Chaplain candidates inspired by tour of JBSA-Lackland Published July 25, 2014 By Tech Sgt. Carlos J. Trevino 433 AW Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-Lackland -- It is a fact that Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas is the Gateway to the Air Force for Airmen beginning their military careers. With that in mind, just like the basic trainees, 18 Air Force chaplain candidates in the Air Force Chaplain Candidate Program got a chance to visit JBSA-Lackland, July 24 during their summer tour of active-duty bases. The Air Force Chaplain Candidate Program allows seminary and other professional religious school students to evaluate their compatibility and potential for commissioning as an Air Force Chaplain. The focus is on experiencing ministry in the Air Force during a summer tour of active duty. Upon entering the program, individuals are commissioned as a chaplain candidate, in the grade of Second Lieutenant. After graduation and obtaining an ecclesiastical endorsement, candidates are then eligible for reappointment as a chaplain in either, the U.S. Air Force Reserve, the Air National Guard or placed on active duty. During their stop here, the candidates visited the basic trainees during their sixth week of Basic Military Training, where they march to the "BEAST," the Basic Expeditionary Airman Skills Training portion of their basic training is designed to simulate a combat deployment site. While at the "BEAST," and to get a sense of what the trainees were experiencing during the exercise, the cadets had lunch with them in a hardened shelter, where most of them were treated to a lunch of "Meal Ready to Eat," field rations, for the first time. Another highlight of the tour at JBSA-Lackland was getting a tour the largest plane in the Air Force, the C-5A Galaxy at the 433rd Airlift Wing. "The good thing with this program is that they can see the Air Force, learn the Air Force, and learn about the chaplain corps," said (Chaplain) Lt. Col. Charles Towery, officer in charge of the Chaplain Intensive Candidate Internship, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base. "For many of them, their first time being exposed to the military was at Commissioned Officer Training in May," he said. Candidates first go to an Air Force chaplain course at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, before beginning their tour of Air Force bases. During the tour, "They will be checking out the Air Force. This is a look and see. They are also being looked at to see if they are suitable for the chaplain corps," Towery said. "I am basically the tour guide here for San Antonio, said Chaplain (Maj.) Jesse Howard, 433Airlift Wing, JBSA-Lackland." I make sure everything is done right, so that when we get to each location everything is good to go. It's good that they will get some hands-on with the C-5 after seeing Basic Military Training. "This tour also helps me network with fellow Air Force clergy, because in a few years I will see them somewhere down the road. It is kind of neat to see where they go from here," Howard said. Some of the chaplain candidates are prior Air Force enlisted. This time, their perspective is different, according to 1st Lt. Mara Title, a prior service member who was an Air Force broadcaster in the public affairs' career field. "I've never had training quite like this. "By visiting different bases and seeing the different missions and getting to talk to so many different Airmen, this tour has opened up our eyes to several different areas of the Air Force," said Title. "This trip has shown me that I will have an impact on people, and that I can keep going forward to see what God has for me."