Photo By Staff Sgt. Sadie Colbert | Senior Airman Anna Nguyen, 8th Fighter Wing religious affairs Airman, smiles with...... read more read more
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As the backbone of spiritual resilience for the Wolf Pack, Air Force chaplains provide spiritual care and religious guidance to Airmen and their families with the support of the religious affairs Airmen (RAA) at their side.
A recent arrival to the Wolf Pack, Senior Airman Anna Nguyen, 8th Fighter Wing religious affairs Airman, works alongside chaplains at Kunsan to strengthen and inspire a spiritually fit community. Together, the team accomplishes their combined mission through teamwork and balance with one another, said Nguyen.
Through religious observances, pastoral care, ministry service and offering spiritual guidance, Nguyen and the chapel team can connect with Airmen around the base.
“Our goal is to get Airmen out of the dorms and get them to explore, to not be stuck in their own room,” said Nguyen. “We try to build relationships with people and have them build relationships with each other so they can rely on one another.”
Spiritual well-being can be just as important as physical strength and conditioning. Providing support can be difficult and one doesn’t have to be religious to be a good Wingman, Nguyen said. The programs the chapel team manage are at the center of providing support to Airmen, aiding them in decompressing from their daily duties.
“Our chapel ministries are managed and coordinated by RAAs, and the chapel would not be as successful without enlisted personnel in the chapel team,” added Chaplain (Capt.) Arkadiusz Szyda, 8th Fighter Wing chaplain. “RAAs manage chapel programs, using their creativity and talents in order to bring Airmen to our facilities — to let them rest, grow, and learn.”
As enlisted leader for the Airmen Ministry Center, Nguyen believes ministry can take on a multitude of meanings.
“It can be different for different people; it depends on your perspective and how you practice your faith,” added Nguyen. “For some people, ministry can be going to church or Bible study and for others it could be volunteering or building relationships with others. Whether it's spiritual, religious or just because—everyone can work towards building better relationships.”
With a dynamic mission, RRAs have to be flexible.
“The day-to-day is constantly changing, but I look forward to it because we're always doing different things, having good experiences and making a difference,” said Nguyen.
In addition to the events offered by the chapel, they also provide religious services for various faiths. For more information on chapel services, please visit: https://www.kunsan.af.mil/Wolf-Pack-Helping-Agencies/Chapel/
| Date Taken: | 11.15.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 11.15.2022 01:37 |
| Story ID: | 433260 |
| Location: | KUNSAN AIR BASE, KR |
| Web Views: | 83 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Religious affairs Airmen bolster teamwork and life balance, by SSgt Shannon Braaten, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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