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Capt. Matthew Moberg (lower left), 1st Lt. Jody Crisp (lower right), Chief Master Sgt. Karl Ohrn (upper left) and Staff Sgt. Jere Ross, from Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., were each awarded a Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. The four men performed substantial volunteer service to the local community. (U.S. Air Force photos and graphic/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

Four Grand Forks AFB Airmen awarded medal for outstanding volunteer service

  • Published
  • By Story by Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Four Airmen from Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., were recently recognized for their outstanding volunteerism.

Capt. Matthew Moberg, 1st Lt. Jody Crisp, Chief Master Sgt. Karl Ohrn and Staff Sgt. Jere Ross all earned the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.

"Each of you now has the honor of wearing this medal because of your selfless and steadfast volunteerism," said Chaplain (Maj.) Steven T. Dabbs, who submitted the Airmen for the award. "On behalf of my team and all who benefit from your ministry, we're extremely proud of you and especially grateful to God for your outstanding volunteer support."

Moberg donated 1,010 hours in support of the base's Protestant community. He served as a Contemporary Praise and Worship leader, saving the wing more than $34,000 over two years. He also donated countless hours as a teacher for the AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed) Children's Spiritual Resiliency Program and served as president of the Protestant Advisory Council.

Crisp donated 758 hours in support of the Protestant community. He served as commander for the AWANA program and significantly aided the Children's Church Program during normally programmed worship services. He also served as a member of the Protestant Advisory Council, and as an usher for the Contemporary Worship service here.

Ohrn donated 860 hours in support of the base's Catholic community. During a two year period, Ohrn served as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, lector and lector scheduler, building key custodian, usher, hospitality coordinator and Catholic Advisory Council member. He also served as an escort officer for civilian priests providing religious services in lieu of the deployed Catholic chaplain. Ohrn was also one of the rare personnel entrusted as a Chapel Tithe and Offering Cardholder, making more than $12,000 in purchases for the spiritual needs of the base personnel.

"He served as the jack-of-all-trades and the master of them all," Dabbs said of Ohrn, whose retirement ceremony was held recently.

Ross donated 594 hours in support of the Protestant community prior to deploying earlier this month. He volunteered as a pianist for the base's Contemporary Worship Service for more than 13 months, which saved the wing more than $26,000. Like Moberg and Crisp, Ross also served a leader for the AWANA Children's Spiritual Resiliency Program. He also donated countless hours as a chaperone for the chapel's youth events and saved the program $7,000 by volunteering as the bus driver for spiritual resiliency retreats.

According to the chaplain's office, the selfless efforts of the four medal recipients helped contribute to more than 7,500 total hours of volunteer service the chapel has received within the first six months of the fiscal year - October 2012 to March 2013.

"The noble and life-touching efforts of these four Airmen epitomize the Air Force core value of service before self," said Dabbs. "They are a part of the 103 current volunteers who make the chapel the Wing's largest volunteer organization--a fact that provides me with yet another reason to be grateful."