Airman country, faith ambassador

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Melissa Phillips
  • 39th Air Base Group Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (AFPN) --  In the military, servicemembers pull double duty as worker bees in their daily jobs and, on a more far-reaching level, U.S. ambassadors in their communities and around the world.

One noncommissioned officer here pulls triple duty. He is also an ambassador for his religion -- Islam.

Tech. Sgt. Glynis Turner, a 39th Communications Squadron quality assurance evaluator, is the Islamic lay leader for the base chapel which welcomes all religions.

He is one of 12 Muslim airmen among more than 4,000 airmen, Department of Defense employees and family members here with predominately Judeo-Christian backgrounds.

Since Muslims occupy a small percentage of the military population, there are only two ordained Islamic chaplains in the Air Force, Turner said.

So, the service he provides to the base as an Islamic lay leader is not well-known, but none the less important. He assists other Islamic followers, dispels myths about Islam and increases understanding of the religion and culture.

Turner recently represented his faith as a Muslim in the military at an iftar for influential community leaders in Adana.

An iftar is a fast-breaking dinner occurring after sundown each night in the month of Ramadan. Muslim followers fast during the day for one month to get closer to their faith and better understand the plight of the poor.

The consulate sponsors dinner during Ramadan to build a mutual understanding between both countries, said Deborah Hart, American consulate representative in Adana.

“We were very fortunate to have an American Muslim share his experiences,” Hart said. “He’s a good representative of America as well. He shows tolerance.”

And, in today’s society, tolerance is needed, Turner said, especially when some people associate Islamic faith with words like jihad.

“Islam teaches tolerance and patience,” he said. “The truest meaning of jihad is not consistent with anyone causing war or harmful acts against innocent people, no matter who they are or where they are from.

“Jihad is the everyday struggle to live Islam. It’s every human being’s struggle with life situations … with your spouse, children, occupation and more importantly understanding your place in the world in relation to one’s lord,” Turner said.

The 19-and-a-half year veteran is familiar with struggle. He found Islam late in life and was 33 years old when he “reverted” to Islam from the Baptist church in 1996.

He was exposed to Islam at another base by two co-workers. They started him on a spiritual path that led him to Turkey, a predominately Muslim country only a few hours by plane to some of the world’s most sacred religious locations.

In early October, Turner paid more than $1,000 for a flight to Mecca. It would have cost him $3,000 to $8,000 to fly from Memphis, Tenn., his home of record.

“It was truly remarkable to be able to visit two of three holiest cities on Earth: Mecca and Madinah (the third being Jerusalem),” Turner said.

He traveled to Mecca to perform the Umrah, which is classified as the second most important pilgrimage a Muslim can make in their lifetime. The first is hajj.

“(The mosque) was full of 10,000 people, but the setting was very serene,” Turner said.

Inside, followers walked counterclockwise seven times around the ka’ba, a small house in the middle of the mosque that contains a sacred black stone near the east corner of the door.

“It was amazing seeing the ka’ba with my own eyes,” Turner said. “It has a presence of something powerful, and you know you’re in a very special place.

“I’ve probably answered at the most 10 questions in my three and half years here,” Turner said. “I wish more people would ask me questions so they can better understand what Islam is about.”

Islam and Christianity have more similarities than differences, Turner said.

“Most people don’t know that Jesus is mentioned by name more times in the Koran than Muhammad is, and no Muslim is a Muslim without having reverence for Jesus and his mother Mary. I think more people need to know that,” Turner said.