For the first time in nearly a decade, under the leadership of Chaplain (Lieutenant Colonel) Gabriel Rios, 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 7th Bomb Wing Chapel Team located at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas 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 Team’s 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. Each member of the team brings a unique set of strengths to the table.

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 Chaplain Rios and the 7th BW Chapel Team.