Small chapel wins big award

  • Published
  • By Chaplain, Capt Roland Reitz
  • 319th Air Refueling Wing Chapel
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  The Grand Forks Air Force Base Chaplain Service was honored March 18 when they were informed by Col. Diane Hull, 319th Air Refueling Wing commander, that they were the recipients of the Air Force Chaplain Service Robert P. Taylor Award for being the best small base chapel program of the year.

The team had been selected earlier by Air Mobility Command as small base chapel program of the year. In addition, Ch, Capt. Roland Reitz received the 2007 Edwin R. Chase Award as the Air Mobility Command Company Grade Chaplain of the Year, and went on to compete against all the other command winners at Air Force level.

The award packages highlighted outstanding 2007 accomplishments such as deployments by half of the chapel staff in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; crisis response to active-duty deaths and critical incidents during the year; reimplementation of the highly successful Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) program; innovative team building, conflict intervention and staff-enrichment programs offered; marriage and family reintegration retreat and conferences; the free book-of-the-month program; and leadership development events like the Maximum Impact Seminar simulcast live to our base from Atlanta, GA last April (coming again 18 April 2008), and the chapel's Toolbox Advantage Breakfast for Commanders, Chiefs, and First Sergeants.

The Robert P. Taylor Award recognizes the best chapel team at an active duty base with less than 3,000 assigned personnel. The Air Force Chaplain Service presents 12 other annual awards including medium and large bases, Air National Guard bases, and individual awards for Airman, Non-Commissioned Officers, Senior Non-Commissioned Officers, and Company Grade Officers.

The Robert P. Taylor and Edwin R. Chase Awards demonstrate the outstanding service and ministry of the entire team: Ch, Lt. Col. John Kinney; Ch, Maj. Kevin Lockett; Ch, Capt. Roland Reitz; Ch, Capt. Shin Soh; Tech. Sgt. Shanda Kent; Staff Sgt. Todd Hankey; Mrs. Janelle Holland; Mrs. Jane Hutzol and Mrs. Melanie Morgan; five previous team members: Tech. Sgt. Jason Tober, Staff Sgt. Angelina Ginocchio, Mrs. Carol Shower, Mrs. Laura Westendorf, and Mrs. Diane Winklebauer; as well as four Individualized Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Reservists attached to the wing chaplain service.

Chaplain Lockett, acting Wing Chaplain, said "The awards are a reflection of the dedication of our team to serve the base community. We are proud to be Warriors of the North and grateful for the opportunity to serve together or to carry that warrior spirit as we represent Team Grand Forks when we deploy around the world."

"I am proud of the professionalism, dedication, and enthusiasm they each bring to the table every day," he added.

(TSgt Joseph Kapinos, 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs also contributed to this story)