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Chaplain candidates undergo intensive internship

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Ted Daigle
  • 307th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Military life can be demanding. Airmen often find themselves seeking help to keep up not only with physical and mental challenges, but spiritual ones, as well. Learning to address those spiritual needs brought 32 members of the Chaplain Candidate Intensive Internship Program here from July 20-25.

The candidates visited several different units here and learned how they, as chaplains, can better serve the various spiritual and religious needs of Airmen.

The program is designed for chaplain candidates to get a broad overview of military life by visiting five different military installations and meeting with service members from all branches of the armed forces, said Lt. Col. Steven Nicolai, chaplain candidate program manager at Headquarters U.S. Air Force Reserve Command.

"The candidates see all the chaplain ministries and how these ministries are often shaped by the mission of the base," he said. "The mission they will see at a Global Strike Command base is different from the mission they will see at a basic military training base, so the ministries are different, as well."

At the end of each day, the candidates meet to reflect and pray on what they have learned, said Maj. Pierre Allegre, a chaplain candidate mentor. "This reflection allows the candidates to determine which specific ministry they feel called to."

Candidates in the program gain invaluable insight into all the different ministries, but they also get a perspective on life as an Air Force chaplain, said 2nd Lt. Benjamin Quintanilla, chaplain candidate.

"It has been great," he said. "It has been helpful to see what is right for us and for our families."