A Day in the Life: Air Force Chaplain

The Role of Chaplain 

We’re grateful the Air Force includes spiritual health in their whole Airmen wellness concept! Chaplains exist to help fill that need, and they can be stationed anywhere the Air Force is. Their specific role will vary widely depending on where they are sent. For example, one friend of ours counseled students through their time at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. While another officiated hundreds of funerals during his time in Arlington, Virginia. The crazy thing about chaplaincy is that you get to celebrate with Airmen and their families during some of the greatest days of their lives – graduations, promotions, etc. But you also grieve with them during some of their hardest moments, struggles, and losses. It’s because of that dichotomy that our family finds great purpose in this work, though. It is truly the privilege of our lives to be able to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” in the military context! 

Practically What That Looks Like

There are diverse faith backgrounds represented: ours is Protestant, but there are Catholic chaplains, Jewish chaplains, Muslim chaplains, etc. Although I will add that chaplains often speak of wanting to have a “ministry of presence” to all Airmen, not just those of any one faith. Chaplains enter the Air Force via Officer Training School, which lasts two months. Once completed, the daily schedule of a chaplain will vary widely depending on the specific assignment. Previously, my husband was part of the Basic Military Training chapel team at Lackland AFB. So duties included advising squadron commanders, leading worship services for the trainees each Sunday, a pretty robust load of counseling throughout the week, and praying the invocation at his squadron’s graduations. As busy as he was, he did get to be home for dinner most nights, which was obviously a great thing for our family! Other assignments include base chapel teams, and being embedded into units. Most assignments do carry the possibility for deployment and TDYs. 

What That Means for Me

Supporting my spouse as he seeks to encourage, counsel, and care for Airmen is my main goal. Some days that looks like attending events with him on base, but more often it looks like preparing meals and washing his uniforms at home. It won’t always look the same, but I do enjoy finding ways to serve our current community where I can. On an organizational level, “Protestant Women of the Chapel” has been incredible- giving me the chance to make friends and be encouraged by others walking through similar life circumstances (i.e. deployments, kids processing all that military life entails, long distance family relationships, etc.). And base chapels offer a variety of opportunities to serve and connect- currently at Hurlburt Field, I have loved getting to volunteer at the Food Pantry giveaway!

What I Want WAFS (Or Future WAFS) to Know

When my husband was beginning the process of joining, I did what any millennial would– searched the internet for information, of course! So that’s what motivates me to share via avenues like this, because these are the questions I had about what it would be like. And content like this was so helpful to ease my fears. My hope is to encourage you! I am so thankful for this Air Force journey my family is on. And even though it was pretty daunting at first, the longer we’re in, the more I see the value in the work that my husband does, and the positive impact it’s had on me and my kids. 

Meet Liz

I’m Liz – a stay-at-home Mom to three kids and my Jack Russell Terrier Phoebe! I was born and raised in Tennessee, and currently, my husband is stationed at Hurlburt Field AFB in the beautiful Florida panhandle. My perfect day includes a stroll through an art museum (a looksie at the gift shop included) and sushi!