U.S. Strategic Command hosts religious affairs readiness workshops

The U.S. Strategic Command Office of Religious Affairs hosted two readiness workshops April 14 - 16 focusing on the interoperability of spiritual health between unified combatant command chaplains and building readiness skills within the component religious affairs offices.

"These workshops allow us to define spiritual health and mold our chaplain corps into a more resilient combat-ready force," said U.S. Air Force Col. Rolf Holmquist, the USSTRATCOM command chaplain. "We can communicate and collaborate, while sharing ideas and learning from each other's experience and mission sets."

The first workshop allowed the combatant command chaplains to share topics and areas of interest that affect the spiritual health of forces in their areas or responsibly. The second workshop allowed chaplains from the service components, such as Air Force 2nd Bomb Wing and Navy Strategic Communications Wing 1, to learn new skills and practice their readiness during a table-top exercise.

"Bringing the team together is very important," said U.S. Navy Capt. Robert Christian, the U.S. Fleet Forces Command chaplain. "Building those relationships, learning new skills and creating a care system network you can rely on is the key to taking care of our warfighters."

During the conference, Holmquist highlighted USSTRATCOM's moral compass initiative. This concept provides a moral infrastructure that maintains decision making under pressure and the ability to navigate mental, emotional, and spiritual health challenges and stressors. This approach builds a strong ethical foundation within the warfighter by strengthening their warrior ethos and preventing moral injury.

"Research indicates that to preserve a moral compass, the warfighter needs to be grounded in an ongoing ethical, educational, and practical formation before a conflict happens," said Holmquist. "This effective sustainment, a key imperative of USSTRATCOM, requires continual assessment of force health and helps fortify long-term spiritual health and readiness."

This work is crucial for preparing warfighters with the spiritual foundations necessary for high-stakes decision-making.

"Once they have their values set and they really embrace a core moral structure, then they start looking at ethical decisions that we have to do," said Holmquist. "This is important for the nuclear operator, because the mission and decisions we could be asked to make, in a moment's notice, can affect the entire world."

The workshops also served to raise awareness of the nuclear enterprise, allowing the command chaplain staff to reinforce the mindset and critical decision-making skills required in the unique operational environment. It provides skills and viewpoints that the participants can take back and implement within their own units while solidifying the foundational structure the nuclear enterprise provides to the War Department.

"Ultimately, these workshops are about understanding and equipping," said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Collin Carter, the 737th Training Group religious affairs superintendent and incoming USSTRATCOM religious affairs senior enlisted leader. "Thinking about what our nation's needs are, what the command's needs are, and using that information to not only advise our commanders, but to help guide the people and communities we support by supporting that spiritual health and readiness."