Photo By Raymond Hoy | Tech. Sgt. Aleric Hebert, U.S. Air Forces Central Command chaplain assistant, is...... read more read more
Subscribe
UNDISCLOSED LOCATION -“Aleric is Greek. It comes from a Visigoth king and means, ‘helper of mankind or noble ruler.’”
Tech. Sgt. Aleric Hebert never really considered the meaning of his name until he became a chaplain assistant. Now it seems kind of appropriate.
Hebert is currently serving as a command-level chaplain assistant on this, his fifth deployment in 13 years of service. Five deployments may seem like a lot, but the Livingston, Texas, native wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met a chaplain’s assistant who doesn’t want to deploy,” he said. “This is where we do what we’re trained to do. We are so engaged. You go to all the different units and really get involved with the airmen.”
Growing up on a 60-acre farm, Hebert was looking for something larger than himself when he joined the Air Force. After six years in aircraft avionics, he wanted to do something more than just repair static machines; he wanted to work with a more complex system: airmen.
When talking with his then wife, Hebert decided to try and find something where they could spend more time together. While in training though, his marriage took a turn for the worst and eventually ended.
It was then he realized how important his new job really was, as he learned firsthand.
“If I hadn’t been surrounded by the type of people in the chaplain corps,” he said, “I might not even be here, and I really mean that.
“I realized one day that the only family I really had or held on to, before I met my current wife, Allison, and her family, was the military. I find a lot of our young airmen are just like that. If I have to put a smile on my face so someone else can be blessed or have hope, no matter what the cost, so be it. That’s what I signed up to do and I’m proud to do it.”
Getting involved is what matters most to Hebert, and to his chaplains as a religious support team.
“He is a great chaplain assistant because he cares,” said chaplain Lt. Col. Dan Brantingham, a U.S. Air Forces Central Command chaplain who has not only deployed with Hebert, but works with him at his home station, the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. “He cares about people and the mission. Sgt. Hebert has a tremendous gift of putting people at ease and listening to their concerns.”
With five deployments under Herbert’s belt there is one particular deployment left an impression on him. He carries that deployment with him, both mentally and physically.
“I carry a coin around with me that’s made out of the end of a 40mm shell,” Hebert said. “Our guys went on a mission, and there were booby traps set. Some people died, some airmen lost limbs. I and a chaplain were outside the wire helping these people. After all was said and done, they took the shells from all the rounds that were poured into this house that was making IEDs, sheared the jackets off and made coins out of the ends. They presented one to everyone who was a part of that mission. I carry that with me everywhere I go."
While this Aleric may not be helping all of mankind, he’s helping the ones who matter most to him, our airmen.
| Date Taken: | 03.06.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 03.06.2013 01:16 |
| Story ID: | 102974 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Hometown: | LIVINGSTON, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 290 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Deployed chaplain assistant lives to help others, by Raymond Hoy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
