Chapel staff recognized for excellence in 2006

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Emerald Ralston
  • 341st Space Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Glorifying God, honoring Airmen and serving all.

That's the chapel's mission.

Carrying out that mission helped earn the chapel staff the Professional Team of the Year award, while two members were selected for individual awards: Non-commissioned Officer of the Year and Air Force Space Command Outstanding Chaplain Service Civilian.

Many things contributed to the Professional Team of the Year award.

"I think we're passionate about taking care of people. If you ask any staff member, it is so true," said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Pat McCain. "I think we've tried to capitalize on the uniqueness and strengths of all of our team members, because each denomination is represented here. Whether they're chaplains, enlisted folks or civilians, we try to truly value the contribution of each and every person. I mean, that's what you expect out of a chaplain, but you can't do God's work without God's help."

The focus on people has been incredible as the chapel team traveled 14,000 miles and logged 763 hours to 220 sites across the 23,000 square-mile missile complex to provide support and spiritual strength to 1,600 troops deployed there.

"I think we earned this award not only by doing what people expect us to do, like hold worship services, but doing things that maybe people don't expect us to do - such as being out in the field with people," Chaplain McCain said. "I think that being where people are at is important. If they couldn't come to the chapel, we really took the chapel to them."

"The chapel staff has been going to the missile field since before I was here," said Staff Sgt. David Boice, 341st Space Wing chaplain assistant. "One of Chaplain McCain's priorities is to visit our troops in the field and that's our mission here at Malmstrom. Our mission is to be visible reminders of the holy and we do that by going out where they are and supporting our men and women in the field."

But the chapel staff wouldn't take full credit for the award, crediting the entire base for helping them earn it.

"I think this award is so special because unlike any other it is not just about the chapel staff," Chaplain McCain said. "It is an award the whole base owns, because everything we do, the base supports. All the volunteers for the things we do are base folks - the things we do at the Detour, for example, we have volunteers from every conceivable group on the base. This is truly a wing Malmstrom award. I have a great and wonderful team, but it's everyone's award."

"Also, this is the first time in 20th Air Force history that a chapel team has won this award," Chaplain McCain said. "I think this is significant because we all expect the people at the tip of the spear, the operators, defenders and maintainers, to win these awards. They do such wonderful work and they should be recognized, but it's really awesome that a support agency could be recognized."

The chapel team also aced the 2006 operational readiness inspection with two excellent ratings and remarks from inspectors such as 'by far the best inspection I have conducted.'

The Detour, an alcohol-free cyber café, was also a big part of the chapel team's success, giving Airmen a fun, relaxed and safe place to socialize.

As well as the team award, Sergeant Boice won NCO of the Year and Jennine Seitz won AFSPC Outstanding Chaplain Service Civilian of the Year.

"I was thrilled to see them get the awards because they do support people in ministry and they're typically in the background. You'll never see these people up front but they really do deserve to be recognized," Chaplain McCain said.

Despite his outstanding award package, Sergeant Boice said he was shocked when he found out he won NCO of the Year.

"There are a lot of good people in this career field and a lot of people deserve this award," he said.

Humility aside, there are many things that helped earn Sergeant Boice this award including mentoring, volunteer activities, and planning and supporting team-building exercises, not to mention excellent bookkeeping, management of funds and oversight of their $231,000 budget. Sergeant Boice also helped secure the excellent rating in the 2006 ORI.

"I thought we did pretty well in the ORI," Sergeant Boice said. "We were out there for morale, to encourage people and to be a visible reminder of the holy - why we fight."
Jennine Seitz stood out with hours of humanitarian work, organizing multiple local service projects and motivating more than 500 volunteers to give more than 2,000 hours in 67 projects.

Also, she is the wing's first Catholic Community Coordinator and ensured solid Catholic ministry even without an active-duty priest.

"I've received a lot of help from all the auxiliary priests that work here," said Ms. Seitz.

"They're all very helpful keeping me on track. There is no active-duty priest stationed here so they hired me to coordinate and administrate the Catholic community here. That can't be done without the priests that come in here and perform the Mass, and I have a great deal of cooperation from them."

"Everyone here works hard and tries to do their job," Ms. Seitz said. "Mostly, everyone just tries to be helpful and make sure the religious needs of the community are met, and to focus on everyone but themselves."