Chaplain hears his calling again to deploy to SW Asia during holy time

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Armando Vasquez
  • 108th PAO
"It is fulfilling to be able to help out people who can't practice their religion because they don't have a rabbi near them," said Maj. Yaakov Bindell, a chaplain with the 108th Air Refueling Wing.  Bindell, a Rabbi, is schedule to deploy to the Middle East in September to provide spiritual support for servicemembers there.

A native of Rockaway, N.J., Bindell will be attached to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia for approximately 20 days and will travel to Al Udeid, Qatar; Al Dhafra, United Arab Emirates; and Kuwait during the "High Holy Days" - Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

My family is very supportive and my wife is proud to be a military spouse, said Bindell, who will be putting his pursuit of a Master of Business studies on hold. He is currently attending Rutgers University at Newark.

This will be Bindell's second deployment to the Middle East, having been deployed there from May through August of 2008 with the 108th Maintenance Squadron.
He enjoys deploying because it's so fulfilling and he can have an impact on many people by doing something good, said Bindell.

He intends to provide services for Jewish servicemembers while in theater and provide a familiar face for Staff Sgt. Noemi Quinones, a chaplain assistant with the 108th ARW who is already there, said Bindell.
The chaplain assistant career field is a highly deployable career field next to the security forces, and there is always an opening in the unit, said Bindell.

With three openings in the unit and currently only two positions filled, the office is looking for more chaplain assistants, said Bindell.

Fulfilling his religion obligations doesn't seem to be his only concern as he prepares for his upcoming deployment. Recruiting additional Airmen into the chaplain assistance career field is also another of his callings before he departs to the Middle East.