Chaplain (Col.) John M. Painter is the Mobilization Assistant to the Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains, Headquarters, U. S. Air Force, Pentagon, Arlington, Va. As a member of the special staff of the Chief of Staff, Chaplain Painter assists the Chief of Chaplains in establishing guidance on all matters pertaining to the religious and moral welfare of Air Force personnel and their dependents. Chaplain Painter directs and maintains a trained, equipped, and professional Chaplain Corps of approximately 2,000 chaplains and religious affairs airmen from the Regular and Air Reserve components. As a member of the Armed Forces Chaplain Board, he and other members advise the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff on religious, ethical and quality-of-life concerns.
Chaplain Painter is a 1989 graduate of The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. and received a direct commission following graduation from Southern Seminary, Louisville, Ky., in 1997. He was ordained in 1996 and subsequently endorsed to serve as a Chaplain by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. He has served as both a Traditional Reservist and an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA). He has served as Deputy Command Chaplain at United States Southern Command, IMA to the Command Chaplain, Air Force Special Operations Command, and IMA to the Chief of Personnel and Readiness, Air Force Reserve Command. In his civilian capacity, Chaplain Painter serves as a Medical Center Chaplain in Charleston, South Carolina.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Arts degree in English, The Citadel, Charleston, S.C.
1993 Master degree in Divinity, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky.
1997 Doctor of Philosophy, Old Testament Literature, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky.
2002 Squadron Officer’s School, by correspondence
2006 Air Command Staff College, by correspondence
2010 Naval Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2014 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1997 – August 2003, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Wing Chaplain, 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.
2. August 2003 – April 2006, Chaplain, 315th Airlift Wing, Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.
3. April 2006 – April 2011, Deputy Wing Chaplain, 315th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, S.C. (September 2008 – December 2008, Group Chaplain, Ali Air Base, Iraq)
4. April 2011 – November 2015, Wing Chaplain, 315th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
5. November 2015 – October 2017, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Chief, Personnel and Readiness, Command Chaplain, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Ga. (July 2017 – October 2017, Deputy Command Chaplain, HQ United States Southern Command, Miami, Fla.)
6. October 2017 – April 2019, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Command Chaplain, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. April 2019 – Present, Mobilization Assistant to the Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains, Headquarters United States Air Force, Washington, DC
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Navy Achievement Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two “M” Devices
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2003 – 2004 Air Force Reserve Command Outstanding Chaplain Program Award
2005 – 2006 Air Force Reserve Command Chaplain Team Readiness Award
2009 – Military Chaplains Association Distinguished Service Award
2013 – 2014 Air Force Reserve Command Chaplain Team Ministry of Presence Award
2020 – Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Carl Hart Excellence in Chaplaincy Award
PUBLICATIONS
“Effects of Combat and Military Training on End of Life Care,” Journal of Palliative Medicine, Vol. 19, Number 10, Mary Anne Liebert, Inc.: 2010
"Help for the Journey: A Guide for Families Following an Inpatient Death," Published by the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center Medical Media Department, July 20, 2009
"Experiencing Grief," Published by the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center Medical Media Department, July 20, 2009
"Preparing for Your Loved One's Death," Published by the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center Medical Media Department, October 3, 2008
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Reserve Officers Association, Life Member
National Association of Veterans Affairs Chaplains
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
First Lieutenant Sep. 3, 1997
Captain Oct. 1, 2000
Major Aug. 18, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 7, 2011
Colonel May 1, 2017
(Current as of June 2020)