CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Last week, I met with members of the construction crew who started the renovation project at the base chapel. In building a new annex, one of the most important acts the construction crew will accomplish is laying down a solid foundation. Just like buildings endure, Airmen also need a strong foundation for life. One of the strongest foundations Airmen can build is their faith.
Depending upon the individual, faith may be expressed as belief and reliance upon one's personal experience of God, or faith may likewise be focused in life-guiding principles. Whether God or principle centered, faith provides a crucial foundation in two areas of our lives as expeditionary Airmen. Faith provides a strong foundation in building strong relationships and sustaining the warrior.
Faith builds strong relationships. A shared faith provides an unshakeable foundation holding couples steady, keeping us focused and moving forward. As Airmen, our marital and family relationship may be challenged by such events as repetitive deployments, medical crises or financial distresses. A shared faith between couples and family members enables us to overcome these challenges. Serving on eight separate deployments beginning in 1988, caring for a special needs child, dealing with the loss of parents, my wife and I know from personal experience as well as from the stories of other, a shared faith spans the distance of deployments. It provides us with strength to overcome life's daily challenges and empowers us with a constant unshakable hope. Faith keeps couples close and families united.
Faith sustains the warrior. During the battle of Iwo Jima, when the unit was accosted by constant attacks of a Japanese division, one veteran I know put it simply by telling me, "faith sustained me." His experience has been echoed by veterans of Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
As an Air Force chaplain deployed in Baghdad recently, I ministered to both Air Force and Army service members who went outside the wire constantly. The one constant theme I heard and witnessed again and again was how each of these men and women turned to their faith to keep them strong. Regardless of their denominational preferences, it was the prayer circles, the worship services or group discussions keeping them focused on accomplishing their daily mission. Their faith kept them spiritually strong, focused on the present and confident about their future.
After serving for more than 20 years in our Air Force, I am convinced faith is foundational to the health and strength of our Airmen and their families. As an Air Force chaplain, I encourage Airmen and families to exercise their faith. The opportunities for faith exercise are plentiful both on and off base. That exercise may be in congregational worship, small group studies, private prayers or through many other avenues as each individual Airman and his family decides is most appropriate. In exercising our faith, we build strong relationships with spouses and children and sustain our warrior capability. Together, as we exercise our faith, we reaffirm our constitutional privilege which provides for the free expression of religious faith.