Chaplain Luigi Perez Finds Purpose in Air Force Ministry
“We don’t go by rank. We go by chaplain. My title carries the holy, and they respect it. It is not about being right, but getting it right.”
— The Rev. Capt. Luigi Perez Perez with the U.S. Air Force
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. — The Rev. Capt. Luigi Perez Perez, an Air Force chaplain stationed at Keesler Air Force Base, sees the world as his parish. With roots in Cuba, he views his calling as a continuation of his lifelong Methodist faith. “We are the peacemakers,” Perez said. “We go all over the world to minister to people. It’s a very Methodist thing.”
Perez’s journey into the Air Force began after he served 12 years in local church ministry. A chance meeting with a former Air Force chaplain inspired him to transition to military service. Perez is now one of 154 United Methodist-endorsed chaplains serve in the military with 60 in the Army, 49 in the Air Force, and 45 in the Navy, including the Marines and Coast Guard.
“The stories Rev. Peine shared filled me with life and passion,” he recalled. “I knew then that God was calling me to join the Air Force.”
As an United Methodist endorsed chaplain, Perez’s role goes beyond traditional ministry. He is one of He provides spiritual care to service members, often in high-stress environments. At Keesler, he spends his days counseling airmen, leading worship services, and preparing troops for deployments. “I want our members to be spiritually fit to deal with life during their service,” he explained.
Perez is moving to San Antonio for a Clinical Pastoral Education Course. This specialized program, designed to enhance spiritual care in extreme situations, will prepare him for further ministry in military hospitals. “The course helps us with our strengths and grows awareness of our weaknesses,” he said. “It fosters growth in pastoral formation, reflection, and competence.”
Life as a chaplain also comes with personal sacrifices. Perez has been married for 19 years to Yusdenins, and the couple has three sons. “Having a family is a blessing and a challenge,” he said. “We, like the soldiers we minister to, have to deal with separations and the stress in the aftermath of conflicts.”
Perez’s commitment to his ministry is rooted in the support of The United Methodist Church. “I am deeply grateful to my fellow Methodists,” he said. “They welcomed me, nurtured me, and helped me discern my call. They put up with me.”
For Perez, being a chaplain is not just a job; it is a mission. “We don’t go by rank. We go by chaplain,” he said. “My title carries the holy, and they respect it. It is not about being right, but getting it right.”
United Methodist Endorsing Agency
Chaplains, pastoral counselors and other providers of spiritual care are needed in a wide range of settings, and our clergy can be found serving everywhere from military outposts to hospitals, prisons, counseling centers and truck stops. Learn more.
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