Master Sgt. Tamica Hales, 502nd Air Base Wing superintendent of chapel operations, is awarded the 2016 Gerald Cullins Award for the best chaplain's assistant in the Air Force, noncomissioned officer category, March 29, 2017, at the Air Force Chaplains Annual Award ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in San Antonio. The ceremony was part of a three-day chaplains corps conference, which included days of presentations from leaders in the field of divinity, science and psychology. The conference served as a way for chaplains and chaplain’s assistants to share ideas and programs throughout the force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Marissa Garner)

Ginger Gilbert Ravella speaks about her experience of having her faith tested after her husband, U.S. Air Force Maj. Troy Gilbert, was killed in Iraq in 2006 during the Air Force Chaplains Annual Award ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in San Antonio March 29, 2017. Ginger spoke about how Air Force chaplains helped her through a dark period in her life while she was trying to figure out how she would raise their five children and stay faithful to God. When Gilbert was killed, insurgents stole his body before U.S. soldiers could reach the crash site, and 10 years passed before he was fully recovered and laid to rest Dec. 19 at Arlington National Cemetery. Ginger is now a motivational speaker and seeks to keep her husband’s memory alive through telling their story. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Marissa Garner)