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DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. - It
is said you can't teach an old
dog new tricks, but one Team
Dover airman has proven this old
idiom incorrect.
When
this airman applied to join the
Air Force, he was 43 years old,
had a medical history that
included torn anterior cruciate
ligaments in both knees, and had
a plethora of life experiences
that had taken him all over the
world. This is in stark contrast
to average U.S. Air Force
recruit, who is fresh out of
high school, in peak physical
condition and is leaving home
for the first time.
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Capt. Louis Mattina, 436th
Airlift Wing chaplain, converses
with Senior Airman David Tinney,
436th Aircraft Maintenance
Squadron electrical
environmental systems
specialist, Feb. 26, 2014, at
the Eagles Net Cafe Airman
Ministry Center on Dover Air
Force Base, Del. Mattina, a
Catholic chaplain, delivers
spiritual resiliency to Team
Dover's airmen and their
families.
(U.S. Air Force photo
by Airman 1st Class Zachary Cacicia)
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Capt. Louis Mattina, 436th
Airlift Wing chaplain, commonly
known as "Father Lou," has
served as a Roman Catholic
priest for nearly 20 years. But
serving as an airman in the
world's greatest Air Force is
something a little new for him.
Father Lou's mission as a
Catholic chaplain is to not only
serve Team Dover's Catholic
community, but all of its
airmen. For this reason, his
leadership has selected him to
be highlighted for his successes
in delivering spiritual
resiliency to Team Dover's
airmen and their families.
"Chaplain Mattina was
selected as a result of his
outstanding pastoral care not
only for the Catholic community,
but for all of the wing's
airmen," said Lt. Col. Dennis
Saucier, 436th AW wing chaplain.
"He has served for three months
on two separate occasions to
backfill for our deployed
Catholic chaplain."
While growing up in Colonia,
N.J., a suburb of New York City,
Father Lou never planned on
becoming a Catholic Priest, let
alone a chaplain in the U.S. Air
Force. During the late 1980s and
early 1990s, before making the
decision to join the priesthood,
he worked as a district office
manager for a New Jersey State
Assemblyman, and also had
aspirations of pursuing a
political career himself. But he
was not able to find complete
happiness in this. He wanted to
continue to serve the community,
but needed a different way. This
is when he made the choice to
become a priest.
Father
Lou attended Mount St. Mary's
Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. from
1991 to 1995, after which he was
ordained as a priest in the
Diocese of Metuchen, N.J. His
Bishop requested that he learn
Spanish, in order to better
serve the increasing Hispanic
community of North Central New
Jersey. Father Lou attended
language schools in both New
York and Mexico. After becoming
fluent, he worked as a priest in
Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Peru,
and Costa Rica.
Not only
does Father Lou conduct Hispanic
ministries in his diocese, he
also is involved heavily with
hospital and prison ministries
as well. When not serving at
Dover AFB, he is in residency at
Our Lady of Fatima Church in
Piscataway, N.J.
Father
Lou never really considered the
military as an option until a
fellow priest, who happened to
be in the New Jersey Air
National Guard, planted the seed
of the idea.
"Ultimately, my decision was to
serve," said Father Lou. "This
led me to become a chaplain in
the U.S. Air Force."
At
the time Father Lou decided to
join the Air Force, he was 43
years old and had a history of
torn ACLs. Both of these factors
would normally disqualify a
hopeful recruit.
"There
was such a need for priests that
they were giving out waivers,"
said Father Lou. "There was a
critical need for Catholic
chaplains."
In 2010,
Father Lou went through Officer
Training School, commissioning
into the U.S. Air Force, shortly
after, he attended the Basic
Chaplain Course.
Presently, Father Lou serves as
an Individual Mobilization
Augmentee reservist attached to
the 436th Airlift Wing chapel
staff. He splits his time
between working as a full-time
priest for his diocese in New
Jersey and his Reservist
responsibilities at Dover AFB.
Currently, he is on a two-month
tour filling in for Capt. Son
Nguyen, 436th AW HC Catholic
chaplain, who is currently
deployed.
An IMA is a
special category of Reservist.
It allows chaplains the
flexibility to honor commitments
to their civilian ministry. IMAs
have the ability to serve in the
U.S. and also overseas at active
duty Air Force installations
with a commitment of 12 inactive
duty training days per year and
one annual tour of 12 days.
Every weekend, Father Lou
holds three Masses on base, with
an average total attendance of
350 parishioners. Along with
Staff Sgt. Victoria Camarillo,
436th AW HC chaplain assistant,
he makes up a Religious Support
Team that serves and engages
with the professionals
throughout the 436th Medical
Group. He can also be found most
Wednesday nights interacting
with Airmen at the Eagle's Net
Caf� Airmen Ministry Center.
Furthermore, many others may
recognize him for his activity
with the summer sports camp put
on by the chapel's Catholic
parish.
"He loves what
he does," said Debbie Suto,
436th AW HC Catholic pastoral
associate. "It's a pleasure
working with him and we are glad
he is one of our Reserve
chaplains."
Besides his
work as a Catholic priest and as
an Air Force officer, Father Lou
is a passionate hockey fan,
specifically the New York
Islanders of the National Hockey
League. He frequently attends
Islanders games both in New York
and on the road, especially
games that pit them against
their division rival, the
Pittsburgh Penguins.
Father Lou hopes to continue
serving in the Air Force for as
long as possible. He has
aspirations in becoming a
full-time active duty chaplain.
He stated that he would love to
be stationed at Aviano Air Base,
Italy in the future.
"My
hope, God willing, is to serve
until they throw me out," said
Father Lou. "I'm hoping I can
put in 20 years."
By U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Zachary Cacicia
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2014
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