Religious Program & Chapel Awards
Lieutenant Brandy Bennett is enthusiastically recommended for the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for meritorious service while serving as the Chaplain, Officer Candidates School (OCS) from December 2018 to February 2022. He excelled and set the bar at one of the most challenging and demanding billets at OCS. Lieutenant Bennett distinguished himself by consistently displaying superior spiritual leadership, uncommon ingenuity, managerial ability, and diverse religious ministries experience. His efforts have had a direct positive impact on countless Marines, Sailors, Officer Candidates, and their families and have positively impacted the readiness of OCS.
As the OCS Chaplain, Lieutenant Bennett promoted morale, unit cohesion, and spiritual resiliency among numerous Marines, Sailors, Officer Candidates, and Civilians. OCS is administratively and operationally responsible for 225 permanently assigned personnel, approximately 250 additional augment staff personnel, and an average throughput of approximately 2,000 Officer Candidates annually. Additionally, in order to maximize the summer training window, OCS executes a 7-day per week high intensity training schedule that allows for limited weekend or holiday liberty. Lieutenant Bennett took the initiative to make sure he was available to counsel both candidates and staff members at all hours to ensure that all OCS personnel had the spiritual and supportive counseling they needed to execute the arduous and grueling OCS training schedule. He always provided genuine and candid words in a way that encouraged Marines as they dealt with issues that were work related, personal in nature, or involved the entire family. As a former Naval Intelligence Officer, he drew from his years of experience which enabled remarkable understanding and insight that resonated throughout his one-on-one counselings, his spiritual programs, and religious support. Lieutenant Bennett's sincere and honorable words had an immeasurable impact on the success of individuals and the command as a whole.
At OCS, Chaplain Bennett met the spiritual needs of over 6,357 Officer Candidates and 400 Staff members over the course of nine OCS training cycles comprised of 19 Officer Candidates Class (OCC) candidate companies, six Platoon Leader Class-Junior companies, and six PLC-Senior companies. Lieutenant Bennett was critical to the success at OCS delivering spiritual strength and motivation with credibility to Marines, Sailors and Officer Candidates. Ensuring that he was always available, Lieutenant Bennett would meet wherever needed. He made himself available to OCS Staff and Officer Candidates not only in his office, but on the physical training field, during hikes, out at bivouac sites, within the work sections, and even at OCS members' homes in order to provide for their needs. As the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic surfaced during this timeframe, Chaplain Bennett developed innovative electronic and socially-distanced methods to provide 250 hours of virtual religious services and counselling. The care of OCS staff and Officer Candidates was his primary concern and he facilitated those needs flawlessly.
Lieutenant Bennett successfully recruited, trained, and led a diverse team of 19 volunteers, both military and civilians, that provided and facilitated 175 sets of religious services.
FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE SERVING AS COMMAND CHAPLAIN FOR USS HUE CITY FROM -------- TO --------. DURING THIS IMPORTANT ASSIGNMENT, HE PROVIDED COUNTLESS HOURS OF DECK PLATE MINISTRY TO INCLUDE 777 COUNSELING HOURS, 66 RELIGIOUS SERVICES, 44 BIBLE STUDIES, 33 GENERAL MILITARY TRAININGS, AND CONTINUOUS MWR SUPPORT. IN ADDITION, HE CONDUCTED TWO BURIAL-AT-SEA CEREMONIES, EXECUTED TWO CROSS-DECK MINISTRY MISSIONS, AND COORDINATED FOUR COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROJECTS, PROVIDING SAILORS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH A LONG LASTING BOND BETWEEN HOST NATIONS AND THE U.S. NAVY. IN RECOGNITION OF HIS EFFORTS TO RAISE MORALE AND SPIRITUAL FITNESS AND KEEP THE USS HUE CITY FOCUSED ON MISSION READINESS, HE RECEIVED THE MILITARY CHAPLAINS ASSOCIATION DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD. BY HIS EXCEPTIONAL ABILITY, PERSONAL INITIATIVE AND TOTAL DEDICATION TO DUTY, CHIEF SIMS REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND UPHELD THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.
