Senior air controller called to serve spiritual needs

Published Jan. 24, 2012
By Tech. Sgt. Stacy Fowler
386th Air Expeditionary Wing PUblic Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- As aircraft navigate the flightline, Master Sgt. Christopher Koopmans, 386th Expeditionary Logistic Readiness Squadron's Air Terminal Operation Center senior controller, keeps his eye open for any issues that might affect operations for the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing.

For Koopmans, watching the different aircraft move about the flightline is a lot like watching out for the for his fellow service members.

"You have to keep your eyes open, both on the flightline and with your people, because one little thing out of place or broken down can make everything come to a stop," Koopmans said. "With aircraft, it can cost money. If it's with a person, it could cost a life. That's partly why I am training to become a minister, and hopefully a military chaplain."

Koopmans, a reservist based at Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, has been steadily working toward fulfilling a desire to follow God and ministering to a congregation as an Air Force chaplain. In his civilian life, he is a full-time student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and is 69 hours into a 97-hour program toward the completion of a Master's of Divinity degree.

"I have thought about going into the Air Force chaplaincy for some time now, almost from the beginning of my career," Koopmans said. "I joined the Air Force straight out of high school in 1995. About two years into my career I sensed that God was calling me into full-time ministry. Instead of being obedient immediately, my lack of faith said that I need to retire from the Air Force before I go into the ministry.

"Through a series of events in my Air Force career, it became increasingly clear that I was to take the step of faith and pursue a full-time ministry," he said. "So after 13 years, four months, and 23 days, I [left] active duty and enlisted in the Air Force Reserves. I did not begin preparing to become a chaplain until about three years ago when I enrolled in seminary full time."

At The Rock, the 386th AEW Chapel has assisted Koopmans by aiding him in the crafting of a sermon through peer review and feedback and giving him the opportunity to preach the sermon for a normal contemporary chapel service. They have also provided feedback regarding his delivery, sermon organization, and topic selection.

The military chaplain corps has a variety of duties. Chaplains are from many different religious backgrounds, so they are frequently called on to assist those outside of their faith. Chaplains are also the only people in the military with 100 percent confidentiality, so what a person says in a session remains private. In addition, military chaplains also ensure their leadership is aware of the religious needs and morale levels of the troops under their command.

Finally, chaplains serve right next to those on the front lines, giving comfort and care where needed - and giving those affected by loss a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen to their fears, said Chaplain (Capt.) Paul Spitzer, 386th AEW chaplain deployed from the 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.

"I love my Lord, I love my faith, I love my family, I love my country, and I love those who are willing to fight to defend my right to love these things," Spitzer said. "The benefit of seeing people uplifted in their beliefs and their difficult situations is reward enough for the challenges involved in being a chaplain."

One of the strongest building blocks used by a chaplain to overcome any challenge is the belief in a higher power's might, which in turn helps strengthen the aid given to others, Koopmans said.

"A good chaplain needs to have every part of his being completely devoted to the work of God; he needs to have a heart for God first and foremost," Koopmans said. "He also must have a heart for people. Many people instinctively seek out chaplains in time of need, so a wide variety of situations are going to be encountered. It takes wisdom and patience to give the most effective guidance in those times."