MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The Air Combat Command Chaplain team visited Flying Tiger and Spartan Airmen at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., Aug. 26 - 28.
The visit provided Col. William Braswell, command chaplain for Air Combat Command and Chief Master Sgt. Keith Tipton Jr., Mager, ACC command functional manager, with a firsthand look at Moody's mission sets, enabling them to identify any needs for enhanced religious support and spiritual fitness.
“A key aspect of our mission was to explore and understand the various initiatives underway here at Moody,” Braswell said. “This includes engaging with the 93rd, the 347, and the 23rd to gain insight into their requirements and the resources they need to deliver effective religious support and advisement across the wing. We collaborate with leadership to grasp their needs and subsequently consult with chapel leadership to address their specific requirements and ensure comprehensive support.”
The three-day pastoral visit consisted of various mission briefs, a base tour and breakout sessions with which allowed ACC chapel leaders to get in touch with local chaplains and religious affairs Airmen in the command to ensure they are spiritually ready to continue the mission.
“I think it's important for Airmen to take care of themselves in a spiritual way because every person has a spiritual component,” Braswell added. “We're born with a need to understand where we come from, why we're here, and what our purpose in life is. The chaplain corps aims to bring faith to those who have it and, even for those who do not practice faith, to ensure they understand they are important, valued, and an integral part of the Air Force team.”
In their roles as command level chapel team, Braswell and Tipton are responsible for advising and representing the ACC commander on religious affairs and to oversee the Chaplain Corps mission across the command. At the installation level, the Moody AFB chapel implements this mission by offering diverse worship services, educational programs, confidential counseling, and a variety of events and retreats—available 24/7—to ensure Airmen at all levels remain spiritually fit and ready to serve.
“The visit gave us at the wing a chance to showcase the ministry we are actively involved with,” said Lt. Col. Scott Foust, 23rd wing base chaplain. “It also gave us the chance to highlight the needs and resources ACC can help us with like personnel and funding to keep doing more of what we've been doing.”
The visit offered a deeper look into the well-being of both Moody’s Airmen and the Chapel itself. It allowed Moody's chaplains to receive spiritual guidance while giving the ACC team insights into Moody AFB's agencies, strengthening their mission support