Scott chaplain follows calling to serve Published June 8, 2015 By Senior Airman Sarah Hall-Kirchner 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Illinois -- Many military members feel called to serve in the military in one capacity or another. For Air Force Reserve Individual Mobilization Augmentee Chaplain (1st Lt.) Sarah Roelofs, the feeling of being called to follow was extraordinarily strong. "God has been calling me to join the military as a chaplain since the summer after my sophomore year of college--over ten years," said Roelofs. Roelofs was born in South Korea, was adopted as a toddler, and moved to Pella, Iowa. She stayed in Iowa through college, but moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan to attend seminary and complete her Masters of Divinity degree. While on her journey to become a chaplain and pastor, Roelofs remembers specifically when she began to feel her calling. "I remember sitting with my childhood pastor at a coffee shop," she recalled. "He pulled out our denomination's magazine, The Banner, with a picture of a smiling female Korean American Army chaplain on the cover. My denomination is quite small and is divided on the issue of allowing women to be ordained ministers. I felt shocked and confused as I saw the picture. I felt this stirring in my heart that was scary and overwhelming. I felt God's strong calling to service, but at the same time, I thought I would only ever be able to serve in a limited capacity as a high school teacher or minister." Over her years of college and seminary, Roelofs said she continued to feel God refining and working with her. "God continued to work in my heart through studying theology and the Bible, through witnessing my female peers' God-given gifts for ordained ministry, and through receiving the support of my profession, my colleagues, and my family," said Roelofs. With that, she accepted God's calling to be ordained as a pastor. Still, even being called into it, she delayed joining the military, first becoming a wife and mother. "My journey to the Air Force was delayed because I realized that there were great sacrifices, along with great honor, that serving in the military demands of oneself and his or her family," said Roelofs. "Honestly, I was hoping that God was going to leave me alone to enjoy my fulfilling civilian ministry and loving family." As a civilian, Roelofs works as a hospital chaplain at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka, Indiana. Her work focuses on providing spiritual care that respects the beliefs and cultural practices of hospital staff, patients, and patient families as they cope with trauma, illness, injury, loss and joy. She works in many different areas of the hospital including pediatrics, neonatal intensive care, labor and delivery, postpartum, short-stay, and medical and surgical units. "When I walk the hospital, I never know how my day will go," said Roelofs. "I may need to conduct an adoption ceremony on the postpartum unit as a birth mother gives her child to an adoptive family. I facilitate patient and/or family's life review and conduct ceremonies to say goodbye to dying loved ones. I also may get pulled aside by a charge nurse to provide counseling for a nurse who is struggling to cope because her patient reminds her of a family member who died." Serving as a civilian chaplain, Roelofs was fulfilled, but still felt that she was being called into the military ministry. "God continued to place a calling and a longing to serve as a military chaplain on my heart," said Roelofs. Roelofs husband, Justin, served six years in the Army Reserves. Once his contract ended and he entered the individual ready reserves, Roelofs knew she could no longer delay answering the call to provide spiritual care to Airmen and their families through military service. She chose to become a chaplain in the Air Force reserves as an individual mobilization augmentee. She is now a Chaplain assigned to the 375th Air Mobility Wing Chapel. The main job of an IMA chaplain is to fill in a slot for an active duty chaplain during deployments. Slots can be open at an IMA chaplain's assigned base, or they can fill in for a chaplain at any base that needs a chaplain. Slots are filled on a volunteer basis, so IMA chaplains can choose where they go to serve their active duty time. "Being an IMA reservist allows me to honor my civilian ministry and family requirements as I serve part-time as an Air Force Reserve Chaplain," said Roelofs. "I provide ministry to the active duty community under the supervision of active duty chaplains. Since I am IMA, I can choose how my 12 days of inactive duty training and 12 days of annual tour time are scheduled to meet the needs of my civilian life, as well as the needs of the Air Force chapel staff." For Roelofs, being a military chaplain means providing spiritual care for all Airmen and their families of all faiths or no faith. "I see my role as counselor and facilitator," said Roelofs. "As I walk through the units, my goal is to meet and connect with Airmen, so that when spiritual needs arise, then the Airmen will feel comfortable coming to the chaplains for help." Counseling Airmen confidentially as they cope with the demands of life and the Air Force, which can be difficult, is why Roelofs wanted to be a chaplain. She also wants Airmen to use their resources, and facilitates in helping Airmen to do so, along with providing comfort, strength, guidance and support. "My favorite part of being in the military is my ability to serve Airmen who are sacrificing to serve our country," said Roelofs. "My favorite part of being a chaplain is being with Airmen and providing spiritual care. It is an honor and a privilege that I have the opportunity and the duty to hear Airmen's stories about their lives and to help them utilize their spiritual resources."