FOR EXCEPTIONAL MERITORIOUS SERVICE FROM 15 APRIL 1986 TO 30 MARCH 2016 CULMINATING AS ASSISTANT LEADING PETTY OFFICER, PASTORAL CARE SERVICE, NMC SAN DIEGO, CA. THROUGHOUT HIS 24 YEARS OF SERVICE, PETTY OFFICER JONES DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF BY EXCEPTIONAL DUTY PERFORMANCE IN POSITIONS OF INCREASING RESPONSIBILITY. DURING HIS CAREER, HE CONSISTENTLY PERFORMED HIS DUTIES WITH EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP, INTEGRITY, AND SUPERIOR SKILL THAT IMPROVED EVERY UNIT TO WHICH HE BELONGED AND PUT SAILORS FIRST. BY HIS EXCEPTIONAL ABILITY, PERSONAL INITIATIVE AND TOTAL DEDICATION TO DUTY, PETTY OFFICER JONES REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND UPHELD THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THE SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OF HER DUTIES WHILE SERVING AS CHAPEL ASSISTANT ON 10 FEBRUARY 2016, PO2 DEBORAH KEETON, THE ASSIGNED CUSTODIAN OF THE ALL FAITH CHAPEL RELIGIOUS OFFERING FUND, COMPLETED A DAILY REVIEW OF BANK RECORDS AND IDENTIFIED A POSSIBLE FRAUD ON THE ACCOUNT. SHE REPORTED IT IMMEDIATELY TO THE COMMAND CHAPLAIN AND BEGAN A COMPLETE REIVEW OF ALL CHAPEL ACCOUNTING RECORDS. IN ADDITION, SHE MET WITH BANK REPRESENATIVES TO ALERT THEM TO THE ATTEMPTED FRAUD BY A FOREIGN BANK. SHE COORDINATED WITH NCIS, THE INSPECTOR GENERALS OFFICE, AND THE COMMAND TO PROCESS AN INVESTIGATION AND ALERT OTHER NAVY CHAPELS IN THE REGION TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THEIR FINANCIAL VULNERABILITY. HER QUICK ACTIONS SAVED THE CHAPEL $30,000 AND RESTORED OPERATIONS FOR THE REMAINING FISCAL YEAR. PETTY OFFICER KEETON'S PROFESSIONALISM, UNRELENTING PERSEVERANCE, AND LOYAL DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HERSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.
FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE AS COMMAND CHAPLAIN OF COMMANDER SUBMARINE SQUADRON SIX FROM MAY 2012 TO JUNE 2015. LCDR COUSINS PERFORMED HIS DUTIES IN AN EXEMPLARY AND HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL MANNER. DEMONSTRATING EXCEPTIONAL CARE AND EXPERTISE, HE PROVIDED UNMATCHED PASTORAL CARE AND MINISTRY FOR 8 FAST ATTACK SUBMARINES, 2 BALLISTIC SUBMARINES, THE SUBMARINE LEARNING FACILITY AND THE STAFF AT COMSUBRON SIX TOTALING MORE THAN 1300 PERSONNEL. LCDR COUSINS' EXCEPTIONAL PROFESSIONALISM, UNRELENTING PERSEVERANCE, AND LOYAL DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.
MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE SERVING AS CHAPEL LEADING PETTY OFFICER AND RECREATION OFF-DUTY PROGRAM MANAGER FROM 10 OCTOBER 2013 TO 20 AUGUST 2014. LAUDED BY THE LCPO AND COMMAND CHAPLAIN FOR HIS EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT ABILITIES, PETTY OFFICER SPRUILL SPEARHEADED PREPARATIONS FOR AN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL MINISTRY. HIS SUPERIOR LEADERSHIP WAS UNMATCHED WHILE OVERSEEING THE EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSITION OF OVER $80,000 IN RELIGIOUS OFFERING FUND CONTRIBUTIONS. HIS EXPERIENCE, MATURITY, AND DILIGENT EFFORTS PROVIDED CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL CHARITIES AS WELL AS COUNTLESS FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAILORS SPONSORED BY BOTH THE COMMAND AND THE COMMAND RELIGIOUS PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, HE DEVOTED OVER 40 HOURS TO SORTING AND DISTRIBUTING FOOD DONATION BAGS FOR OVER 300 NAVAL STATION NORFOLK PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMAND'S HOLIDAY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GREATLY ENHANCING THE HOLIDAY EXPERIENCE FOR SAILORS AND THEIR FAMILIES. PETTY OFFICER SPRUILL'S PROFESSIONALISM, UNRELENTING PERSEVERANCE, AND LOYAL DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.
MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE SERVING AS LEADING PETTY OFFICER FOR BLINDER MEMORIAL CHAPEL, ONBOARD MCIWEST-MCB CAMP PENDLETON FROM JUNE 2013 THROUGH JUNE 2016. DURING THIS PERIOD, PETTY OFFICER GARCIA DELIVERED MAXIMUM EFFORT AND SUPPORT FOR MORE THAN 480 RELIGIOUS WORSHIP SERVICES AND HOLY DAY OBSERVANCES WITH A TOTAL OF 24,000 MARINES, SAILORS, CIVILIANS, AND DEPENDENTS IN ATTENDANCE. IN ADDITION, RELIGIOUS PROGRAM SPECIALIST FIRST CLASS GARCIA DEMONSTRATED SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE AS THE RELIGIOUS OFFERING FUND (ROF) CUSTODIAN. HE METICULOUSLY MANAGED A TOTAL OF 280,700 DOLLARS OF ROF DONATIONS AND THE SUCCESSFUL DISBURSEMENT OF 265,500 DOLLARS TO 300 RELIGIOUS AND NON-RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. FURTHERMORE, HIS STRONG DESIRE TO SEE JUNIOR SAILORS EXCEL LED HIM TO CONDUCT NUMEROUS IN-RATE TRAINING RESULTING IN THE PROMOTION OF THREE JUNIOR RELIGIOUS PROGRAM SPECIALISTS TO THE NEXT RANK. PETTY OFFICER GARCIA'S STERLING ACCOMPLISTMENTS, PERSERVERANCE, AND LOYAL DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.