JAMES CITY COUNTY — Navy Chaplain Lt. Cmdr. Lloyd S. Wicker, a James City County resident, was recently honored with the Military Chaplains Association Distinguished Service Award during the MCA’s annual training event in Columbia, South Carolina.
The award ceremony marked a full-circle moment for Chaplain Wicker, who began his chaplaincy journey in Columbia at Chaplain School in 2014.
Lt. Cmdr. Wicker served at U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown from September 2022 until August, where MCA said he revitalized weekly Protestant worship services after a six-year hiatus, leading weekly worship services and building a vibrant community of more than 2,200 attendees and 18 volunteers. He facilitated Roman Catholic services for over 10,000 attendees, led memorial ceremonies attended by over 8,000 personnel, and strengthened community ties through outreach at community events and local schools.
In addition to ministry, Wicker supervised contracts, managed more than $60,000 in charitable funds, led Bible studies and provided confidential counseling sessions, the organiztion added.
He shared, “I am filled with gratitude. Grateful to be recognized. Grateful for this calling. And especially grateful for the privilege of serving as a chaplain to the sea services — Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. When I see the incredible work my fellow chaplains are doing, I’m reminded how humbling it is for my name to be included among them. It’s not a thing I take lightly.”
The MCA Distinguished Service Award, initiated in 1991, annually honors chaplains who exemplify professional ministry and advocacy supporting the members and families of the armed forces. In 2025, the association marks its centennial, and it said the Distinguished Service Award continues to highlight outstanding chaplains from the Army, Air Force, Sea Services, Civil Air Patrol and other Federal Chaplains communities.
The Military Chaplains Association is the only federally chartered organization dedicated exclusively to supporting military chaplains and their ministry. Recognized by Congress, the MCA serves as the principal professional association and advocate for chaplains of all branches, fostering excellence, spiritual care and advocacy across the armed forces.
Chaplain Wicker’s leadership also extended to mentorship, training, and crisis response, the organization said. He supervised religious support contractors and negotiated long-term contracts to ensure stable ministry for students and personnel. He led resiliency and suicide prevention training for over 450 members, provided critical incident stress management after traumatic incidents, and supported key operational and mass casualty responses. Wicker developed curriculum, authored scholarly works on spiritual readiness, and served as Coast Guard Chaplain Qualification trainer and program manager, helping dozens of chaplains refine their skills for service.
Capt. Scott Rae, Commanding Officer at Training Center Yorktown, stated: “He revitalized worship services, built a vibrant faith community, and provided consistent religious support to thousands, while expertly managing contracts and charitable funds. His delivery of critical training in resiliency, suicide prevention, and crisis management has dramatically enhanced the command’s readiness. Chaplain Wicker played a vital role in significant crisis response incidents, authored influential publications on spiritual readiness, and mentored dozens of chaplains and service members, setting new standards for chaplaincy excellence.”
Following his distinguished service at Yorktown, Lt. Cmdr. Wicker has joined a select group of chaplains at Navy Medicine Training and Readiness Command in Portsmouth participating in a Pastoral Care Residency program. Upon completion of the residency in Fall 2026, he will receive follow-on orders to a military medical center to be determined.
Reflecting on the honor, Wicker added, “I love this work now more than ever, and I hope God gives me at least another 9-10 years to continue. I may eventually age out of the uniform — but I could never stop serving our veterans and military families.”