Royal Air Force Chaplains deliver moral, pastoral and spiritual support to the whole RAF Family and training in areas like personal resilience, ethics, beliefs and values. Importantly, Chaplains support those of all faiths or beliefs and make no distinction on the grounds of race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.
Reverend (Wing Commander) Alex Hobson is the Senior Chaplain at RAF Coningsby. He said:
"It is a very specific vocation. A Chaplain has to be resilient and provide pastoral care in moments of crisis, grief or trauma. And in situations which are difficult and even dangerous, this can be where the need is greatest."
Five candidates for the chaplaincy spent the week between RAF Coningsby, RAF Waddington, and RAF College Cranwell. When asked about why he had chosen the chaplaincy, one of the candidates said:
"It's about serving people in a specific context. As a chaplain you're living and working with the people you support, with people going through the rigours of military life."
The five candidates included four from the Anglican tradition, and a humanist celebrant. In addition to pastoral and spiritual support, RAF Chaplains lead a station's annual Remembrance and Battle of Britain services. Depending on their faith tradition, they also officiate at baptisms, weddings and funerals, and lead regular worship on stations.
During their visit the prospective chaplains visited a Typhoon Squadron and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and met with Chaplains from other faiths including Imam Ali Omar and Sikh Chaplain Mandeep Kaur. The visitors also took part in a special seminar on warfare from a spiritual and moral perspective, delivered by Reverend (Wing Commander) Hobson.
When asked if the visit had caused them to question their career choice, or if they felt affirmed, one candidate said:
"Strongly affirmed. I was ready to be challenged, but this has really set me up for the role I would like to dedicate myself to."
Reverend (Wing Commander) Hobson concluded:
"We were delighted to welcome these candidates to RAF Coningsby. Their enthusiasm and commitment to serving others is inspiring. The Royal Air Force is lucky to attract people who understand the profound responsibility of caring for our personnel and their families. I have no doubt that those who go on to serve as RAF Chaplains will make a meaningful difference to the lives of many in our RAF community."
