DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- For the first time in nearly a decade, the 7th Bomb Wing Chapel Team received the honor of being named the 2022 Air Force Global Strike Command Medium Chapel Team of the Year.
“The last time we won was 2013,” said Lt. Col. Gabriel Rios, 7th BW wing chaplain.
The 7th BW chapel team currently has five chaplains and three religious affairs Airmen who provide spiritual support and guidance to Airmen.
“We support Airmen that are supporting seven combatant commands all over the globe,” said Rios. “Our mission is to support the Airmen by protecting their constitutional right to exercise their religion so that they may support the larger mission.”
The 7th BW chapel corps’ additional missions are to advise wing leadership in morale, ethics, quality of life issues, and religious accommodation, and to provide pastoral care by offering specialized counseling for Airmen and their families.
In addition to the team award, Capt. Kurtis Bueltmann, 7th BW chaplain, won the AFGSC Chaplain Corps Company Grade Officer of the Year.
“This is Chaplain Bueltmann’s first assignment, so this is a huge accomplishment,” said Rios. “He’s only been here for a year and a half. He is very committed to the mission, he walks the extra mile and works the extra hours, he’s very selfless and he’s a very special person.”
2022 was Chaplain Bueltmann’s first full year as a chaplain. He joined the Air Force Chapel Corps after two of his four children enlisted.
“Each member of the team brings a unique set of strengths and weaknesses to the table,” said Bueltmann. “At the end of the day, we are all working towards the same trajectory of serving Airmen, and I value the encouragement and accountability we provide one another as a team, as well as the opportunities to mentor and be mentored.”
Some of the chapel team’s accomplishments that helped them receive this recognition were: a prayer and breakfast drive through, implementing monthly ‘care for the caregiver’ meetings, supporting the National Airborne Operations Center E-4B Airmen and mission, organizing Airmen retreats, and promoting overall resiliency throughout the installation.
Congratulations to the 7th BW Chapel Team:
Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Gabriel Rios
Chaplain (Maj.) Matthew Clouse
Chaplain (Capt.) Benjamin Quintanilla
Chaplain (Capt.) Justin Greene
Chaplain (Capt.) Kurtis Bueltmann
Religious Affairs Superintendent Tech. Sgt. Wayne Archer
Religious Affairs Airman Staff Sgt. Crayton Noe
Religious Affairs Airman Senior Airman Tessa Chirhart
Father Bhaskar Morugudi
Master Sgt. (Retired) Lidia Beach
For more information about the Dyess Chapel, the services they provide and contact information click here.