Page 2 - March ARB Beacon 3-4-16

2 March 4, 2016
BEACON
Volume 81, Number 9
THE
452 AMW Public Affairs
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Keeping the faith is resiliency tool
by Senior Master Sgt. Rita Houchin
452 AMW Chaplain Corps team
If you read Chaplain Richard Given’s
introductions to the 452nd Air Mobility
Wing Chaplain Corps team in last month’s
Beacons, you would have seen my photo
and learned that I was a mechanic in the
Marine Corps in the 1980s who returned
to service as a chaplain assistant after Sep-
tember 11, 2001.
For a good portion of my life I was a
very unlikely candidate for becoming a
chaplain assistant. For example, I used to
get angry when I saw religious fish sym-
bols on cars because I felt as if I were being funerals for their sons. One was at a mortu-
preached to by a bumper sticker.
So what happened? As is the plot in
many movies and books, life was beating
me up a bit. But, having been a Marine I
learned to take most hardships and life
First sergeant appointed to
California Veteran’s Board
by Linda Welz
452 AMW public affairs
munity as a whole, she said. This was her
Master Sgt. Carla J. Thornton, acting
first sergeant, 452nd Aeromedical Evacu-
ation Squadron, was appointed to the Cal-
ifornia Veteran’s Board by Governor Ed-
mund G. Brown Jr. on February 11, 2016.
As a veteran, member of a military orga-
nization, and California resident, Thorn-
ton met the requirements to serve on the
ment will diversify the board, she said.
It wasn’t until the current California
State Appointments Secretary Mona Pas-
quil provided training in the local area,
that Thornton (who attended that training)
asked Pasquil if her 2012 application had
been received.
“She contacted me after the training, I
filled out the application, provided letters
of recommendation, and then it moved up
from that point,” Thornton said.
“I consider myself a community ser-
vant, helping 1.8 million vets in CA
by serving as their voice on the board,”
Thornton said. “Helping the California
Veterans Department to continue to pro-
vide outstanding benefits is what being an
turn, helps her understand and be able to
Thornton, 37, of Moreno Valley, will
attend her first meeting in Sacramento at
the end of this month, although her senate
confirmation, which involves reviewing
applications and conducting interviews, is
tions, 452 AES. “She is a voice for Veter-
Being active at the state level gives
facebook.com/TeamMarch
CHAPLAIN’S CORNER
struggles in stride.
Then one day my co-worker and close
also laced with their culture, but seemed
friend called me up out of the blue and
told me that her beautiful son had commit-
ted suicide. That is a senseless tragedy that
somehow one must grasp. A short time
later, another co-worker lost her son, a pas- faith appeared to me to heal at a drastically
senger of an erratic driver on Grad Night.
Yes, the sudden loss of my friends’ sons had
me thinking about life and death. But, it was
their funerals that I attended which had a
profound impact on me, and helped to dras-
tically change my attitude toward faith.
My two friends had two very different
ary with no music or prayer that I can re-
member, just fond memories from young
friends sprinkled with odd talk about a
fringe culture.
The other funeral took place at a church,
Thornton the opportunity to help Veter-
ans, not just individually, but in the com-
said. “She sees the basic needs as a first
chance to be more instrumental in ensur-
ing that California Veterans are getting the
best benefits available, she added.
Most board members are from north-
ern California, Thornton said. The board
is lacking representation from this area,
women, and other groups. Her appoint-
“We should be active participants. It’s
“My input will hopefully bring about
more change for Vets who live in this re-
gion,” she said. I’m still trying to grasp
things, but a high priority is the Veterans’
homes, with each being represented by a
board member. I’ve been assigned to the
Lancaster home,” Thornton said. “My job
is to keep its residents healthy, provide
them with resources, and ensure they are
living in a safe environment.”
Thornton spends her Reserve time as
an acting first sergeant, and is also a vol-
unteer victim advocate. Through those
positions she has become more familiar
with benefits that the Veteran’s Adminis-
tration provides to individuals who have
experienced a sexual trauma, which, in
explain those benefits better.
“Based on her disposition and her ex-
perience, she is an ideal first sergeant and
spokesperson for Veterans,” said 2nd Lt
Jim Lambert, assistant director of opera-
had beautiful music, prayer and affection-
ate memories from the young folks. It was
much healthier.
Both moms suffered a sudden and trau-
matic loss, yet the mom who embraced her
different pace, and fare much better than
the other mom did.
Although this happened a long time ago,
and at the time, I did not understand that
I was observing resiliency, the ability to
bounce back, I had come to the personal
conclusion that faith was a vital component
and that perhaps it could even save lives.
There is it, my long and winding path to
a career field that is not just about religious
freedom, but also about helping to provide
tools for resiliency, a listening ear, and the
many benefits of having faith.
ans as well as members of the 452nd AES.
Her positions complement each other,” he
sergeant and is in touch with what’s really
going on.”
Being involved in her community helps
Thornton serve as role model for her sev-
en-year-old daughter and other military
members, she said.
my life-long value system to be involved
in the community,” she said.
Thornton, who will receive a small
stipend to compensate her for travel to
and from meeting locations throughout
the year, earned a Master of Social Work
degree from the University of Southern
California School of Social Work, and
a Master of Arts degree in management
from the University of Redlands. She said
that in addition to her social work degree,
her sub-concentration was community or-
See SERGEANT page 9