Team Minot’s chapel celebrated winning the Charles I. Carpenter Award for being the Air Force’s Outstanding Large Chapel Team on March 2, 2017.

Minot’s chapel had to beat out another large chapel team within Air Force Global Strike Command before getting to compete at the Air Force level. There, they climbed to the top after going up against nine other MAJCOM large chapel teams across the entire Air Force.

“We were completely elated and ecstatic, we could not believe it,” said Maj. Lance Giannone, 5th Bomb Wing senior chaplain. “I shouldn’t say couldn’t believe -- I know what this staff is capable of. It’s a reflection of all the hard work of every staff member.”

Both Giannone and Maj. Jayme Kendall, 5th BW deputy wing chaplain, know that it was not just their efforts, but those around them.

“We have seven active duty chaplains as well as two reservists, and we currently have three chaplain assistants as well as a host of contractors and over 250 volunteers,” Giannone said. “All of those people working hard and working together as a team helped us earn this award.”

“It’s a lot of hours they’re putting in,” Kendall added. “It’s everyone together that makes it happen.”

The Minot chapel has received awards before for best large chapel, but this will be at its biggest scale since Giannone and Kendall have been here.

“This year and last year we won at the MAJCOM level,” Kendall said. “But this will be the first time since I’ve been here that we’ve won at the Air Force level.”

Giannone knows one thing placed Minot’s large chapel above all the others in the Air Force.

“In my opinion it boils down to individual performance,” Giannone said. “Additionally, we have been provided with the resources needed to accomplish the mission.”

Although Kendall is thankful for the award, she knows it’s the everyday mission that really matters.