AMC, ACC Chaplain Corps conducts spiritual readiness training, exercise

U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command and Air Combat Command religious support teams (RSTs) gathered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, Aug. 25-27, 2026, to train and exercise Chaplain Corps readiness for supporting combat forces.

The intent of the event was to establish a shared understanding of the competencies required for providing spiritual care during combat operations and encourage RSTs to continue enhancing their readiness to support future operations.

Throughout the event, 75 Chaplains and Religious Affairs Airmen trained competencies necessary for the full spectrum of deployment assistance from providing support for Airmen and families at home stations to the logistics of Chaplain Corps duties and conducting spiritual care for warfighters.

“Major combat operations will demand religious support teams that can adapt quickly while continuing to provide spiritual care, confidential counsel and sound advisement to commanders,” said Ch, Col. Kleet Barclay, ACC Command Chaplain.

To achieve these proficiencies, the participants conducted baseline training on base support plans, community support, casualty support, spiritual support during combat operations and leading Chaplain Corps teams in combat environments.

Following this training, the Airmen conducted a scenario exercising the teams’ ability to plan and conduct spiritual care in an overseas deployed combat environment.

Ch, Col. Chad Bellamy, AMC Command Chaplain, and Ch, Col. Barclay relayed that Chaplain Corps processes should not be improvised in response to a crisis. This event provided participants with the opportunity to compare assumptions, identify gaps and establish beneficial relationships before a crisis or deployment.

“Bringing AMC and ACC together allowed our senior religious support teams to work through the same operational problems before they have to solve them in a crisis,” Ch, Col. Bellamy said.

To provide genuine and personal experience for deployed RST requirements, the event included previously deployed RSTs recounting the stress associated with combat operations and the fortitude required to provide spiritual care for warfighters.