Casino chaplain called to active duty by Air Force

Stacy J. Willis

Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2002 | 9:48 a.m.

God, country and Vegas.

The Rev. Charles Bolin has been called from the Las Vegas Strip to Langley Air Force Base in Virginia to serve as a U.S. Air Force chaplain for Operation Enduring Freedom.

Air Force Lt. Col. Bolin, who has led Sunday church services in the Riviera Hotel Casino for the last eight years, was activated from his reserve status in November.

"The environment here is a little different than what I'm used to," Bolin said via telephone from his Langley dorm room -- "lucky room No. 7-11."

"I've had to change my uniform and my language ... but in either place, I deal with people in crisis," he said.

Bolin, 54, is working in the air combat command center overseeing chaplains who are assigned to combat areas.

"The Strip trained me for the military. People have the same problems. They are stressed or afraid or they have relationship trouble -- only you've got a much higher intensity here at Langley," Bolin said.

Still, morale at Langley is high in the midst of post-Sept. 11 military action, Bolin said.

"This is what these people are trained for. They are ready to go into action -- especially because we were attacked here on our homeland. Morale goes down when the planes are ready but there are no targets," Bolin said. "They are eager."

An Air Force reserve officer since 1983, Bolin said he feels obligated to serve his country because his brother served in Vietnam while he went to seminary.

"Thankfully, he was not killed in Vietnam, but he did come back with other troubles," Bolin said. "I've always felt an obligation after that."

Bolin began his Las Vegas ministry in 1982, working with chronic gamblers, substance abusers, and then Riviera employees.

"For people here at Langley, it's a break from their routine to ask about my ministry on the Strip," Bolin said. "When I tell them that ministering to 2,000 employees, plus visitors, is like being a chaplain on a small military installation, they start to understand...

"But mostly, they want to hear about the showgirls: What are showgirls like? Do you get to go backstage?"

Bolin used to conduct his Sunday services -- which were routinely attended by about 50 tourists and employees each week -- in the Crazy Girls showroom.

"He had trouble explaining the posters of the women on the walls," Riviera Executive Vice President of Operations Jerry Grippe said.

The Riviera is the only Strip hotel to employ a full-time chaplain. In Bolin's absence, the hotel is using volunteer replacement chaplains to conduct services and counsel employees who have come to rely on Bolin.

"He is sorely missed. There are guests who stay here solely because he is here, and we are looking forward to his return," Grippe said.

Bolin's assignment is expected to last between 12 months and 24 months.