WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Over the course of the last 14 months, a lot of reshuffling has taken place at the 445th Airlift Wing. One of the first and biggest changes was moving the 445th Chaplain Corps offices to building 4008.
The original idea was to remove the offices from the command section, as well as to be able to move other sections to areas that were more appropriate.
“It has been a very successful transition,” said Lt. Col. Brandon Stephens, wing chaplain. “Having a separate space outside of the wing building makes the Airmen feel more comfortable to come visit the chaplains.”
Stephens added that the change has allowed a lot more opportunities for the chaplains to accomplish their mission in a more dynamic way. The chaplain’s office is not just for members who are religious, the team and office space stand ready to serve anyone in a myriad of ways.
“We want to create more of a café style place so it is more inviting. Anyone can come over, eat their lunch, grab a cup of coffee, or even just chill and relax. They don’t even have to talk to the chaplains if they don’t want to,” encouraged Stephens.
Maj. Luke McKeeth, deputy wing chaplain, praised Col. Raymond Smith, 445th AW commander, for promoting the new space, remarking how rare it is for the chaplain offices to have such generous accommodations for the five chaplains at the wing.
“The command does not have to allow us to have a space like this but they really care about their Airmen,” said McKeeth. “We are very fortunate to have a commander who prioritizes the welfare of the members at the 445th. He is really trying to keep an eye out for his Airmen.”
The move to building 4008 came with many added benefits besides being more set apart. Having a lot more space and having a dedicated room to counsel members are at the top of that list.
“The chapel area can accommodate three times as many people, even with COVID-19 and the social distancing that goes along with it,” said Stephens. “Additionally, this space can be used by anyone who maybe wants to present to a small group or hold a class here. It’s very multi-functional.”
McKeeth agrees and says having designated areas has been wonderful for the team of chaplains, as well as the members.
“It’s not so much the bigger space, but we used to have to borrow offices and fight for space to do counseling and now we have this great space designated for counseling that is comfortable, has a door,” he stated. “It’s not threatening and you can come in and we can sit and chat, and this adds to the confidentiality for the members.”
A lot of work went into converting a building into a functional space again. Over the years, the building has been utilized by other squadrons. While some of the building is occupied by the 88th Air Base Wing, most of the available space was empty.
Members of the 445th Civil Engineer Squadron worked to build a wall and segregate the space and added new paint, ceiling tiles and light fixtures. These are some of the major changes completed so far. While budgets and money are a concern for every section, the chaplain’s office does not have its own budget and instead receives funding from the wing commander or the 88th ABW.
“The financing from the commander is what has made all of this possible and Col. Smith has been very generous as funding becomes available,” said Stephens. “It has been a work in progress and I really appreciate the support we get as a chaplain team, it is rare.”
Some future projects include signage for the outside of the building, updating the exterior and replacing the carpets.
“There are a lot of people that don’t know we are here and we hope to change that and get the word out,” said McKeeth. “Airmen are being prioritized by the commander and they’ve created a safe place to just sit back. Our doors are always open.”