Chaplain recruits meet Airmen, get first-hand experience with military culture

by Tech. Sgt. Shad Eidson
432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

11/5/2014 - CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, Nevada -- Potential Roman Catholic Air Force chaplain candidates got to see firsthand Airmen and work environments that they could support during the "Come Be With Us" tour at Creech Air Force Base, Oct. 28, 2014.

The "Come Be With Us Tour" is a recruiting tool used to help chaplain recruits experience military culture.

This is the first trip here for six chaplain recruits who are looking to become Air Force chaplains. The Chaplain Corps is currently comprised of 490 members. Only 53 are Roman Catholic priests, but there are 120 positions.

"The uniqueness of Creech is an experience that can normally only be found by deploying," said John Kinney, U.S. Air Force Chaplain Corps Accessions Director. "Add the uniqueness of a huge base like Nellis, and they can see the different styles of ministry. These are the kinds of ministry that they will find themselves involved with for the majority of their first 10 years."

The Chaplain Corps holds this annual trip because these recruits have no military experience. Some have said they can't believe the amount of responsibilities Airmen oversee.

"It was a very rewarding experience today," said Father Clayton Elmhorst, chaplain recruit. "I'd recommend it to anybody, especially to anyone who has never seen a base."

Father Kinney, retired chaplain (Lt. Col.), mentioned that these Creech and Nellis visits have helped recruit six priests into active duty in the last year. In this year's tour group, five are set to get their commission within the year.

"We wanted to give them a hands-on down-in-the-dirt kind of experience," Kinney said. "I have always been impacted by meeting a crew chief in charge of a multimillion dollar aircraft, and they're only 25 years old. The Air Force hires the brightest, and these guys are picking up on that."

There are six faith groups in the military, which include Jewish, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Latter Day Saints, Protestant and Easter Christian Orthodox. Each chaplain can support any member directly or indirectly through faith. In addition to interfaith ministry, chaplains are also trusted agents who help advise military leadership and provide other services like confidential communication for service members.