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Reserve officer named Chaplain of the Year

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Amber Kelly-Herard
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Chaplain (Capt.) Michael McDonald is the 2009 Thoralf T. Thielen Reserve Chaplain of the Year.

The award is meaningful for Chaplain McDonald because his career didn't start in the chapel, and Chaplain McDonald himself was not always on a religious path.

During the nine years he served as an active duty crew chief, he faced hard times, which forced him to re-evaluate his life.

"As an Airman, I had a lot of things going wrong in my life," he said. "I was suicidal, depressed and facing an Article 15. Then in 1998 I accepted Jesus in my life."

While stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., he would often be drawn to the chapel. Then, during a deployment to Guam where there were only two chaplains, he saw the need to help out and became a chaplain assistant. He performed most of the responsibilities as a chaplain assistant while still working as a crew chief. Even when the chaplains told him he should join their ranks, he still couldn't see it for himself.  

Soon after, he received an assignment to Southwest Asia. Upon his arrival, the chaplains were called away, so he quickly took over.

On his return to Barksdale AFB, he tried to retrain. But as a technical sergeant, the option wasn't available, so he separated and became a Reserve maintenance officer.

On a whim, he went to a seminary in Missouri where he saw chaplains who were religious without trying to force religion on others, which is when he realized he could be a chaplain. In March of 2006, he became a chaplain candidate.

"It was truly meant to be," said Chaplain McDonald, "because when I was in basic officer training school, then Fairchild AFB for seminary school, and at Whiteman AFB as a chaplain, I met up with the chaplains who told me I should have been a chaplain before, and they all said 'I told you so.' And each time it just further confirmed that I should have been a chaplain."

Chaplain McDonald is serving as a Reserve chaplain for the 375th Air Mobility Wing, and he has been working as the religious education coordinator at Chapel 1. He has also been working in the dorms since last September.

"I enjoy the Air Force and like to reach out to Airmen," he said. "I don't want them to go through what I did. Whether they are religious or not, I just want them to stay out of trouble."

Chaplain McDonald has planned several dorm activities to help Airmen stay spiritually and mentally healthy.

Dorm Airmen have visited the zoo, the Science Center, Dave and Buster's and several other local attractions. Last Saturday, they had a bonfire, and this weekend, they will have an Easter Egg Extravaganza.

Chaplain McDonald also enjoys the confidentiality that chaplains possess.

"I feel like I can change lives," he said. "People really feel relieved after they tell someone something that has been bothering them."

Some of his other accomplishments include presiding over the funeral of a World War II, Medal of Honor recipient, Army major general; helping a local recruiting unit work through the death of a colleague; and helping with wounded warriors passing through Scott.

"I have been trained in post-traumatic stress disorder," he said. "So I can help with building resiliency and dealing with hard times."