Mike Collins: “Today is a great day. It is the birthday of the United States Air Force and for those of us who serve. I rise today to…”

“Today is a great day. It is the birthday of the United States Air Force and for those of us who serve. I rise today to recognize not only that birthday of the Air Force but to have the great and distinct honor of having Chief of Chaplains Steve Schaick, as we have just heard, to be here. I have the privilege of also calling him my boss because I am in the Air Force as well. He is a chaplain, and he is the top of my chain. He is there for a reason. He exemplifies what a chaplain means and how they serve in our Air Force. Throughout our country's history, men and women have awaited and answered the call of duty, accomplishing each mission with valor. Today, we acknowledge the men and women who have taken to the skies to defend our country as members of the United States Air Force. As a chaplain in that United States Air Force Reserves, I have had the privilege to minister and work with airmen since 2002. Their courage and integrity both at home and abroad are unmatched, and Chaplain Steven Schaick is a testament to that courage and integrity. Chaplain Schaick is a native of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1976, serving for 4 years as an F-15 integrated avionics component specialist. He is endorsed by the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., and was commissioned in the Air Force Reserves as a chaplain candidate in 1985 and into the Active Duty chaplaincy in 1988.…”