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Taking care of the Hunter family:
Creech chaplains keep Airmen resilient
By Airman 1st Class Kristan Campbell
432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs The Chaplain Corps at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., poses for a photo Jan. 20 at the Creech
CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, Nev.—
With every Airman having a different
faith, each has something unique to add
to the mission. Among these different
backgrounds, the freedom of religion is
a right guaranteed by the First Amend-
ment, supported and defended by the
Air Force Chaplain Corps.
At Creech Air Force Base, Nevada,
each member of the chapel team helps
Airmen stay resilient in order to per-
form remotely piloted aircraft opera-
tions. Air Force chaplains and chaplain
assistants provide ministry and spiritual
guidance to the Hunter and Diamond-
back family, serving as a reminder that
spiritual wellness is an important part
of staying fit to fight.
“Spiritual fitness is a matter of un-
derstanding what you believe, what you
value and knowing your principles,”
said Tech. Sgt. Noah, 432nd Wing/
432nd Air Expeditionary Wing chaplain
assistant. “It’s something within us that
gives us direction and purpose.”
Some of the duties of the chaplain
corps include religious support opera-
tions, counseling services, clergy office
work and event planning. In addition,
the chaplain corps spends 45 percent
of each day administering warrior care
in the units at Creech, making them
more available to Airmen who may be
seeking help.
“At Creech we focus much of our
time on engaging with Airmen,” said
Chaplain (Maj.) Mark, 432nd Wg/
432nd AEW Chaplain. “From our senior
leaders to our most junior enlisted, our
goal is to be as proactive and responsive
as possible to the community’s needs. At
Creech, we have an industrial model of
ministry which basically means engag-
ing in the units, counseling, and pro-
viding for the free exercise of religion.”
At an all call in August 2015, Col.
Feature
Airman Ministry Center. The team is dedicated to taking care of the Hunter family by bringing
precision guided ministry to the mission. Through unit visitation and meeting with Airmen
for spiritual and religious counseling, chaplain contribute to the success of the mission.
Martin E. Dempsey, ret., Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke to Air-
men about quality of life concerns. He
also addressed the need for Creech’s
limited chapel staff to grow, ensuring
that counseling would be available to
every Airman.
As Dempsey predicted, a recent man-
power study validated that the Chaplain
Corps at Creech were only manned at
50 percent.
“With everything that needs to be
done, ensuring our team is working
according to our priorities as well as
taking care of ourselves is so important. to assign a chaplain to every group,
A chapel team that is burnt out reduces
our ability to provide care,” said Mark.
Staff Sgt. Sarah, 452nd Air Mobility
Wing chaplain assistant, and Chap.
(Maj.) Cameron, 47th Flying Training
Wing chaplain, are two new additions
to the chapel staff assigned to Creech.
With the push for more help, Creech
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kristan Campbell Staff Sgt. Sarah, 452nd Air
5January 29, 2016
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U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kristan Campbell team, we will be able to do that even
better now.”
The reservists will stay at Creech
until their positions are filled with
active duty personnel permanently
assigned to the base. Instead of being
received an additional chaplain, chap- available for a normal dayshift sched-
lain assistant, and will get a second ule, the AMC will be manned from 5
reserve chaplain at the end of January a.m. to 10 p.m. to ensure Airmen will
2016. This will total three new reservists have the opportunity to connect with
at Creech, which will allow the chapel the chaplain whenever it is convenient
staff to extend the ministry’s hours, for them.
making more availability for Airmen in
need of spiritual advisement. “I believe our Airmen most need a
sense of purpose and significance,” said
“Our job is to provide a pillar and Mark. “Through our counseling and
a foundation,” said Sarah. “Chaplains conversations, most topics we address
advise leaders on spiritual concerns, come back to those two ideas ... Air-
and we offer care to Airmen no matter men who have a sense of purpose and
what they believe.” significance are both more resilient,
and more spiritually fit.”
Additionally, the team is now able
Though the AMC is not always
including the 799th Air Base Group. manned, chaplains are available24/7.
This will allow for coverage of all shifts, Airmen can contact the Command
enabling relationship building within Post at Nellis Air Force Base in case of
the community. emergencies, and will be connected to
a member of the chaplain corps
“We’re doubling our manning, help-
ing out the mission by taking care of “We really are a big family at Creech,
the Hunter family,” said Cameron. and the sole reason the Chaplain Corps
“By adding three new members to the is here is to take care of the Creech
family,” said Mark. “When we drive to
work each day, our focus is on how we
can be a blessing to the community.”
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kristan Campbell
Mobility Wing chaplain
assistant, prepares for a Tech. Sgt. Noah, 432nd Wing/ 432nd Air
meeting with the chaplain Expeditionary Wing chaplain assistant,
corps Jan. 20 at Creech Air speaks with other chapel personnel Jan. 20
Force Base, Nev. Sarah and at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. Noah is the
Chap. (Maj.) Cameron, 47th NCOIC of chapel affairs and is tasked with
Flying Training Wing Individual administrative work for the Chaplain Corps.
Mobilization Augmentee, are Chaplain assistants help to provide spiritual
new additions to the Creech care and opportunity for Airmen, their
team. Adding to the manning at families, and other authorized personnel
the Airman Ministry Center has to exercise their constitutional right to the
increased chaplain availability free exercise of religion.
for Airmen seeking spiritual
and religious guidance.