A captain with the 412th Theater Engineer Command has been named 2011 Army Reserve Chaplain of the Year.

Chaplain Capt. Karen A. Hallett, who serves with the 411th Engineer Brigade in New Windsor, N.Y., received the award Tuesday at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The 411th is one of three brigades under the command of the 412th, headquartered in Vicksburg.

Hallett was selected for the annual award by Maj. Gen. Donald Rutherford, Chief of Chaplains of the Army Reserve, who cited her “extraordinary contribution to the welfare, morale and effectiveness of the military reserve services.”

“The award brings glory and honor to God and serves as a great compliment to my Command, the Chaplain corps and the Army Reserves,” Hallett said in a prepared statement.

She was honored during the Reserve Officers Association National Security Symposium Convention and also gave the opening prayer for the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday morning.

A native of Vernon, N.J., Hallett is a 1988 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with more than 20 years of ministry and missions experience. She is scheduled to deploy with the 411th to Afghanistan this year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

“I am tremendously proud to have Chaplain Hallett on the team,” said Brig. Gen. David L. Weeks, commander of the 411th. “She is a dynamic motivational speaker, epitomizes all our Army values and is a true inspiration to all with whom she comes in contact.”

Weeks said Hallett is known for her personal ministry to the soldiers and families of the 411th and is often requested by name. “She is a true servant and dedicated to her ministry,” he said. “Capt. Hallett can handle anything. I have the utmost trust and confidence in her abilities.”

The chaplain is married to Tom Hallett and has two children, Thomas II and Tiffany. She said the award was a humbling experience and a testament to her colleagues and the soldiers she serves.

“I have an incredible boss in Brig. Gen. Weeks and a very supportive staff that allows me to focus on my mission and to take care of our soldiers,” she said.

With headquarters on Porters Chapel Road, the 412th TEC manages operations, plans and engineer assets of the 411th, the 302nd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade out of Westover, Mass., and the 926th Engineer Brigade based in Montgomery, Ala. Commanded by Maj. Gen. William M. Buckler Jr., the 412th oversees about 13,000 Army reservists.