News

Robins sports best mid-size chapel in Air Force

  • Published
  • By Wayne Crenshaw
  • 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  For the first time, the Base Chapel at Robins has been named Chapel of the Year in the Air Force in the medium-sized category.

After winning medium Chapel of the Year in the Air Force Materiel Command, the Robins Base Chapel went on the win the Terence P. Finnegan Award as best medium chapel in the entire Air Force. Awards were also given out in large and small categories.

Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Thomas Fey, the Catholic chaplain and wing chaplain at Robins, said it's the first time the Base Chapel had won the honor.

"The critical thing for me is that it's recognition of all the hard work done by all of the chaplains and chaplain assistants at Robins," Chaplain Fey said. "It's an indication that they have done the extra duty and gone the extra mile."

The Base Chapel has five chaplains and seven chaplain assistants. At any given time, Chaplain Fey said, there's usually someone from the chapel deployed. The efforts of Robins chaplains in the war zone - including comforting victims of a suicide bomber and starting the first flightline ministry program - were cited in the award.

Chaplain Fey and Chaplain (Capt.) Mike Newton, the senior Protestant chaplain on base, both said the development of the Airman Ministry Center as a key contributor to the award.

The center, targeted to young Airmen, offers a place for Airmen to gather socially in a safe, non-alcohol environment. Attendance was up 275 percent last year, with an estimated 700 Airmen per month visiting the center.

"The increase in attendance says we are doing something right to get them there," Chaplain Fey said.

Both also cited the contributions of numerous other groups on base as a key reason for getting the award. They said mental health professionals on base and other groups work together with the chapel to help Airmen in need.

"There's no way we can do this without all of the other helping organizations," Chaplain Newton said. "When a phone call comes in, we know they are close by."