The Chaplain Corps mission sets are aligned much like other staff agencies, having two primary functions. The first is to help, educate and advise those in leadership positions to make better decisions. The second primary function is taking care of the Airmen.
The Installation Chapel team accomplishes its mission in several ways. On-base worship services are the most well-known. There is guidance and support provided to individuals for religious accommodation issues, religious liberty issues, special religious observances and more.
“The Chaplain Corps is the only entity that has 100 percent iron clad, privileged communication,” said Wilson. “No other type of helping organization has that available to them.”
Comprehensive Airmen fitness is the starting point of the mission structure. CAF is a holistic approach in developing Airman fitness and resilience. This refers to military, civilian and family members. CAF framework has four pillars: physical, mental, social and spiritual.
“The Installation Chapel team provides an important service to Wright-Patterson,” said Wilson. “The CAF is the top of the structure. Squadron-focused warrior care was developed and implemented from the spiritual (faith) domain.”
Warrior care includes chaplains and chaplain assistants going to the squadrons and units to meet people and to establish relationships. The chaplains provide resiliency briefings, fitness briefings, even providing lunch at times. Often they go to work places at the invitation of a particular commander or first sergeant.
Education and training are primarily done for the uniformed military population because of authorized manning regulations. However, if civilians are within the unit or squadrons they are welcome to attend. Briefings are typically given during focus weeks or on wingman days.
“Faith background of the person seeking help does not make a difference,” said Wilson. “Not everyone believes the same. It’s about finding the best way to meet the needs of the Airmen. At the end of the day, it comes down to respect.”
Not all bases have chaplains assigned to them. Not all units and squadrons have chaplains available to them. It depends on the number of people, the structure and size.
“Wherever there are Airmen, the chaplains and chaplain assistants are there to help,” Wilson said. “If there is a need, and an individual doesn’t know how to contact the chapel, their leadership, their chain of command will be able to assist.”
“Wright-Patterson is well connected in most faiths. We might not have a place of worship for each and every type of religion. However, we are extremely fortunate to have Distinctive Religious Group Leaders. Another name for the group is Non-Chaplain Lay Leaders,” said Wilson.
Non-Chaplain Lay Leaders are a diverse group of people who work on base and come from different religious denominations and faith beliefs. They are members of good standing in their faith background who volunteer to be a point of contact for their respective faith community.
If the need arises, the Installation Chaplain team can call a lay leader to connect new people arriving on base with their particular faith community.
For more information about the Chaplain Core and the Installation Chapel team visit, www.wpafb.af.mil/Units/hc/.
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