Minot AFB expands resilience with HOPE Spiritual Fitness Initiative

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kendra A. Ransum
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  

Minot Air Force Base continues to grow its focus on whole-person wellness through the implementation of the Air Force’s HOPE Spiritual Fitness Initiative—an effort aimed at empowering Airmen and Guardians across all ranks with tools to build spiritual resilience, support peers and strengthen leadership.

Officially established in 2023 and brought to Minot AFB in early spring 2024, the HOPE initiative embeds trained Airmen, known as “Hope Specialists,” into units as peer mentors and early responders for fellow service members experiencing stress, hardship or isolation. The initiative, guided locally by U.S. Air Force Capt. Kelli Williamson, chaplain and Minot AFB HOPE point-of-contact, builds on the Chaplain Corps' mission to promote readiness, character and care through spiritual fitness.

“HOPE is a force multiplier for the Chapel Corps,” Williamson said. “HOPE members are embedded sensors in the units, aware of resources, guiding fellow Airmen to resources, connecting them to the Chaplain and Religious Affairs Airman as needs arise and assisting in saving lives.”

The current enterprise-wide HOPE Spiritual Fitness Initiative was introduced in 2023 by Headquarters Air Force Chaplain Corps. The program is modeled on the success of the “White Rope” program for technical school environments and aims to institutionalize a structured but flexible spiritual resilience model across the Department of the Air Force.

The program is open to all enlisted and officer Airmen and Guardians, with no restrictions by career field or rank. To join, an Airman must apply through their unit’s Religious Support Team, with endorsements from both their supervisor and first sergeant. Once accepted, volunteers complete 20 hours of training—seven hours led by Chaplain or Religious Affairs staff and the remaining 13 by either Chaplain staff or one of the base’s helping agencies. They also commit to at least six months of volunteer service.

HOPE strengthens more than just the individuals being helped. It benefits the Hope Specialists themselves by fostering leadership, character development and community service.

Hope Specialists are trained to identify early signs of crisis and stress, and to respond effectively—often by simply listening or by guiding peers to professional resources. As an embedded presence in their units, they also help bridge gaps between Airmen and the Chapel Corps.

The HOPE initiative also supports one of the four pillars of Comprehensive Airman Fitness (CAF): spiritual fitness. Unlike other peer-support models such as Master Resilience Trainers or Fortify the Force, HOPE emphasizes spiritual connection and meaning as essential to mission readiness and overall well-being.

HOPE is currently active at several Air Force installations, including Barksdale, Sheppard, Dover and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, as part of a wider rollout. The program remains in a beta phase as Air Force Chaplain Corps teams collect data, share lessons learned, and refine implementation guidelines.

Minot AFB continues to expand HOPE’s reach across squadrons, with plans to onboard more units in the coming months.

“I have enjoyed observing the impact the HOPE initiative has had in the units where we have launched it and the growth of Airmen,” said Williamson. “I look forward to seeing the HOPE initiative impact the other units on base, as we get them spun up.”

For Airmen interested in joining Minot AFB's HOPE Spiritual Fitness Initiative, applications are available through their unit Chaplain or Religious Affairs Airman. The opportunity not only enhances professional development but also builds a stronger, more connected force.