set to remain focused and to effectively perform in a high-stress, multi-threat environment, can truly be the difference in a life or death situation.
“The deployment mission is getting out of the office and really seeing what the units are doing,” said Marshall. “Back home, the Air Force conducts exercises and preparedness training to get Airmen ready for the downrange mission. Here, everything is happening in real time. We see the impact that we are making on the mission, just by integrating ourselves within the units.”
In an austere environment, where every moment demands focus, endurance and adaptability, service members must overcome personal and professional challenges. Maintaining a warrior spirit is achieved through tough-mindedness, tireless motivation, an unceasing vigilance and continuous commitment to serve their nation. As each component comes with its own stressors, service members rely diligently on the RST for mental, emotional and spiritual support.
Beyond religious duties, chaplains are confidential counselors, often the first line of support for Airmen facing grief, trauma, or personal crises. Their presence brings calm in chaos and hope in hardship, reminding deployed personnel they are never alone, even when serving away from their loved ones.
“My mission is to be a symbol of hope,” said Harris. “We replenish and reinforce hope in people’s lives, so they can continue to combat the enemy they are fighting in the AOR in defense of our allied partners. We also instill a strong warrior ethos and mentality to fight those demons that will discourage, dissuade, and try to cast doubt on the important mission they are doing here.”
In a deployed environment, many careers demand longer hours, greater effort, and increased endurance to consistently meet combat-related objectives. This sustained intensity can take a physical, mental, and spiritual toll, potentially impacting performance during mission-critical moments. Because RSTs are embedded directly with units downrange, they help ensure that the strain of the mission doesn’t compromise operational effectiveness. This critical role is not unfamiliar, it reflects a legacy of care that traces its roots to the founding of our nation.
Nearly 250 years ago, on July 29, 1775, Major General George Washington, Continental Army commander in chief, petitioned the Second Continental Congress to bring Chaplains into the ranks of the Army to minister to the troops. The sole purpose was to keep the fighting force mentally and spiritually ready. For the Chaplain Corps, their duty was to sacredly maintain the first clause in the First Amendment - the ability to freely exercise religion of any faith, just as it is today.
“Chaplains have participated in every war in our country’s history,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Brandon Parker, 378th AEW chaplain. “Over 400 Chaplain Corps members have lost their lives in those wars. Without modern weapons of war to accompany us into battle, we come armed with our calling, our faith, our prayers and our drive to support and care for our people to the very end. With religious affairs airmen as partners in support of our military members, we hope to be on every battlefield our nation finds itself in the future.”
| Date Taken: | 05.16.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.17.2025 02:19 |
| Story ID: | 498247 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 22 |
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This work, Faith in the Fight: Maintaining Spiritual Resilience, by SrA Erin Dunkleberger, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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