BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- The 455th Air Expeditionary Wing’s Chaplain Corps officially opened the Airman Ministry Center East at Bagram Airfield during a ribbon cutting ceremony Nov. 21.
Chaplain (Maj.) Kenneth Devoie, one of three chaplains assigned to the 455th AEW at Bagram, and Wing Commander Brig. Gen. David Lyons cut the ribbon together before taking visitors on a tour of the new facility. The AMC East is one of two ministry centers on Bagram and the only one in the area known as the “warrior side” of the base.
“The first purpose of this center is to be a gathering place for Airmen to connect and to create fellowship with one another,” said 455th AEW lead Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Mark Nevius. “It provides a gathering point for Airmen to socialize, to laugh, to relax and just to be friends to one another.”
The chaplain corps collaborated with other base agencies and units so their service members can use the facility as well.
“Forming social connections is one of the keys to maintaining a healthy force, ready to execute the mission,” Nevius said. “Our aim is to build resilient and spiritually fit Airmen to fight this war.”
Nevius said the second purpose of the center was related to the spiritual domain; the Chaplain Corps wanted it to be a place where spiritual resiliency is taught and modeled, and where they could provide direct spiritual care and ministry to the Airmen on the east side of the base.
“Spiritual resiliency is another key to maintaining a healthy force and to execute the mission and win the war,” Nevius said. “When we combine the social and spiritual we can develop and sustain spiritually fit Airmen to ‘Fly, Fight and Win.’”
The other ministry center, AMC West, is near Camp Cunningham and offers similar services as AMC East. Because the base has service members spread out in different areas, the new location offers convenience for those who live on the “warrior side.”
Some amenities include a ping pong table, movie room where individuals can select a variety of different movies and an outdoor recreation area with a basketball court.
“I am blessed to be a part of this,” said Staff Sgt. Andy Palomares, a chaplain’s assistant assigned to the 455th AEW. “This is a great team, and we are here to provide support to anyone who needs it.”