News

Ministry outing builds camaraderie among Airmen

  • Published
  • By Wayne Crenshaw
  • 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  On Sunday afternoon Chaplain (Capt.) Joshua Payne peered intently through the windshield of the van he was driving up Interstate 75 in a heavy snowfall and talked about the Airmen sitting quietly behind him.

He told the story of how one of his passengers, Senior Airman Thomas Lee, helped a Team Robins member who was away from her family in Texas getting medical treatment. The woman, a dorm manager at Robins, needed a computer hookup with cameras so she could have the company of her daughter back home while she received treatment.

Working through the Airman and Family Readiness Center, Airman Lee got two laptops and cameras and created the linkup.

"Airman Lee put in hours and hours of time to make sure (the woman) had everything she needed," Chaplain Payne said. "That, in a nutshell, is what this ministry is all about: giving back to our Team Robins members."

Airmen Lee and others in the two vans that made the trek to Atlanta on Sunday are part of the Base Chapel's Airmen Leadership Program. The members have keys to the Airmen Ministry Center. They help extend the hours of the Ministry Center so Airmen can have greater access, especially when they have spiritual needs.

That's especially important in a time when the base is making a concerted effort to reduce suicides. Chaplain Payne said he and the other chaplains are on call so when an Airman comes to the center after hours, the Airmen leaders or other volunteers can contact them.

"Airmen can come to the ministry center anytime, day or night, and find someone to talk to," Chaplain Payne said.

They went to Atlanta on Sunday to watch the Hawks play the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was the first in what Chaplain Payne hopes is a series of trips for the Airmen Leadership Program to help build camaraderie and, most of all, reward the Airmen for their contributions to the base ministry.

Airman Lee said he isn't especially a Hawks fan, and hadn't been to an NBA game before, but he was going to the game for the social aspect. He joined the leadership group when the center opened at its new location a year ago.

"It's definitely been a blast and it's given me a ton of opportunities," said Airman Lee, who works on satellite communications in the 5th Combat Communications Group.

Although eight Airmen make up the Airmen Leadership Program, Chaplain Payne took a total group of 17 to Atlanta because he wanted to bring along some who had been volunteering and might make good recruits for the leadership group.

A key role of the Airmen leaders, along with other volunteer groups, is to help man the Airmen Ministry Center, which started in 2006 in a vacant room in a dorm. Since then, the center has found a permanent home in Bldg. 706, formerly the base housing office, at the corner of Macon and Seventh Streets.

The center serves as an alternative to bars for Airmen looking to relax. The center has couches, TVs, Wi-Fi, video games, a pool table and even a guitar. Alcohol and smoking is not allowed, but the Airmen do play some pretty violent video games, Airman Lee said. The most popular one right now is the zombie shoot 'em up, "Left For Dead."

Senior Airman Jonathan Torres, an assistant chaplain, keeps a full-time office in the center along with Chaplain Payne. He said about 700 Airmen per week visit the center, which is targeted to junior Airmen, from airman basic to senior airman.

The Airmen Leadership Program helped buy furniture for the center and helps with making decisions on additional purchases for furniture and equipment.

They also help the chaplains reach the other Airmen on base, Chaplain Payne said.

"They are our eyes and ears to make sure we are reaching our objectives," he said, adding that it's also a non-denominational group.

The Airmen demonstrated their leadership and foresight on the trip to Atlanta. As the snow picked up, the windshield wipers on both the vans were having trouble keeping up. The Airmen in the rear van phoned Chaplain Payne to pull over, and they produced sets of replacement windshield wipers for both vans and made the switch.

"These guys are incredible," Chaplain Payne said, pulling back onto the highway, and now peering through clear windows.