195th Wing chaplain commissions to serve fellow Airmen

New chaplain earns lieutenant’s bars after 25 years of enlisted service.

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Rene Martin III, chaplain with the 195th Wing, performs his first service as a commissioned officer, on October 3, at Sepulveda Air National Guard Station in Van Nuys. Before commissioning, Martin served as a religious affairs superintendent with the 195th Wing, but his 25 years of enlisted service also includes work as a radio operator for the U.S. Marine Corps and an operational intelligence analyst with the Cal Guard. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Melanie L. Nolen)

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Rene Martin III, chaplain with the 195th Wing, performs his first service as a commissioned officer, on October 3, at Sepulveda Air National Guard Station in Van Nuys. Before commissioning, Martin served as a religious affairs superintendent with the 195th Wing, but his 25 years of enlisted service also includes work as a radio operator for the U.S. Marine Corps and an operational intelligence analyst with the Cal Guard. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Melanie L. Nolen)

Story and photos by Senior Airman Melanie L. Nolen
195th Wing Public Affairs

Dec. 15, 2021

VAN NUYS, Calif. – After 25 years of military service, Rene Martin III knows what a chaplain's job is and what it isn't.

“One of the main things I’d like our Airmen and Guardians to know is that chaplains aren’t here to try to ‘bring you to faith’," Martin said. "We are here to help you integrate the faith that you have and that includes walking with you as your faith needs change."

The California Air National Guard’s 195th Wing welcomed its newest chaplain when then-Master Sgt. Martin commissioned as a Chaplain (1st Lt.) at the Sepulveda Air National Guard Station in Van Nuys on Oct. 2.

Before commissioning, Martin served as the religious affairs superintendent for the 195th Wing, supporting National Guard service members during monthly unit training assemblies, civil support missions and COVID-19 activations.

Chaplain (Lt. Col.) David Sarmiento, with the 163rd Attack Wing, administered the Oath of Office. Martin was encouraged by Sarmiento almost ten years ago to look into continuing his military service by becoming a chaplain.

At the time, Martin said, he was going through a divorce and experiencing social disconnection with his squadron while activated on Title 10 orders. His squadron commander, noticing the warning signs, conferred with the group Chaplain (Sarmiento) who reached out to Martin, as a confidential person he could talk as he was experiencing emotional hard times. The fact that Martin felt his pain was noticed and leadership had acted to connect him to resources, encouraged and enabled him to work through his issues with the support of Sarmiento.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Chaplain David Sarmiento, left, with the 163rd Attack Wing, California Air National Guard, administers the Oath of Office to Master Sgt. Rene Martin III, to commission him as a new 195th Wing Staff chaplain, Oct. 2, at Sepulveda Air National Guard Station in Van Nuys. Martin started his path to chaplaincy over nine years ago when encouraged by Sarmiento to consider becoming a military chaplain. Martin was the 195th Wing’s superintendent of religious affairs prior to his promotion.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Chaplain David Sarmiento, left, with the 163rd Attack Wing, California Air National Guard, administers the Oath of Office to Master Sgt. Rene Martin III, to commission him as a new 195th Wing Staff chaplain, Oct. 2, at Sepulveda Air National Guard Station in Van Nuys. Martin started his path to chaplaincy over nine years ago when encouraged by Sarmiento to consider becoming a military chaplain. Martin was the 195th Wing’s superintendent of religious affairs prior to his promotion.

“Chaplains aren’t here to try to ‘bring you to faith’. We are here to help you integrate the faith that you have and that includes walking with you as your faith needs change.”
– 1st Lt. Rene Martin III

Chaplain speaks to crowd.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Beyer, chaplain with the 195th Wing, speaks to the attendees at Master Sgt. Rene Martin III’s commissioning ceremony.

Airman raises hand to recite oath.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Chaplain David Sarmiento, left, with the 163rd Attack Wing, California Air National Guard, administers the Oath of Office to Master Sgt. Rene Martin III, to commission him as a new 195th Wing Staff chaplain, Oct. 2, at Sepulveda Air National Guard Station in Van Nuys.

Chaplain speaks to crowd.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Beyer, chaplain with the 195th Wing, speaks to the attendees at Master Sgt. Rene Martin III’s commissioning ceremony.

Airman raises hand to recite oath.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Chaplain David Sarmiento, left, with the 163rd Attack Wing, California Air National Guard, administers the Oath of Office to Master Sgt. Rene Martin III, to commission him as a new 195th Wing Staff chaplain, Oct. 2, at Sepulveda Air National Guard Station in Van Nuys.

“He [Sarmiento] gave me three reasons why he thought I would make a good military chaplain and the first was ‘as a new Christian, you know what it means to reach out to people who aren’t part of a faith tradition,’” Martin said. “Also, at the time, I had already been enlisted for 15 years and he agreed that I knew a lot more about the military than the people coming straight out of seminary. And lastly he said that we need better representation from persons of color, both in the chaplain corps and as an officer.”

At Sarmiento’s suggestion, Martin started reaching out for more information and looking into what it might take to start the journey to chaplaincy.

“From that moment to now, God knew what was necessary to keep me motivated to do the tough things like getting through seminary, going through ordination, completing a chaplaincy residency and going through the encompassing and embodying process of learning to care for people in very difficult situations,” said Martin. “All of that was a journey. The difficult things I’ve had to learn about myself to go through this process and the experiences I’ve had to go through have made me a profoundly better Airman, spouse and father...more simply, a better person.”

