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New chaplain focuses on resilient single Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jonathan Bass
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  The wing's newest chaplain's mission is to help build and equip single Airmen, said Chaplain (Capt.) Randy Croft, a chaplain with the 20th Fighter Wing.

"We want to help strengthen single Airmen and Soldiers, and support strong resilient, spiritually fit singles so they can do their mission really well," Croft said.

To Croft though, spiritually fit does not necessarily mean religious.

"When I say spiritually fit, for some of us that includes our religious faith, but not for everyone," Croft said. "Spiritual fitness deals with those questions; why does life have purpose? Why does it have value? Why do I get out of bed in the morning?"

Croft said one of the keys to spiritual fitness is what he refers to as "the human weapon system."

"It's that inner core that we reflect on and that drives our decision making, that core that defines our character, our ethics, and our leadership. It's who we are when no one is looking. Are we driven by our work and tasks or do we have a greater purpose in life?," Croft said.

"Croft uses a bottom-up leadership technique using the junior enlisted Airmen to lead their peers," explained Chaplain (Maj.) Matthew Boarts, 20th FW deputy wing chaplain.

"We have people who are dedicated to something bigger than themselves," Boarts said. "We aim to leverage that."

Leading a single Airmen's ministry takes a certain kind of person, Boarts said. To be able to both connect with and lead younger Airmen during the beginning of their career requires a sensitive and authoritative person. Croft fits this category perfectly.

"He's very energetic, very positive, but also very fact driven," Boarts said. "He's a student of people. He's a good mentor and role model, and obviously a man of faith."

Croft's personality comes out in his leadership technique. His personal desire to see Airmen succeed and be productive, high-functioning, well-rounded adults is evident in his life, Boarts said.

"We want to build authentic communities, so people get out of the dorms and get to know people," Croft said. "But that's a broad sweep. For those that are interested in the spiritual fitness classes, the Bible studies and worship; we want to have those avenues too. We want to have service projects so people get out and make service a way of life."

The road to this mission isn't an easily paved path though.

The challenge is focused around a dislike for the 'church,' Croft said

"We're finding out that this generation wants authenticity," Croft said.

He thinks the younger generation isn't as focused on the lights and the show aspect of a service, Croft added.

"From what I've heard and seen from some young adults, they would rather get together with five or six friends at a coffee shop and talk about the toughest questions in life," Croft said.

Boarts said that the ministry's "street cred" is the key to this challenge. And that getting singles past the idea that it's focused on "just a bunch of church stuff" is what they need to work on.

"The only way people can know you're genuine is to experience it. You can tell them about it all day long, but until they experience it, it's abstract," Boarts said.

Boarts is happy to push the envelope though; the challenges the singles ministry faces are good challenges, he said.

"We're in a huge position of transition," Boarts said. "We're hearing 'do less, with less.' The challenge though, is that we have a limited number of people and resources, and our primary purpose is to be here for the Airmen and Soldiers assigned to Shaw. Even our worship is to prepare people to go to war, to support families whose husband or wife is at war. That's our primary purpose."

Croft agreed with this, adding that the people who need to be involved are the young adults.

"We need to start asking the young adults, 'how do we translate a compelling spiritual plan for this generation?'" he said.

It's the young adult's job to answer the questions though, Croft said. His job is to ask the questions, and then be a sounding board for all of the answers that get thrown out. The questions he asked are: "what are the struggles? What's most depressing, what's most frustrating?"

"First you have to reflect and think about those things that are reliable, unchangeable, bedrock. A lot of our beliefs and practices are culturally based. For example, wearing suits and ties are largely cultural. I've worshipped with Christians in Africa, Jamaica, and Russia-- they all dressed differently," Croft said. "Music style, pulpits, and liturgy are also very culturally conditioned. This does not make them bad or without value. But it requires us to ask what elements from the past are pillars and what are temporary."

"What areas of faith and practice need to be fought for in helping today's generation grow stronger spiritually," He added.

Also important is listening to young adults discuss what they consider non-negotiable, Croft said. "How do they connect with God, and with one another? Why do they lean into service? What are today's struggles? What are today's frustrations?"

While the answers vary from person to person, one theme that seems to resurface with younger enlisted troops is their desire for a community of real, genuine, nonjudgmental people to experience life with, Croft said.

Croft's office is located in the dorm manager's office in building 419 and is open for Airmen or Soldiers to come and speak with him. The single Airmen ministry holds both resiliency events and religious events. For more information on upcoming events or how to get involved, visit www.shawchapel.org.