MDANG welcomes new chaplain Published May 2, 2008 By Staff Sgt. Kristofer Baumgartner Maryland National Guard Public Affairs BALTIMORE -- In November, the Maryland Air National Guard welcomed a new chaplain into its ranks at Warfield Air National Guard Base in Middle River. Chaplain (1st Lt.) Ja'nice Tubman-Pettigrew recently reported to her post with the 175th Wing. She is one of only a few female chaplains ever to have served in the state. "We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to work with Chaplain Tubman-Pettigrew in our efforts to spiritually support the members of the Maryland National Guard and their families," said Chaplain (Col.) William Sean Lee, state chaplain for the Maryland National Guard. "Her faith and conviction combined with her work as a Crisis Intervention Resource teacher with the Prince George's County Public Schools shows tremendous character and will be a great benefit to our ministry," he said. Tubman-Pettigrew is most concerned about the issue of suicide and sees her role as a National Guard chaplain to assist Airmen to develop spiritual strategies which lead to positive productivity in their jobs."I would like each member to know that they are important and that they contribute to the big picture; the overall goals and mission of the unit," she said. Tubman-Petigrew grew up in Africa and became an ordained nondenominational minister in the United States in 2005. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Howard University School of Divinity and a Master of Education degree from Cambridge College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Before becoming a chaplain,Tubmann-Pettigrew served as a Chaplain Assistant with the 113th Wing of the District of Columbia Air National Guard. She is currently in the process of establishing a church with her husband, Forrest Pettigrew.