Always there

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Mariah Tolbert
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  There is a place on base where regardless of beliefs, military members and their families can practice religion or voice their concerns without reprisal.

The base chapel is more than a religious location. It's a place where chaplains and Airmen are ready to lend a helping hand, simply listen or offer guidance to all members of Team Seymour, no matter the topic.

The chapel offers weekly Roman Catholic Mass as well as contemporary Protestant and gospel worship services. If a specific religious service isn't offered, the chapel staff provides a list of local services and contact information to point people in the right direction, to meet their spiritual needs.

In addition to religious services, they offer several relationship classes and marriage retreats.Couples Connection is a relationship enhancement class, held every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and it is open to everyone, regardless of their religious preference.

"Most of the things we do involve relationships, which is what Airmen struggle with here and in a deployed environment," said Chap. (Capt.) Thomas Baize, 4th Fighter Wing Protestant chaplain. "We provide a lot of programs that people take advantage of to improve their lives."

The chaplain staff is always available to members of Team Seymour offering a variety of workshops, bible studies and a suicide prevention hotline.

"A major part of our job includes counseling, which is 24/7," said Chap. (Lt. Col.) William O'Sullivan, 4th FW chaplain. "We don't limit ourselves to office hours, especially when it comes to crisis situations. Whatever the issues may be, Airmen have someone on their side that can help them with all their concerns."

Chaplains fall under a different set of counseling rules than supervisors and members of an Airman's chain of command.

"We are not mandatory reporters," Baize said. "That means that when you go to another agency, commander or first shirt on base and tell them something that is illegal, like spouse or child maltreatment or drug use, legally they have to report it, but chaplains are exempt from that. It's called privileged communication and that privilege belongs to the counselee. We cannot release any information unless the counselee gives us written permission."

According to the four pillars of Comprehensive Airmen Fitness, one must lead a balanced life, balancing mental and physical health as well as a social and spiritual life in order to be a resilient Airman.

"The spiritual component is a major part of an Airman's resiliency," O'Sullivan said. "It's one that tends to get neglected however, spiritual resiliency has been shown to help military members work through their most difficult issues concerning combat, relationships and things that impact an Airman's overall health."

This summer new chaplains will arrive here.

"My hope is that (the new chaplains will) recognize the extremely important role that Seymour Johnson plays in the overall spectrum of mission importance," O'Sullivan said. "Also, I hope they recognize that we are among the most highly deployed, most rigorously worked Airmen in the Air Force, and they will devote themselves wholly to sustaining these Airmen and their families to keep them spiritually healthy so that they can accomplish the mission."

For more information about the base chapel, contact 919-722-0315. After duty hours contact the Command Post at 919-722-0004 and ask for the on-call chaplain.