Chaplain team helps Airmen maintain spiritual fitness

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kia Atkins
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar --  The Airmen here who are tasked with maintaining combat-ready aircraft are getting a little help in maintaining something equally important-- their own spiritual fitness.

Day in and day out, Airmen from the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group work hard to provide maintenance support to a number of diverse aircraft and with the numbers of sorties flown daily, maintenance Airmen are often required to work long and strenuous hours to keep these aircraft mission ready. This generally does not leave them with a lot of time to relax and unwind, which is why one chaplain and his assistant have made it a priority to help these Airmen maintain their spiritual resilience.

"These Airmen are working 24/7 operations out here, so it can be quite challenging for them to break away from the flight line during their shifts, so that is why we come out here to them," said Capt. James Henry, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing maintenance group chaplain.

Although these Airmen don't work typical office hours, the 379th EMXG chaplain adjusts his hours so that he can see Airmen from each and every shift.

"I spend at least 45 percent of my week on squadron-focused warrior care, which basically means coming out here and engaging with the Airmen," Henry said. "By bringing our services to them, it gives us the chance to build good relationships with these Airmen, and through those relationships we build trust, which opens up the opportunity for Airmen to share with us what is going on in their lives as they want to."

Henry and his assistant, Tech. Sgt. Michael James, 379th AEW chaplain's assistant, provide whatever support they can to ensure Airmen are remaining spiritually fit whether it's religious support or just being there for Airmen to talk to.

"One of the things that we bring to the fight is 100 percent confidential communication," Henry said. "By simply walking out on the flight line and talking to the Airmen, we are showing them that we are here to support in any way that we can, and by doing something as small as bringing a worship service out to the flight line, we are enabling Airmen to express and exercise their spirituality within their schedule which, in turn, creates a more resilient Airman."

Spirituality is one of four pillars that comprise Comprehensive Airmen Fitness, all of which are vital to the Air Force mission. For an Airman to be well-rounded, they must balance all four pillars: mental, physical, social and spiritual.

"Spiritual fitness is about having a sense of purpose and meaning in your life," Henry said. "It is essential to building one's individual resiliency and strengthening a set of beliefs, principles or values that sustain his or her sense of well-being and purpose. To me spiritual resiliency includes hope and it drives hope into people's lives."

Whether deployed or at their homestation, Airmen must be spiritually fit to complete the mission.

"We're all here to make sure the mission moves forward," said James. "If Airmen aren't well-balanced in all these things, they may not be as productive because they may feel like they are missing something in their lives. A spiritually resilient Airman can see the overall bigger picture in life so they can face the small issue that they are happening in the moment."

Although Henry and James work primarily with Airman assigned to the 379th EMXG, they are always around for Airmen in need. Airmen who are feeling down or out of touch with their spirituality can always see someone in the chaplain corps.

"Regardless of spiritual or religious preference, I am here to support everyone, as are the rest of the chaplains here on base," Henry said. "We are here to provide support in any way that we can. We know that it can be difficult for deployed Airmen who not only have to worry about their increased workload here, but also any problems they are dealing with back at home. Even if worship services aren't their thing, we are also here for Airmen to talk to in 100 percent confidentiality."