Page 4 - Desert Lightning News, Nellis-Creech AFB Edition, Sept. 7 2018

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From helos to chapels: The journey to helping others
one class he actually enjoyed, and proved to be pivotal in his story.
“Mr. Hankins brought the class to life when he discussed topics like the begin- ning of the Revolutionary War,” Matthew said. “He brought out my early desires to be one of those people willing to lay down their life to serve others. I still say Mr. Hankins was the one who initially motivated me to join.”
Just four days after graduating high school in 1993, 17-year-old Matthew left his small hometown in Indiana to fulfill his contract to the Army as an airborne infantryman, his dream since the age of 15. After completing Basic Military Training and airborne school, Matthew applied for Ranger training at Fort Ben- ning, Ga., as fast as he could.
While Matthew was performing the rigorous physical training, an honor guard recruiter approached the Ranger students and spotted Matthew who met the requirements. Shortly after, he was sent to Fort Myer, Virginia to complete honor guard training instead.
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Pentagon. He would spend nine months of the year serving as an honor guards- man while the other three months were spent keeping up his infantry qualifica- tions.
While training at the Army Air As- sault School, an opportunity came in the form of a messenger of sorts.
“As part of the training for the non- commissioned officers at the Air Assault School, they were being tested on how to tie the ropes and give commands, but they needed people who were willing to rappel out of a helicopter all day ... I was one of them,” he said. “After we landed for a break, a Chief Warrant Officer 2 walked up to me and said that I should go to flight school.”
Confused while still chewing his Meal Ready-To-Eat, Matthew didn’t think it was possible, but the officer urged Mat- thew to take the chance, without letting things like workload or self-doubt get in the way.
received his acceptance into the Army’s Warrant Officer Program and helicopter flight school.
“Up until that point I hadn’t really thought very highly of myself and yes, I was in the Army, but I didn’t really know what I was doing ... this was a career I could be proud of,” he said. “Serving in the honor guard was great, but being selected for pilot training was a game changer.”
Although he didn’t have much of a desire to become a pilot as a teenager, while in flight training, Matthew tackled his academics harder than ever. Upon graduation, as he hovered over the flight line in his A model Apache helicopter in front of his many family members, he said not only were they extremely proud, he was as well.
Just like the pilot who introduced Matthew to the idea of flying, special forces officer Doug Frank, Matthew’s neighbor at Fort Bragg, N.C., would change Matthew’s life in 1999.
“He’s the one who invited me to church when I wasn’t a believer at all,”
_______See ChApElS, on Page 3 SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE IN NORTH LAS VEGAS
by Senior Airman Christian Clausen
Creech AFB, Nev.
While the dust settles for just a mo- ment before the hot wind whisks it away once more in the desolate Nevada desert, the chaplain is making his rounds.
He’s chatting to Remotely Piloted Air- craft Airmen and checking up with how they’re doing; however, he’s no ordinary chaplain.
Today, Chaplain Matthew uses knowl- edge acquired over a 25-year military career serving in multiple specialties throughout different branches of service to counsel and assist combat Airmen.
Matthew, who today holds the rank of captain in the U.S. Air Force, started his career in the U.S. Army as an en- listed airborne infantryman. During those days he described himself as rough around the edges, but throughout the years his journey has led to a complete transformation into the cool, calm and collected individual, who focuses on car- ing for Airmen and their families.
The young honor guardsman took the shot even when he didn’t think there was a chance in the world of being selected. Just a few short months after, via a friend’s dial-up internet service, he
Admitting he wasn’t a very good stu- dent in high school, Matthew explained that history taught by Mr. Hankins was
For the next five years, Matthew served at various dignified burials, mili- tary ceremonies at the White House and
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