Page 2 - Nellis Creech NTTR Bullseye 1-22-16

2 January 22, 2016
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Spirituality inspiring people
By Ch. (Lt. Col.) Dwayne A. Jones
99th Air Base Wing Chaplain
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev., —
What does spirituality mean to you? Some
people are under the impression that a
person must be religious in order to be
spiritual. It is said that people perish for
lack of knowledge, but we are all connected
with a common spiritual thread that is con-
tagious and connects compatible people to
do extraordinary things.
For years, military members have
encountered tremendous stress and
challenges due to the high operational
tempo and sudden calls to deploy across
the world. Our zeal and fortitude to fly,
fight, win and defend our country make
us resilient. Spirituality is the oasis for
synergy and resiliency.
I hear people asking, “What is spiritu-
ality?” That’s a good question. Spiritual-
ity is connecting with the essence of one’s
soul, or the fibers of one’s existence. Spiri-
tuality is connecting with something
greater than you. Spirituality relates to
all people regardless of color, creed, eth-
nicity, nationality or rank. Spirituality
wellness is taking care of people the way
you would want to be treated; it is like
the glue that holds all the pages together
Remember to not just celebrate but act
By Master Sgt. Adonis Cabarle
5th Bomb Wing Equal Opportunity
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D.
— In 1983, President Ronald Reagan
signed Public Law 98-144, creating a
federal holiday honoring the birthday
of Marin Luther King Jr. Later, Congress
designated the Martin Luther King Jr.
Day federal holiday as a national day of
service in 1994.
The day is observed on the third
Monday of January each year, which is
around the time of King’s birthday on
Jan. 15. This year, Martin Luther King Jr.
Day will be recognized on Jan. 18. One
day may not be enough to fully appreci-
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Commentary
in a book. It is what illuminates your
purpose in life. Spirituality is personal
and different for every person. Spiritual
wellness is what encourages you to take
the next step in life.
You don’t have to be religious in or-
der to be spiritual. Contrary to popular
belief, I believe that spiritual wellness
supersedes any organized religious con-
cept. When you embrace the spiritual
pillar you are not necessarily embracing
any religious group; only the individual
can embrace that which he or she finds
spiritual strength. There is propensity
to be spiritual before being religious.
A particular religion can express in its
doctrine who can become a member of
the religious faith group, which is ac-
ceptable for that group. We chose what
religion we want to serve. Spirituality
resides in everyone’s soul waiting for the
opportunity to encourage the weak and
challenge the strong.
The U.S. Air Force is well known for
taking care of people. Spirituality is a
common denominator that runs through
every branch of service. The spiritual
pillar gives the chaplain corps the oppor-
tunity to further embrace and illuminate
the main arteries that pump life into the
military community. The chaplain corps
ate his legacy but there is one way we all
can reflect.
King once said, “Life’s most persistent
and urgent question is: What are you
doing for others?” In honor of him, we
must answer that question by coming
together on this holiday to serve our
neighbors and communities. Many of us
have indirectly answered King’s question
and joined the military.
It is so easy to lose focus of the big
picture and directly attribute our reasons
for joining the military to secure a bet-
ter future, get a college degree with 100
percent tuition assistance or ultimately
climb a higher economic status than
what we’ve previously had. Give yourself
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is striving to mold all Airmen into a
“total warrior” by galvanizing their faith
with the mission, increasing productivity
in our service members and thus creat-
ing a total force. The chaplain corps does
not attempt to change a person’s faith,
but rather allow the person’s faith to
transform them to a more resilient and
mission ready individual.
When I was deployed to Joint Base
Balad, I worked in the JBB theater hos-
pital. I saw spirituality flowing through
the veins of those who believed in God,
and those who did not believe in God.
Spirituality is not generated or inspired
by our denominational preference or
religion - but inspired by our love for
humankind. In Balad, human beings
saw other human beings wounded and
dying, and they felt compelled to act not
only out of obligation, but inspiration
from a source greater themselves. U.S.
Airmen, Soldiers, Marines and Sailors
were inspired to donate blood and vol-
unteer countless hours helping doctors,
nurses and medical technicians care for
friends and foes. I witnessed the spirit of
adoration, camaraderie and purpose that
chained fervent hearts together for one
common goal—to save lives. Retired Maj.
Gen. Cecil Richardson, U.S. Air Force
a pat on the back and be proud that you
signed on the dotted line for the U.S.
Air Force.
But wait … let’s not stop there. Do
not forget the deployments, countless
volunteer hours and numerous military
obligations that we all have to fulfill in
our careers. All these things equate to
what the Martin Luther King Jr. day of
service is all about. What does that really
mean? In addition to securing a better
future, how do our collective efforts as
Airmen lead to profound and measur-
able results?
It was around January 1990 when
my grandfather, Armando Cabarle, an-
nounced that our immigration papers
status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other
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chief of chaplains said “Spiritual wellness
is that something within us that keeps us
going, that gives us focus in life. It gives
us purpose and meaning.”
In conclusion, it is important for mili-
tary leaders to use chaplains and chaplain
assistants more in vital military settings,
thus making space for our Airmen’s
dialogue about their spirituality. Nicolas
Berdyaev, a Russian philosopher, stated,
“Spirituality is the highest quality we can
discern in our judgment of men. Every
man has a soul - but his spirituality may
remain undiscovered or suppressed. Spirit
is the highest quality of the soul, a symbol
of freedom from power of the world.”
As we move into 2016, we will embark
upon new challenges and experiences,
so let us connect with people from dif-
ferent creeds, nationalities, religious
faith groups, and races, connecting and
empowering them to move forward in
adversity and prosperity - that’s spiritu-
ality. Gen. George C Marshall stated, “I
look upon the spiritual life of the soldier
as even more important than his equip-
ment…The soldier’s heart, the soldier’s
spirit, the soldier’s soul are everything.
Unless the soldier’s soul sustains him,
he cannot be relied upon and will fail
himself and his country in the end.”
were approved and that we will be mov-
ing from the Philippine Islands to the
United States. It took years before the
papers were approved, but it was my
grandfather who got us there. He worked
as a gas pump attendant for Army and
Air Force Exchange Service at Clark Air
Base, Philippines, for 35 years. During
that time, he didn’t miss a day of work
and always came in on time. He earned
enough money to purchase a moped, but
was involved in an accident while com-
muting to work. He got back up and still
made it to work on time by foot. He was
a stellar employee and received countless
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