LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
Front Line Warrior: Staff Sgt. Kristine MacKeown
Deployed Unit: 321st Air Expeditionary Wing Chapel
Duty Title: NCOIC, Chapel Operations
Home Unit: 633rd Air Base Wing Chapel
Hometown: Dennisville, N.J.
Time in Service: Active duty Air Force 7.5 years
Describe your deployed duty and the tools you use to accomplish it: I am uniquely trained in the principles of religious diversity, religious accommodation, major faith group prerequisites, privileged communications, and crisis/suicide intervention. These tools assist me in providing the First Amendment right of "free exercise of religion," as well as aiding Airmen in need.
What do you bring to the fight? I manage religious observances, aid pastoral care, and provide advice to leadership on spiritual, ethical, moral and morale issues. I meet the diverse needs of the multi-faith military community by managing religious programs, and by being the eyes and ears of the Chaplain.
What are your overall thoughts and opinions about your mission there? We are here at historical point in time with the draw-down. We are able to provide a place of worship, meditation and relaxation to those that work directly on the overall mission to advising and training the Iraqis.
Supervisor Comments: "Sergeant MacKeown is a full partner in ministry. She assists me in providing or providing for the free exercise of religion to our Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, and contractors. She possesses abundant interpersonal relationship skills that have been utilized well in this deployed setting. She is known around the base, and has quickly become the subject matter expert in myriad transitional operations. Her contribution to the spiritual well-being of our Airmen is immeasurable, and I am fortunate to have her as a teammate. "