Buddhist group comes to JBER with monthly meetings

  • Published
  • By Air Force Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Keith Muschinske
  • 673d ABW Chaplain
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Each week a Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson chaplain briefs newcomers about the Chaplain Corps in general and the chapel program here at JBER in particular.
"I always begin my briefing by sharing why we have chaplains in the military," Air Force Chaplain (Capt.) Scott Savell said.

"First and foremost, military chaplains provide for the free exercise of religion. To put it plainly, chaplains protect your First Amendment rights to practice your faith. This issue is so important that it has been codified in DoD as well as Air Force and Army policy," he said.

Here at JBER, our ministry is uniquely shaped by local conditions and the assessed religious and spiritual needs of Arctic Warriors, their families and other authorized personnel.

Although the chaplains currently assigned here may identify themselves as Christian chaplains, we strive to understand, to be sensitive to, and to support all within the religiously pluralistic environment in which we serve.

Therefore, religious accommodation - supporting individual or group religious practices - is our utmost concern.

One of the ways we do so is by "getting the word out" about various religious opportunities.

For example, Soka Gakkai International-Alaska is a lay Buddhist organization here in the local area.

SGI is the Buddhist Association for Peace, Culture and Education.

Steve Brezina, the local SGI-Alaska group leader here in Anchorage, is working to establish a monthly meeting on JBER for all military, veterans and their families, as well as any guests interested in attending.

Presently, the plan is to meet the first Friday of each month in the first floor Conference Room at the Chapel Center, 10427 Kuter Ave., Elmendorf side, at 7 p.m.

These will be introduction to Nichiren Buddhism-themed meetings for guests of SGI, and for those who are SGI members, a dialogue and study of the Gosho which is the teaching of Nichiren's Buddhism.

SGI will provide a portable prayer house as well as an altar for chanting prayers. The meetings are scheduled to end by 8:30 p.m.

Anyone wishing to learn more about SGI-Alaska or Buddhism in general may visit the organization's website, www.sgi-usa.org.

For information call 830-6396 or email at stephen.brezina@yahoo.com.