John A. Collins was Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force

Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force

The Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force is the commanding officer of the U.S. Air Force Chaplain Corps. The current CCHAF is Major General Cecil R. Richardson.-U.S...

.

Biography

Born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1931, Collins was an ordained Roman Catholic priest in the Redemptorist Order

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer

The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is a Roman Catholic missionary Congregation founded by Saint Alphonsus Liguori at Scala, near Amalfi, Italy for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people in the neighbourhood of Naples.Members of the Congregation, priests and brothers,...

. Collins passed away on May 7, 2003 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...

.

Career

Collins joined the United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 in 1960. Eventually, he would become Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force

Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force

The Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force is the second senior-most Chaplain in the United States Air Force Chaplain Service, holding the rank of Brigadier General, and acting as principal deputy to the Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force.The current Deputy Chief of...

 in 1980 before being promoted to Chief of Chaplains with the rank of Major General

Major general (United States)

In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...

 in 1982. He held the position until his retirement in 1985.

Awards he received include the Legion of Merit

Legion of Merit

The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...

, the Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal (United States)

The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...

 with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal

Commendation Medal

The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. For valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy force, but of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Bronze Star, the Valor device may...

 with oak leaf cluster, the Outstanding Unit Award

Outstanding Unit Award

The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award is an award of the United States Air Force which was first created in 1954. The award is presented as a ribbon to any command of the U.S...

 and the National Defense Service Medal

National Defense Service Medal

The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...

.