Allied Air Force Europe Chaplaincy Consultative
Committee (AAFECCC) 2013 in Amsterdam/NL

In June 2013, the NATO senior Air Force Chaplains met in Amsterdam at its 62nd Conference in its history. The NAFCCC (NATO Air Force Chaplains Consultative Committee) is thus the oldest international conference of military chaplains within NATO, still earlier than Allied Air Forces in Europe Chaplaincy Consultative Committee (AAFECCC). Although this is a conference of the Air Force chaplain, the Conference met this time in the Naval Base of the Dutch armed forces in Amsterdam, but also visited various facilities of the Dutch " Koninglijke Luchtmacht " .
Participants came from the following countries: The Netherlands , Canada , the UK, Germany , Belgium, Greece , Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland and Spain.
Subjects were inter alia the special structure of the Dutch military chaplaincy including the specificity of the so-called " Humanist Chaplaincy " , lectures and discussions about death and dying in the military environment of the Air Forces , experience of danger and threat situations and emotional impact , even decades after the events , such as dealing with PTSD and the new structure within the Dutch armed forces .
Since the conference ( Sylvie Griggs ) was well organized mainly by the Jewish Chaplaincy Office, alongside memorials visited the participants of the Second World War ( Soesterberg Air Force Monument ) and the Anne Frank House, the Jewish Museum and the Portuguese Synagogue . The latter left just when a German participants particularly affected according to the historical events impression.
A word of praise is due to the two organizers of the conference : Chief Jewish Chaplain RNLAF Menachem Sebbag of the Jewish Chaplain and Chief Chaplain joint RNLAF January Tom Schneider of the Protestant Chaplain of the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
The German Bundeswehr culture like "First a coffee" ritual was through regular " coffee breaks " - eg both before and after the services (!) - sufficiently met. Coffee is supposed to be healthy according to the latest studies seem . In contrast with the striking " Nicotarium " marked " Rookruimte " was entirely spurned by the conference participants , which is certainly very healthy.