Photo By Charles Haymond | Members from the 55th Wing Chaplain Corps pose for a photo inside the Strategic Air...... read more read more
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The 55th Wing’s chaplain corps is comprised of religious technicians who help maintain Airmen’s spiritual tenacity needed to accomplish their mission. Chaplains can provide Airmen with counselling or supply them resources that can better aid them.
“We provide advice and counsel, on matters of conscience and moral matters, even advise leadership,” said Capt. Vincent Shaw, 55th Wing chaplain. “Clarify, lawyers advise on what’s legal, not moral. That’s our lane.”
Things spoken within one of the sessions with a chaplain corps member is private.
“One of the first things that gets talked about is ‘absolute privileged communication’ – anything you tell a chaplain will be kept secret from everyone else,” said Lt. Col. James Pitts, 55th Wing head chaplain. “It doesn’t matter the topic, possible repercussions, or the person asking, regardless of position or rank. Nothing shared in confidence with a chaplain will be shared with anyone else.”
No matter the outlet, whether in the states or overseas, chaplains can reach Airmen everywhere.
“We deploy to the same locations you will, and often to places that our fellow helping agencies may not be able to reach due to resource constraints or risk,” Pitts said. “You’ll see us in the field, on the flightline, on the convoys with our units.”
A chaplain’s job can be difficult, but they have enlisted Airmen or Religious Affairs Airmen who can ease the burdens of the chaplain’s responsibility.
“Our enlisted Chaplain Corps personnel, RAA are an essential part of warrior care and the Religious Support Team and can often be seen with a chaplain as they are out in their units,” Pitts said. “As the phrase goes, ‘stripes talk to stripes,’ and some Airmen will have a conversation with a fellow Airman long before they might seek out a chaplain. RAA are trained in crisis intervention and can talk with just about anyone but refer to other resources for counseling when it becomes appropriate.”
The RAAs help the chaplains with non-religious matters so they can give their full attention on building the spiritual resilience of Airmen; however, they can help point Airmen in the direction they can receive aid and the resources they need during their dilemmas.
“I remember one Airman who came to us feeling completely overwhelmed,” said Airman 1st Class Kyle Walb, 55th Wing religious affairs Airman. “They were on the verge of burnout and didn't know where to turn. After simply listening to their story, I was able to connect them with some support programs on base. It was gratifying to see how just having that knowledge and knowing it was okay to seek help made a tangible difference in their well-being.”
Walb reclassed into RAA because he was drawn to the various ways the chaplain corps serves the Airmen. He does everything from the practical aspects of maintaining Offutt’s facilities and supporting religious services, to directly assisting Airmen.
“I find it incredibly rewarding to connect with Airmen from all walks of life,” Walb said. “Building those relationships, putting a face to the enlisted side of the chaplain corps, and knowing that I might be that person someone feels comfortable turning to in a challenging time.”
Walb has a final message for all 55th Wing members who are going through troublesome times and may need help.
“It's easy to get caught up in the day to day, but that's why the chaplain corps is here,” Walb said. “We're a reminder that people matter, and everyone needs a little support sometimes. It's an honor to be a part of that.”
For more information about the Offutt Chapel, you can visit the base chapel website or contact them at (402) 294-6244.
| Date Taken: | 03.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.18.2025 12:04 |
| Story ID: | 493099 |
| Location: | OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE , NEBRASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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