Wichita ? Capt. John Hubbs leads Sunday worship services, counsels and builds friendships with the soldiers at McConnell Air Force Base.

But as war with Iraq moves closer, duties for Hubbs and McConnell’s other military chaplains are expected to increase.

For one, there will be more reasons and opportunities to pray for soldiers. At the top of Hubbs’ prayer list are those in the military who will have to make the tough calls: people such as the intelligence gatherers whose information determines where deadly strikes will take place.

“You’re always going to have people second-guessing you,” Hubbs said. “We are so conscious of inflicting damage on innocent people. I don’t think we take it lightly.”

In the Air Force, an estimated 60 chaplains from many religious affiliations have been deployed in connection with Operation Enduring Freedom, the ongoing military response to Sept. 11.

Hubbs, 38, who comes from the Free Methodist denomination, shares duties at McConnell with chaplains from Southern Baptist, Roman Catholic and Church of God backgrounds.

While answering a call to minister, they are sensitive to their audience’s faith, they said.

“I have to balance the fact that I have a calling to share my faith,” Hubbs said. “But as a chaplain, I have to be sensitive to the faith the military member brings to the table. To me, that’s the Golden Rule.”

Hubbs served as pastor of two churches in Illinois before a letter from the Navy invited him to consider military chaplaincy.

He decided on the Air Force about five years ago. McConnell is his second U.S. base assignment.

Like other enlisted personnel, military chaplains are prepared to be deployed abroad at any time.

Hubbs returned in December from his first deployment abroad, a 90-day stay at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

Within military circles, chaplains are best known for their confidentiality. They can be court-martialed for breaching it, and are protected from the obligation to report knowledge of wrongdoing.

Hubbs, one of four chaplains at McConnell Air Force Base, said he’d like to see people grow more in their spiritual lives. But for him, it’s all about developing relationships.

“To be honest, I don’t have anyone else to talk to,” except chaplain Hubbs, Technical Sgt. Adam Ross said. “I’m not spiritual. I’m just a regular guy, but the stress in the military reverberates to my personal life.”