Twitter
Facebook
KMC members gathered for the 2016 National Prayer Service Breakfast May 31 at the Ramstein Officers’ Club.
The theme of this year’s event was “international day of prayer,” which draws from its historical roots that date back to 1953 when members of the Senate and House recognized the importance of the spiritual foundation upon which the nation was built.
The first presidential prayer breakfast took place under Dwight D. Eisenhower and soon became an annual event called the National Prayer Breakfast that spread through local communities and military units.
Nearly 100 participants from the KMC attended the breakfast that included Gen. Frank Gorenc, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander, as one of the event’s key speakers. He spoke about faith and how hope has had a critical impact on his life and Air Force career.
“I don’t think faith is a future topic. I think faith is a topic of today,” Gorenc said. “Faith means different things to different people, and with my upbringing, I have faith in God because he designed me, created me, blesses me, heals me, defends me, forgives me, and he loves me. That’s what I have faith in based on my upbringing. … That is a long list of spiritual things that continually feed my hope for the future.”
Gorenc explained how having hope plays a key role in being resilient.
“In the end, people who have faith have hope, and people who have hope are resilient,” Gorenc said. “We are a very diverse crowd. We have faith in many different things. It doesn’t matter what you have faith in, as long as you have faith in something. Because without faith, you can’t develop hope. Without hope, when life becomes awful, how are you going to react?”
One way Airmen are encouraged to prepare themselves for anything and maintain balance in their lives is with Comprehensive Airman Fitness.
“(Taking care of our spiritual needs) is something we should be concentrating on, on a daily basis,” said Brig. Gen. Jon T. Thomas, 86th Airlift Wing commander. “We talk about Comprehensive Airman Fitness. Here in USAFE we call it the RUFIT program. I want to take this opportunity to remind everybody that there are four pillars to that — physical, social, mental, and then the fourth pillar is spiritual.
“I think that the theme of today is quite appropriate because faith matters deeply, because from faith many things spring,” Thomas continued. “I encourage everyone in the room, as you go out and talk about fitness, Comprehensive Airman Fitness and resilience, that you remember all of those pillars and faith in particular. Believe that you are a part of something greater than yourself. That kind of faith will sustain.”
Spiritual well-being is a priority for Airmen around the Air Force, and gatherings like this are just one way they build a strong foundation for a prosperous life and career.