Martin said that his prior enlisted experience and personal growth are two of the greatest assets he has, to communicate and reach Airmen through his service as a chaplain. Communication has been a common theme throughout his military career, including his time serving as a radio repairer and tech controller for the U.S. Marine Corps and working as an operational intelligence analyst with the Air National Guard.

Family members place epaulets onto Airman's jacket.

California Air National Guard 1st Lt. Chaplain Rene Martin III, center, with the 195th Wing, receives his rank from his daughter, Jene Martin, and father, Rene Martin Jr.

California Air National Guard 1st Lt. Chaplain Rene Martin III, center, with the 195th Wing, receives his rank from his daughter, Jene Martin, and father, Rene Martin Jr.

Woman pins cross on man's uniform.

1st Lt. Rene Martin III receives his chaplain pin from his wife, Reverend Lara Martin, after accepting the Oath of Office.

1st Lt. Rene Martin III receives his chaplain pin from his wife, Reverend Lara Martin, after accepting the Oath of Office.

“What I loved about being a tech controller, my dream job at the time, was connecting disparate networks and locations,” he said. “The next level expanded on that when I moved into the intelligence field. Not only was I taking two separate organizations (i.e. networks) and getting them to be able to communicate, I was looking at whole environments and translating them so commanders could make effective decisions as a unified military force.”

Martin started attending seminary at the Claremont School of Theology while still part of the intelligence community before transferring to religious affairs at the 195th Wing.

"When I got the call into chaplaincy, it all came full circle,” Martin said. “I’m now taking humans and communities and getting them to connect to other humans and communities so we can make life-changing decisions as a unified and connected society.”

“When I got the call into chaplaincy, it all came full circle.”
– 1st Lt. Rene Martin III
Woman in Army uniform takes photo on cell phone.

Retired U.S. Army Col. Shirley Thornton, takes a photo of her great nephew, Air Force 1st. Lt. Chaplain Rene Martin III, chaplain with the 195th Wing, during his commissioning ceremony, on Oct. 2.

Retired U.S. Army Col. Shirley Thornton, takes a photo of her great nephew, Air Force 1st. Lt. Chaplain Rene Martin III, chaplain with the 195th Wing, during his commissioning ceremony, on Oct. 2.

Martin, whose civilian job is as a hospice chaplain, feels that his next step as a military chaplain is to help further the personal integration of religion and family involvement within a service member’s career in the Air National Guard.

“Whether they are Airmen with strong religious traditions or Airmen that are intentionally atheist or humanist, I want to let them know that their authentic spiritual self is wanted and expected within their mission in the Air National Guard,” said Martin. “The things that motivate them to want to do this [Guard] job, also includes their families. Using ways like the Strong Bonds program, for example, I want to help Airmen and Guardians connect their families to the work they do in the Air National Guard.”

Having had the experience he did many years ago with a chaplain who took the time to show he cared, Martin said he wants Airmen and Guardians to know that he cares and he is here to support them with 100% confidentiality.

“When we experience a cognitive and physical dissonance doing our work as warriors and we don’t know how to get through it, it causes harm in our whole person,” said Martin.

Group photo.

From left, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Chaplain Michael Beyer, Lt. Col. Nicole Farnham, 1st. Lt. Chaplain Rene Martin III, U.S. Army Col. (Ret.) Shirley Thornton, and U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Chaplain David Sarmiento, stand together after Martin’s commissioning ceremony, Oct. 2, 2021.

From left, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Chaplain Michael Beyer, Lt. Col. Nicole Farnham, 1st. Lt. Chaplain Rene Martin III, U.S. Army Col. (Ret.) Shirley Thornton, and U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Chaplain David Sarmiento, stand together after Martin’s commissioning ceremony, Oct. 2, 2021.

Group photo of family.

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Chaplain Rene Martin III, center, with the 195th Wing, stands with family and friends after his commissioning ceremony.

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Chaplain Rene Martin III, center, with the 195th Wing, stands with family and friends after his commissioning ceremony.

“My role as a chaplain is to help you move your body, your heart, your mind, and your soul through the dissonance to where you can appropriately integrate your traumatic experiences into your life.

I use the word ‘appropriate’ loosely, because regardless, a chaplain is going to sit with you and help to walk you through it.

It’s not my job to ‘bring you to Jesus’.

My job is to help you to do whatever it is you need to do to help you be a whole person in the Guard, to include calling on your God, if that is what you need.”

– 1st Lt. Rene Martin III

California Air National Guard Chaplain 1st Lt. Rene Martin III, with the 195th Wing, performs his first service as a commissioned officer, on October 3, 2021, at Sepulveda Air National Guard Station, Van Nuys, California. Before commissioning, Martin served as a religious affairs superintendent with the 195th Wing, but his 25 years of enlisted service also includes work as a radio operator for the U.S. Marine Corps and an operational intelligence analyst with the Cal Guard. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Melanie L. Nolen)

California Air National Guard Chaplain 1st Lt. Rene Martin III, with the 195th Wing, performs his first service as a commissioned officer, on October 3, 2021, at Sepulveda Air National Guard Station, Van Nuys, California. Before commissioning, Martin served as a religious affairs superintendent with the 195th Wing, but his 25 years of enlisted service also includes work as a radio operator for the U.S. Marine Corps and an operational intelligence analyst with the Cal Guard. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Melanie L. Nolen)

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