-Col. Forrester at three-day chaplains symposium
By Mark N. Mengonfia
Ghana-Chaplains from 10 West African countries have gathered in Ghana for the first symposium of its kind, aimed at strengthening military partnerships through faith-based collaboration and spiritual resilience.
The three-day event is organized by AFRICOM chaplains joining from the West Africa Religious Affairs Symposium (WARAS) and it is Co-hosted by U.S. Africa Command and the Ghanaian Defense Force.
Speaking during a virtual news conference Wednesday, July 15, 2026, Chaplain (Col.) Kevin Forrester, command chaplain at U.S. Africa Command, said the symposium is intended to strengthen regional alliances by focusing on the spiritual readiness and emotional well-being of service members.
Col. Forrester said the symposium will help build a unified and resilient military coalition capable of addressing shared security challenges across the region.
He said regional stability and prosperity require strong institutions, ethical leadership and a solid religious foundation.
“By bringing these religious leaders together, we are building bridges where others cannot, establishing a shared framework of trust across West Africa,” Forrester said.
He emphasized that AFRICOM is not seeking to impose an American model but respects the religious diversity and pluralistic nature of West African nations.
“When you see a Muslim chaplain and a Catholic priest collaborating side by side to support the unit, that is not just religious tolerance, it is operational strength,” he said.
Also speaking at the news conference, Sgt. Maj. Herinah Asaah, religious affairs senior enlisted leader at U.S. Africa Command, said her priority is ensuring that the framework developed during the symposium reaches service members and their families.
“This mission is deeply personal to me,” Asaah said.Born in Cameroon, Asaah said she understands the significance of faith and spirituality throughout West Africa stating, religion and spirituality are not just weekend rituals, “They are interwoven into the very fabric of daily life, culture and identity.”
She added that no military in West Africa or anywhere else can build a resilient force without understanding the cultural and spiritual realities of its people.
Participating countries include Liberia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Togo.
The symposium also includes U.S. military personnel representing the State Partnership Programs of California, the District of Columbia, Michigan, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Throughout the symposium, subject matter experts from partner-nation chaplaincies are leading strategic exchanges on topics including post-traumatic stress disorder, moral injury, ethics, enlisted leader development, ministry in combat and family care.
