NEWS PROVIDED BY
Jonathan Sciano, Former Sergeant, USAF
Oct. 14, 2024

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2024 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Department of the United States Air Force Mentoring Resources is offering on its official website a historical documentary, 'The Battle of Midway' By Dr. James F. Linzey as a resource. Dr. Linzey is a highly respected former United States Air Force Captain, who gave a speech on the Battle of Midway as the keynote speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast at MCAS Miramar on February 9, 2017.

The Air Force states on its website, "Dr. James F. Linzey, the author of 'Moral Leadership' and a retired U.S. Army Major, talks about the Battle of Midway and moral leadership at MCAS Miramar, Calif." The Air Force also states that the speech was filmed by U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Servando Morales.

Reminiscing, Dr. Linzey said, "I would like to thank Brigadier General Jason G. Woodworth, USMC, who, at the rank of Colonel as the Commanding Officer of MCAS Miramar, former home of Top Gun, introduced me to speak at the National Prayer Breakfast. It was a remarkable event and I was highly honored to be the keynote speaker." 

Linzey impeccably served in the Air Force for over 12 years as a highly-requested chaplain for many Air Force events and assignments. After over 12 years of service, he initiated an inter-service transfer to the Army where he served the second half of his 24-year career. His goal was to broaden his experience and knowledge of the  Armed Forces, military warfare, and the military chaplaincy.

So, Linzey received an 'HONORABLE' discharge from the Air Force. Linzey said that the high profile assignments offered him in the Army benefited his career. Linzey's longest-serving Air Force supervisor, Chaplain, Major Michael R. O'Donnell, USAF (Ret.), recently reminisced, "At Norton AFB, Jim,  who was then an Air Force Reservist serving recurring tours of active duty to support the Chaplains' ministries, excelled in every facet of our challenging mission, so much so that he was nominated to compete at the Air Force level for Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Reservist of the Year for 1992."

Linzey's father was known to muse that Jim was the longest serving chaplain in his family of four military chaplains and the highest-performing of them all. Linzey even received a perfect score of 300 in the Army Physical Fitness Test and received the Excellence Award for that in addition to his other awards and decorations.

The status of Linzey's father, Captain Stanford E. Linzey, Jr., CHC, USN (Ret.) was that of a World War II hero, having survived the Battle of Midway when serving aboard the USS YORKTOWN (CV-5) as a sailor, and later as the first Active Duty Navy Assembly of God Chaplain, and the first in his denomination to attain the rank of Captain.

When Linzey's father was stationed at NAS Moffett Field as a chaplain from 1968 to 1970, Verna Hall Linzey, Linzey's mother, built the largest Sunday School program in the Navy, of 100 students, from kindergarten to college and beyond, for which she received the title "Mother of the Fleet of the United States Navy" from Admiral Frederick C. Johnson, USN, and his staff of Marine Corps and Navy officers. What Dr. Verna Linzey accomplished was so notable that United States Army Brigadier General Dean J. Mallires awarded her the Meritorious Service Award.

Linzey further distinguished himself when, as a former Air Force and Army Chaplain, and former Navy dependent, he gained an Active Duty United States Marine Corps background, something simply unheard of in the United States Armed Forces. From 2016 to 2020, Chaplain Linzey was requested to serve a volunteer tour of duty at MCAS Miramar at the Airman-Marine Memorial Chapel with official approval from the Commanding Officer of Miramar, Brigadier General Woodworth, who was a Colonel at the time. 

Linzey served as an auxiliary volunteer chaplain, running the chapel services under the supervision of the Command Chaplain, CDR Don Biadog, CHC, USN (now retired). With his Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy (dependent) background, Linzey achieved his goals and gained a very broad understanding of military warfare and the military chaplaincy. He now serves as a featured speaker for many events. "God does not make mistakes," Linzey said.  

