Chaplain’s assistant: Eyes, ears of chaplain Offers support for ministry, worship needs

  • Published
  • By Tech Sgt. Scott Pryor
  • 911 AW/PA
PITTSBURGH IAP ARS --  Doing paperwork, answering the telephone and making bulletins for religious services might be what comes to mind for most people if you would ask them what a chaplain assistant does. That answer would only be partially correct because the career field involves much more.

Servicing the varied religious, spiritual and emotional needs of Airman ranges from being fulfilling to challenging and requires a great deal of flexibility.
"This career field attracts all different types of people," said Tech. Sergeant Jon Meier, a chaplain assistant for the past three years. "It could be a religious person and this career meets their needs to those who are people persons and like the person to person interaction."

Their primary role is to provide support for ministry. They serve as the "eyes and ears" of the chaplains on deployments and visitations, and support worship services for unit members and conduct humanitarian programs. They are also trained to deploy to an Air Force Expeditionary Forces individually or as a Chaplain Service team.
Sergeant Meier, a former Security Forces member, said that the chaplains and chaplain assistants work together as religious support team and noted that the assistants carry weapons and are responsible for the chaplain's personal security when they are deployed.

Chaplain assistants formerly went through six-week training at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., but due to a recent change, they now go through joint training with the Army and Navy at Fort Jackson, S.C. They receive training in how to set up worship services, completing administrative duties, having a general understanding of various religions, and suicide prevention, awareness and intervention.
"The most rewarding part is meeting people and helping them. Sometimes we have to be there just to listen to what someone has to say. We let them tell their story and not be judgmental," said Sergeant Meier.

As with any career field, being a chaplain assistant does have its challenges, as Sergeant Meier found out when he was deployed (add "to the military hospital in" to) Afghanistan.

"We sometimes have to deal with people when they are at the lowest point in their lives and they are heavy with emotion. An injured Army member was brought into the unit hospital I was serving. Nine of his unit's members had been killed. He told me the whole story of the battle from beginning to end and how his buddies were killed. He was worried that people wouldn't want him to tell the story and he was feeling guilty that he was still alive. I had to assure him that it was his story to tell," said Sergeant Meier.
Senior Airman Melanie Vilk just started in the chaplain's office during the May Unit Training Assembly and is scheduled to do her initial training at Fort Jackson in July. Also a former Security Forces member, Airman Vilk is currently a junior at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pa., majoring in psychology. She said she became a chaplain assistant because she wanted a different experience.

"There are many positive reasons why I decided to become a chaplain assistant. I like interacting with people and I wanted to help people and have a positive influence. I think working on my degree in psychology goes with this career field," she said.
Like Sergeant Meier, Airman Vilk sees interacting with injured members as being a challenge.

"The thought of being in a hospital with injured members would be difficult. Seeing what they're going through would probably be emotional for me," she said.
Just doing paperwork, answering the telephone and making bulletins for religious services? No, the chaplain assistant career field is much more than that.