Nevada first ‘all green’ state chaplain corps meets general

Brig. Gen. David Graetz of the National Guard Bureau visited Nevada this month as part of his tour to assess state chaplain programs across the nation — and he revealed good news before his departure.

Of the 22 states he’s visited so far, Nevada was the first “all green” state he’s visited. His “all green” declaration means the Nevada Guard’s chaplain corps is doing well in all standards, including personnel, administration, training, logistics and chapel management.

“This is the first state I’ve been to where all the areas are green,” he said during the assessment March 5 at the Office of the Adjutant General in Carson City. “Without any reservation, I can say the Nevada staff has done a wonderful job.”

Graetz is a chaplain liaison for the National Guard Bureau and assistant to the Army Chief of Chaplains, Maj. Gen. Donald Rutherford.

In addition to chaplain corps standards, Graetz reviewed several ancillary chaplain programs — including the Strong Bonds retreat program for married and single Guardsmen — as well as the Nevada chaplains corps’ implementation of the adjutant general’s strategic mission while maintaining effective communication throughout the state.

State chaplain Maj. Harold Woomer said the state’s entire chaplain corps team contributed to the successful inspection.

“This is the culmination of months of effort on the part of our entire staff and especially my full-time staff,” Woomer said. “(Chaplains) Todd Brown, Ian Burgess and Troy Dandrea have worked hard to assure our success; having said that, all of our chaplains and chaplain assistants have worked to accomplish the tasks that made Nevada stand out as a state of excellence.

“Our ability to perform to 100 percent on this inspection is a testament to the quality of men and women we have serving in the Nevada Army National Guard chaplain corps.”