Linzey's illustrious Air Force career was most notable. Linzey was nominated as the Air Force IMA Reservist of the Year 1992, but his crowning achievement for the Department of the Air Force came long after retiring when in 2020 he wrote the official United States Space Force Hymn, titled 'Creator of the Universe.' Linzey's accomplishments, too numerous to mention here, earned him the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award on May 12, 2022.

Linzey is now about to release his next book bearing the name of the hymn: 'The United States Space Force Hymn (Creator of the Universe): The Hymns and Poetry of James F. Linzey.' Contributing to it, Air Force Chaplain, Major O'Donnell has already written the foreword, detailing Linzey's Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and now Space Force achievements.

For being Miramar's keynote speaker on the Battle of Midway at the National Prayer Breakfast 2017, keynote speaker at the Easter Sunrise Service 2017, lecturer on the Battle of Midway at a leadership development seminar for the Marines, and for serving a volunteer tour of duty at the Airman-Marine Memorial Chapel at Miramar for over three years, the Commanding General of the Third Marine Aircraft Wing, Major General Kevin M. Iiams, USMC, presented to Dr. Linzey a Certificate of Appreciation at the base theater, saying:

For your constant, faithful, and devoted service to the Marines, Sailors and family members of the Third Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, your dedication and endless support to Marines, Sailors and family members have significantly increased the Commands' ability to accomplish their mission. On behalf of the Marines and Sailors of Team Miramar, please accept our sincerest appreciation for your contribution and your compassionate care in the role of a Marine Corps volunteer. You are a vital member of our Marine Corps family and have substantially improved Marine Corps readiness. It is heartwarming to know such generosity exists for our Marines, Sailors and families during this critical time in our nation's history. Your volunteer service is in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

Linzey's overall performance and achievements are a credit to himself and to his denomination (the Southern Baptist Convention), as well as to the United States Army, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Navy, the United States Space Force, the United States Air Force, and to the United States of America.

I would like to quote Air Force Chaplain, Major O'Donnell once again. He said concerning Linzey's performance as the first-ever full-time chaplain to serve for the Leader's Training Course (LTC) under the US Army Cadet Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky, "The Leader's Training Course Chief of Staff, LTC Stacy A. Overby, noted, 'Chaplain Linzey set the standard by which all future LTC Chaplains should be measured in all aspects—mental, spiritual, and physical.'" With that, I concur, but will go further: Chaplain Linzey has indeed set the standard for the entire chaplaincy!

I would be remiss not to mention that as the founding president of Military Bible Association, Linzey is the general editor and publisher of The Military Bible by Military Chaplains. Major General James L. Gardner, USAF (Ret.) wrote, "The Military Bible will be the immediate choice of Military Chaplains as well as leaders in all professions." Linzey also edited and published The Presidents' Bible and The Leaders' Bible, which is the US Army Cadet Command edition. These contain Founding Fathers' quotes on religious freedom, prayers and quotes by the godly presidents of the United States, including President Donald J. Trump, the Seven Principles of Spiritual Leadership, and much more.

In conclusion, we congratulate Linzey since he has not only written the Space Force Hymn for the Department of the Air Force, but also because the Air Force is now including his documentary on the Battle of Midway in the Department of the Air Force Mentoring Resource collection.

And in closing, I would like to quote Rabbi Yehoshua M. Othniel, who served in the Army as a Second Lieutenant, "The United States Space Force Hymn encompasses the past, the present and the future. The hymn, 'Creator of the Universe,' is destined to become as eternal as our Creator who inspired it."

The Space Force Hymn may be download at:
Sheet music download: SpaceForceHymn.com
Audio download: https://we.tl/t-x1bul0RFOs
Video download: https://we.tl/t-4xkAz7jl2G
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrrgkHBfDqw

Recommended websites:
Department of the Air Force Mentoring Resources
Military Bible Association

SOURCE Jonathan Sciano, Former Sergeant, USAF

CONTACT: 760-703-4695, [email protected]