Photo By Airman 1st Class Owen Davies | U.S. Air Force Col. Jose Munoz, command chaplain for the Pacific Air Forces, and Chief...... read more read more
Subscribe
Military chaplaincy was established in 1775 by the Continental Congress, instating the first U.S. Army chaplain. Later, the National Security Act made the U.S. Air Force a separate branch and thus created the U.S. Air Force Chaplain Corps. The Chaplain Corps is focused on providing religious support and spiritual aid to service members both in home-front and down-range scenarios.
The Pacific Air Forces command chaplain corps leaders came to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to speak with JBER chaplains and religious affairs Airmen and present them with annual awards.
U.S. Air Force Col. Jose Munoz, command chaplain for the Pacific Air Forces, and Chief Master Sgt. Jonique Young, senior enlisted leader of the corps, talked with the JBER chaplains and religious affairs Airmen about specific goals regarding maintaining readiness to continue to provide spiritual support to service members.
“The reason we came down to JBER was to meet the team and see where they might need some mentoring and some assistance as they continue to grow,” said Munoz. “I have, as an acting command chaplain, no doubt that this team is just executing the mission to perfection.
But I also want to make sure that they're doing well, their families are doing well, because that is part of the total care that we can provide for them, and how we advocate for them.”
The JBER Chaplain Corps focuses heavily on providing for the community by hosting regular religious services and holiday gatherings to keep a close bond with the service members, family members and civilians on JBER.
“Our chaplain corps has core competencies, one being religious accommodation,” said U.S Air Force Col. Brian Anderson, JBER’s senior installation chaplain. “That is, in a sense, the heart and soul of what we do – ensuring the free exercise of religion is available for all of our members.”
The freedom of religion is a right that has been defended by the U.S. military since its creation and its support and defense is just as strong now as it was during the birth of our nation.
“We’re committed to continuing to provide for the free exercise of religion among our members and their dependents in a joint environment,” said Munoz. “Second, we’re going to enhance our war-fighting advantage. We're going to continue to have religious engagements, and continue to build our relationships and enhance our alliances, from the point of view of religion – like meeting with local leaders in communities, and finding out what they need and how we can support them.”
Focusing on community wellness is a high priority for the Chaplain Corps and maintaining readiness to do that is paramount, especially for JBER due to its location and mission.
“We have been directed to focus on readiness and with our pacing threats in the Indo-Pacific and large-scale combat operations – how are we ready to support the warfighter?” said Anderson. “The spiritual component of an individual has a direct correlation and impact on mission effectiveness.”
| Date Taken: | 04.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.21.2025 19:56 |
| Story ID: | 495600 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 13 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Pacific leadership ensures JBER stays spiritually ready, by A1C Owen Davies, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
