ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- The Air Force Chaplain Corps wrapped up its annual summit, Aug. 14, bringing together senior Religious Support Teams from across the Total Force, including Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts.
The event focused on spiritual readiness and alignment under the Chaplain Corps’ new motto: HC Ready!
“Spiritual readiness is at the heart of the Chaplain Corps,” said Chaplain (Maj.) Alex Lu, installation chaplain at Hanscom AFB. “Because when Airmen are spiritually grounded, they’re better prepared to face any mission or challenge.”
The summit, held Aug. 12 to 14, marked the official rollout of the Chaplain Corps updated vision and strategic priorities, which center around three key lines of effort: fortifying the warfighter spirit, developing Chaplain Corps leaders and capabilities, and generating Religious Support Team readiness.
“As our Airmen and Guardians deliver air and space power advantage to the Joint Force, the Chaplain Corps at home and abroad ensures that warfighters are spiritually fit and ready to thrive across the spectrum of military operations, from competition before the fight, during the fight, after the fight and beyond their time in uniform,” said Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Trent Davis, Air Force and Space Force chief of chaplains.
The summit highlighted the Corps’ role in fostering spiritual fitness as a cornerstone of resilience, connection and mission effectiveness.
An example at Hanscom AFB would be the new space created at the chapel for spiritual resiliency.
“The new Community Resiliency Center and new interfaith prayer space are designed to meet the diverse spiritual needs of our base community while still honoring the core religious mission of the Chaplain Corps,” said Lu.
Leaders highlighted that supporting the spiritual well-being of Airmen and Guardians is crucial for preparing the force to meet the demands of modern conflict.
For Hanscom’s chapel team, that begins with building relationships with off-base clergy.
“We’re placing emphasis on creating and strengthening networks with the local clergy community, because in any contingency operation, we may need to reach back to them for support,” he said.
Participants were provided updates on revised Air Force Instructions and introduced to new tools designed to enhance spiritual fitness, supporting the decentralized execution of the Corps’ mission across active-duty, Reserve and Guard components.
Davis also stressed the importance of unity and integration, aligning the Chaplain Corps’ “One Chaplain Corps” message with Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin’s “One Air Force” concept.
The event highlighted the Chaplain Corps’ unwavering commitment to supporting warfighters wherever they serve, ensuring they remain spiritually fit and ready in every domain, phase and condition of the fight.
(Editor’s note: the 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs office contributed to this article.)