By Air Force Staff Sgt. Alexander W. Riedel, 438th Air
Expeditionary Wing
KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 11, 2017 — Faith is a center piece
of life for many people in the world. In the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,
however, it is a matter of identity.
This is no less true for Afghan airmen and soldiers on the
frontlines in the fight against an anti-government insurgency that is active in
much of the country.
Assigned to Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air, Air Force Chaplain
(Maj.) Chris Conklin is the first air advisor charged with assisting the Afghan
military’s religious and cultural affairs program with the mission of effective
religious care and spiritual readiness for those who defend their nation.
“Our priority for the future is to prepare this essential
office to keep pace as the Afghan air force grows,” Conklin said. “We want to
ensure the teams’ manpower grows as the total force grows and want to produce
clarity on career progression [for religious advisers]. Additionally, we want
to encourage thought into what requirements members are going to have in the
Afghan air force.”
Teamwork
Once a week, Conklin meets with his counterpart, Afghan
National Army Col. Abdul Basir, the Afghan air force’s lead religious and
cultural affairs officer, to discuss issues surrounding religious and cultural
support operations in Kabul and bases throughout Afghanistan.
To attend meetings with their Afghan partners, Conklin and
his chaplain assistant, Staff Sgt. Chris O’Neil, leave their secured compound
wearing tactical vests and Kevlar helmets. Meeting in the offices of the Afghan
air force, the team’s discussions have little religious content and focus on
program progress and challenges.
“My goal is not to teach them how to be good Islamic
scholars,” Conklin said. “In the same way we train our Air Force chaplains. We
are not instructing on how to lead worship services, but we assist in
discussions of how to best integrate [religious support] into the military
through manning, force structure and developmental changes.”
During his career as a Lutheran chaplain, Conklin has worked
closely with imams and rabbis, as well as with clerics of various Christian
denominations. Instead of cause for controversy, he says, differences in faith
are a strength of the Chaplain Corps that is as diverse as the members it
serves.
Breaking Down Barriers
“One of the great things about the American Chaplain Corps
is that its chaplains work side by side with those of different faiths,”
Conklin said. “As U.S. military chaplains, we have the unique opportunity to
break down barriers. It is not about religious background. It is about finding
out about people’s needs and helping to think through the process of developing
an Air Force.”
Conklin and Basir talk of organizational design, career
progression and manpower standards that will translate into tangible emotional
and spiritual support for thousands of warfighters and their families.
Despite the language barrier, Conklin said that the
structure and goals of the religious support office offer numerous
commonalities with that of the American military. Much like chaplains in the
U.S., Basir’s team takes the role of a mental and spiritual support on military
installations.
Importance of Faith
Faith is an intensely important part to Afghanistan’s
culture, placing Basir’s team at the center of military readiness.
“Our job is very important,” Basir said. “We have the
responsibility of training the people and making their minds ready for the
mission.”
Starting their morning with prayer and pausing four more
times for moments of religious mindfulness, faith is at the heart of each
Afghan service member’s duty day. The religious and cultural affairs office, or
RCA, is responsible for leading religious practice, leading Friday prayer and
holiday services and teaching religious education classes to enlisted members
and officers. According to Basir, the RCA serves to provide a balanced
foundation and build resilience among service members.
“The main factor in war is the human, not the technology,”
Basir said. “Without a pilot, the aircraft can’t fly. Without the soldier, the
rifle doesn’t shoot. If something is on their mind, they may not be able to
focus on the fight and may make mistakes. So you have to train the mind.”
“We explain the purpose of their duty,” Basir said. “This
allows soldiers to overcome even great obstacles and continue their fight for
their fellow citizens. We are here to help give them morale. We are here to
tell them that they will be able to withstand any difficulties.”
Spiritual Health
Unlike U.S. military chaplains, not all Afghan religious and
cultural affairs officers are Islamic clergy. Moreover, the RCA is responsible
for much more than simply providing for religious services and instruction.
Working beyond boundaries of spiritual health, they also help to educate
members in basics of education, such as reading and writing, where needed.
The RCA also goes beyond care for current service members
and extends its services to support the families of martyred Afghan veterans.
When a soldier dies on the battlefield, RCA officers travel with the body to
the family and in effect fulfill the same services a casualty notification team
performs in the U.S. military. Their services can even include delivering a
year’s worth of pay on behalf of the military to the family left behind.
The Afghan counselors remain in contact as long as the
family wishes and even provide material support to those in need. For survivors
who are injured in battle, the RCAs visit the injured in the hospital and
connect them with their families. For the RCA, no wingman is ever forgotten and
no family left behind.
Furthermore, holding a position of moral authority, the RCA
office is also a force for gender integration and advocates for the integration
of women in the military. Able to provide religious interpretation to service
leaders, the RCAs give valued input on Islamic gender issues, teach policy and
provide reports to commanders and leaders on the progress of integrating women
into the force. This impact makes the religious and cultural officers force
multipliers, supporting development of the force that is slated to nearly
double in size over the next few years.
Cultural Affairs Offices
“In order to help produce a professional, capable and
sustainable Afghan air force, the religious and cultural affairs offices are
extremely important,” Conklin said. “Their officers are the ones that are
training and affecting all other members in the military. Mentoring and
advising them is therefore absolutely critical to our mission."
Much work remains for Conklin and Basir before another air
advisor continues to expand their already productive working relationship.
Until then, Conklin said he enjoys the ability to contribute to the fundament
of the future for Afghanistan’s air force.
“It’s exciting to be here,” Conklin said. “To be an air
advisor is unique, and it is rewarding to be part of this mission as the AAF
continues to grow and modernize.”
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