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AFCENT command chaplain visits 386th AEW

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Doscher
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Chaplain (Col.) Wilfred Bristol, U.S. Air Forces Central command chaplain, made a pastoral visit to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing this week and was the guest speaker at the wing's National Prayer Breakfast Feb. 17. 

Chaplain Bristol took the opportunity to visit geographically separated chaplain teams throughout the country. 

"As the AFCENT command chaplain, my job is to criss-cross the AOR to visit our chaplain teams," he explained. "I had the chance to do the most important thing that I do here and see the chapel teams. We have chaplains attached to the Army, and last night I got to meet with the chapel teams there in transition. I got a chance to do some interviews with the incoming chapel team as well as interviews or 'exitviews' with the team that is redeploying back home." 

The work chaplains are doing here and throughout the AOR is impressive, Chaplain Bristol said. He even got a chance to see their work first-hand. 

"They continue to amaze me on how well they are doing meeting the spiritual needs of Airmen and Soldiers," he said. "When we got there yesterday, they were in the midst of a crisis. A Soldier was having a crisis moment, and it was remarkable how the chaplain team got into action trying to help that Soldier, counseling that person, consoling that person, helping that person work through her issues. I'm appreciative for the long hours they spend meeting the needs of Airmen and Soldiers." 

Chaplains are serving all over the AOR and are thankful for the opportunity, he said. 

"We all know that when we raised our right hand it was to support and defend, and chaplains are excited to come and do what they enlisted in the Air Force to do," he said. "They are all glad for the opportunity to come and say, 'Yes, I made a difference.' I talked to one chaplain who said, 'I'm glad. I'm better. I'm a better chaplain now than when I came.' You see growth because they are counseling 24-7. They are out there on the flightline talking to Airmen and Soldiers, meeting their spiritual needs." 

Chaplain Bristol said he wanted AFCENT chaplains to remember to pace themselves.
"They must understand that their ministry is not a sprint," he cautioned. "It's a long distance race, and they have to pace themselves, that they stay focused on the mission. And for those that are outside the wire, they must remember the training they received." 

The command chaplain also said that one message he wants every chaplain to remember is the purpose of their deployment. 

"Don't forget why you're here," he said. "It's not about you. It's about the Soldier or the Airman. It's about them and making a difference in their spiritual lives, in their spiritual walk. We must not forget our blessings. We must not forget to practice our faith, and we must not forget the freedoms we enjoy. They all came with a price."