Team Rota: Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Rice

Courtesy Photo | Naval Station Rota, Spain's Deputy Supervisory Chaplain, Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Rice, poses for a photo in the chapel, July 8, 2022.  

ROTA, SPAIN

07.14.2022

Courtesy Story

Naval Station Rota, Spain

Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Rice is the deputy supervisory chaplain assigned to Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota Chapel. Daily duties include personnel management of chapel staff and contractors, visiting departments and tenant commands, providing counseling to the Rota community members, and traveling to support military-affiliated personnel throughout Europe.

“The last major daily duty is enjoying a cup of coffee with the Religious Ministry team to start our daily work,” said Rice. “It is something that does not happen every day but on most days, the chaplains will start our day with a cup of coffee and prayer.”

Rice has been a Navy chaplain for over 10 years, and has been stationed with 1st Battalion 6th Marines, at Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen in Puerto Rico, and onboard USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44) before arriving in NAVSTA Rota.

Rice, originally from Katy, Texas, said that his Christian faith has always been an important part of him, giving him strength during the darkest times of his life and developing him into who he is today.

“I am fortunate to be able to be in the Navy as a Chaplain and encourage others in their faith, even if their faith is different from my faith,” he said. “Spirituality or religious practices are very important to the strength and resilience of a person and I am fortunate to encourage others in seeking out the purpose of their life and challenge to be better people through practicing and living out their faith.”

Being able to support others across commands, geographic locations, and faith denominations is what he describes as favorite thing about this job.

“One of my favorite things about being stationed at NAVSTA Rota has been the diversity of people and commands that we support on the base and within the European AOR (area of operation),” he said. “I have supported Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, Spanish Navy, civilian employees and contractors, and their families. This includes supporting NSE Lisbon, Madrid and Valencia, Marine Corps Embassy Security Group Region 5, and NSF Redzikowo in Poland.”

In his free time, Rice enjoys paddleboarding, riding his bike, working on cars, building projects for his wife, spending time with his family, and taking evening walks with his wife around base. He also volunteered as a baseball coach and assistant basketball coach at the high school. For those who have attended Rota Vacation Bible School (VBS) in years' past, you may also have seen Rice dressed up as biblical characters.

“When I was in college and interning at a church, I was voluntold to be a character for Bible story and fell in love with it,” he said. “Last summer, I made a few appearances in character for VBS and might do it again this year.”

As Rice and his family prepare to leave Rota, he said he will remember the sunsets and the people.

“We have met some amazing people and have enjoyed the area, minus COVID,” said Rice. “I have also enjoyed the parts of Spain that we have visited and the experiences we have had living in Spain. We will miss this duty station.”

• Date Taken: 07.14.2022
• Date Posted: 07.20.2022 06:34
• Story ID: 425364
• Location: ROTA, ES