Airman Spotlight: SSgt Brett Rush

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  • By Staff Reports
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  

Unit: 51st Fighter Wing Chapel

Job title: Chaplain Assistant

Job description and its impact on the overall mission: Provide spiritual care and the opportunity for Airmen, their families, and other personnel to exercise their constitutional right to the free exercise of religion. The impact we have on the force is we save lives through suicide interventions, morale checks, and advising leadership of the services we can provide for their members.

Time in the military: 8 years

Time at Osan: 11 months (Was also my first base as a security forces member)

DEROS: May 2014

Family: My dad Dale, mom Kristina, and siblings Jessica, Tim, Matt and Adam

Hometown: Jasper, Ga.

Hobbies: Soccer, Basketball, and being with friends

Why did you join the military? Proud to be part of the one percent that serve. Other reasons include travel, direction and stability

Where do you see yourself in 10 or 20 years? In 10 years, still in the military with a family and guiding Airmen who've come after me. In 20 years, a second job that I don't mind getting up for and hopefully able to travel with my family and explore the world together.

What do you do for fun here? Soccer, basketball, traveling and socializing

What's your favorite Air Force memory or story? My favorite story is probably how I became a chaplain assistant. I applied for the job at Aviano AB but missed my window. Thankfully the security forces commander signed my exception to policy letter with some reluctance. I tracked my package in the system and noticed after a few weeks they had loaded me in as trying to be a paralegal (5JO). Chaplain assistant is (5RO). I had never done any of the requirements or paperwork for paralegal so I called to inform them it was the wrong. They said they'd make the switch and re-submit my package. Three months later my status had vanished so I called and they informed me I was denied. At the point I was going to separate from the Air Force since I didn't want to continue as a security forces member. Months went by and I received a random email saying that there was a short notice cross-train for paralegal with only two spots available. The email was sent to three people so I saw it as fate and jumped on the opportunity even though I'd never done any of the required items for paralegal. I was the second person to respond so I got orders the following Friday and was going to drive to my new tech school on Monday at Maxwell AFB. Saturday, the day after I got orders, I received a call from a CMSgt and he informed me I had actually been accepted to the chaplain assistant career field five to six months prior. Let's just say I was very confused but overall happy and relieved to finally get what I'd wanted. I waited a while longer for a tech school date, re-enlisted and then I headed to Ft Jackson for my transformation from a security forces member into the chaplain assistant serving today.

What accomplishment are you most proud of? Making BTZ. I was a security forces member in Aviano and after a 14-hour shift, we had a re-mount where they gathered everyone in the guard mount room to announce the winners. I was the last announced and 100 percent surprised.

Who are your role models? My father. I've never seen a better example of a man. Loves the Lord, my mom, his children, (and his motorcycles) whole heartedly. Always mentors and guides his kids not through force but through open communication and helps us make the right decisions for ourselves. He never stops self-examining himself and looking for ways to improve as a man. He believes in doing the right thing, the fact that words matter, and one's word is their bond.