COLUMBUS, Ohio –
Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime leaders and staff hosted DLA Chaplain Army (Col.) Thomas Brooks at Defense Supply Center Columbus, March 9, for his first site visit since assuming the role in September.
As the organization’s ecclesiastical support program manager and religious support provider, the DLA chaplain’s mission is twofold -- to provide religious logistics support for Religious Affairs personnel, enabling the free exercise of religion across the Defense Department, and to provide confidential pastoral care and support to DLA employees, both military and civilian.
“One of the things the Army has emphasized, and I want to emphasize here, is the need to build your fitness holistically and that includes spirituality,” Brooks said. “It applies to the religious and the nonreligious. It’s about looking for that greater purpose.”
The visit offered Brooks the opportunity to not only discuss his role and services, but to hear about staff experiences and learn what programs DLA Land and Maritime offers to promote spiritual wellness.
DLA Land and Maritime Commander Army Brig. Gen. Gail Atkins opened a military all-hands discussion, stressing the unique assignment to DLA and what it brings.
“We have unique challenges, and we have unique opportunities,” Atkins said. “You know that when you are with your respective services and you’re out in the fleet, down in the trenches or out on the airfields, but this assignment is different.”
Atkins addressed the isolating nature of joint assignments at unfamiliar duty locations and reminded service members to take opportunities to build support networks for themselves and their families.
“Take the time while you’re [at DSCC] to work through and thrive in your personal and professional lives,” she said. “Fill your cup. Find those things that will help you continue to thrive not just as a leader in your service but as the man or woman you are.”
As part of his visit, Brooks also took the opportunity to sit down with members of the Chaplain Liaisons Program and the Wellness Council to learn about the services they provide to the DLA Land and Maritime community.
The Chaplain Liaisons Program is a volunteer program led by Mary Moore, DLA Land and Maritime management program analyst. In addition to giving invocations at different command sponsored events, the chaplain liaisons provide encouragement to employees in support of the spiritual pillar of the DLA Resiliency Model. The program also maintains an interfaith meditation room located on the first floor of the Operations Center that all DSCC associates can use or reserve for small study groups, prayer or personal meditation by any faith group.
“This is a fantastic program that I’m really happy to see,” Brooks said. “They’ve filled some of the gaps from not having a chaplain on site because they have a passion to help others. It’s a blessing to me to know that I have people that I can now connect to that are helping at the local level.”
Wellness Council members shared with Brooks their mission to promote holistic wellness throughout the organization in conjunction with Morale, Welfare and Recreation and the Employee Assistance Program and inquired about ways to promote spiritual wellness.
Each meeting carried robust conversation, providing inspiration and insight to spiritual wellness within the DLA Land and Maritime community.
Brooks said it is important that DLA associates know they have a chaplain who can provide a confidential ear and help in various ways should they need it. While stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, he serves the entire DLA community of more than 26,000 members, making site visits key for getting that message out.
“Nothing replicates in-person for making connections and building relationships,” Brooks said. “It’s much more likely that someone would feel comfortable reaching out to me if I’m not just a name on a roster, but they’ve seen me before.”
The visit concluded with a base tour, offering Brooks further insight on DLA Land and Maritime’s specific functions, as well as a look at the other tenants on DSCC.
“DLA has a strong ‘People and Culture’ emphasis, and here at [DLA] Land and Maritime it is articulated clearly with the structure and architecture put in place to implement that,” Brooks said. “Knowing this provides me the opportunity to share some best practices when I talk to people at other DLA locations.”
Brooks can be reached at dlachaplain@dla.mil or through the DLA Service Portal by searching the catalog tab at the top of the page and clicking on the “Chaplain Request” button.