Archive - April, 2010

Campaign seeks to raise monument in Arlington to Jewish chaplains

By 10 April 2010. Filed in News & Commentary.

2

After the Nazis torpedoed the U.S. transport ship Dorchester in February 1943, Rabbi Alexander Goode and the three Christian chaplains on board gave up their own life preservers to help other servicemen to escape.

As a result of their heroic acts, Goode, Methodist Rev. George L. Fox, the Roman Catholic Priest John P. Washington, and the Reformed Church in America Rev. Clark V. Poling drowned as the ship sank.

All four chaplains were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross, and Congress created The Four Chaplains’ Medal in 1960. At Arlington National Cemetery, however, where three memorials stand in honor of military chaplains, Goode’s name is not to be found, nor has any memorial been erected for this country’s Jewish chaplains.

Sol Moglen of Caldwell is working to change that.

READ MORE from New Jersey Jewish Standard

Helping deployed Soldiers maintain bonds

By 8 April 2010. Filed in Deployment.

0

The 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division is helping married Soldiers improve their relationships with their spouses during their current mission in Iraq.

The 3rd HBCT mental health assessment, given three months into the brigade’s current deployment, determined that marital stress was a main concern of the brigade’s Soldiers.

“Strong Bonds marriage retreats, Family Life [program], and counselors are all examples of the support systems available to our married Soldiers to help them and their spouses during and after our deployment,” said Col. Pete Jones, the commander of the 3rd HBCT. “We are near the mid-point of this deployment and our marriage retreats were designed to introduce techniques that maintain and build relationships.”

READ MORE from the U.S. Army

Servicemembers Celebrate Passover, Food, Friends

By 8 April 2010. Filed in News & Commentary.

0

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Many Soldiers can agree that those who wear “U.S. Army” over their hearts share a camaraderie never before experienced in their lifetime. Whether it is battling through firefights with a buddy alongside or helping another Soldier in need of companionship, the bonds Soldiers make over deployments last forever.

For those who attended a Jewish Passover celebration, March 29, at the Freedom Rest on COB Speicher, their bonds ran deeper than the uniforms worn.

Soldiers from different forward operating bases across United States Division-North, to include Contingency Operating Site Marez, FOB Warhorse, and FOB Q-West as well as Contingency Operating Base Speicher, attended the Passover dinner to celebrate their faith and this important Jewish holiday.

READ MORE from the U.S. Army

188th Infantry Brigade Combines Physical and Spiritual Fitness

By 8 April 2010. Filed in News & Commentary.

1

Fort Stewart, Ga. – Two of the 188th Infantry Brigade Commander’s priorities are building physical and spiritual fitness for his Soldiers, and what could be better than combining both priorities into a single event?

The brigade’s monthly spiritual fitness run kicked off at 6:30 a.m. at Fort Stewart and was held at the brigade’s second home, Fort Gillem, at 3:00 p.m. on 25 March.

Spiritual fitness runs look like other organized brigade runs and include stretching, warm-up and cool-down periods, but add the benefit of the chaplain’s message at the end.

READ MORE from the U.S. Army

Soldier Changes His Name For Inspiration

By 6 April 2010. Filed in News & Commentary.

0

FORT HOOD, Texas – Whenever he was going through a difficult time either in his personal life or in his professional life, one 4th Sustainment Brigade Soldier relied on his faith to carry him through.

The thing that sets this noncommissioned officer apart from other leaders in the Army is the name that is stitched across his uniform. His first name is Soldier. His last name is 4theLord. Staff Sgt. Soldier 4theLord doesn’t have a middle name.

4theLord is a retention NCO for the Wrangler Brigade, and if you hang around him long enough you will notice that a lot of people do a double take when they read the name on his chest.

“I get approached about it every day,” he said. “People ask if it’s my real name. The answer is yes. The Army doesn’t let a person wear a fake name.”

READ MORE from the U.S. Army

COB Basra celebrates first Protestant liturgical service

By 6 April 2010. Filed in Deployment.

0

COB BASRA, Iraq – The  first liturgical Protestant Worship Service was held at the Contingency Operating Base Basra chapel on Palm Sunday, March 28, 2010.

“Soldiers come from a variety of faith traditions, and we have some that come from traditions such as Lutheran, Anglican, Episcopalian or Reformed who are used to several different types of things in worship that are distinct and we are trying to incorporate those things into this worship service,” said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Tim Mallard, 1st Infantry Division Chaplain.

Liturgical services have roots in Catholicism and follow many of the same styles of worship and traditions such as communal prayer, reading and hearing the word, a response of confession, weekly celebration of the Eucharist and the following of the church calendar.

“Our worship is based off the church calendar. So we will be following the lectionary and base our preaching off of that,” Mallard said. “The church calendar follows certain colors and themes throughout the year in accordance with numerous other traditions around the world.”

The Church Year is a series of holy days and seasons that mark the passage of time throughout a year-long cycle. The Christian calendar is organized around two major centers of “Sacred Time”: Advent, Christmas and Epiphany; and Lent, Holy Week and Easter, concluding at Pentecost. The rest of the year following Pentecost is known as “Ordinary Time,” from the word ordinal, which simply means counted.

“It really is tied to Lutheranism, that arose out of Germany or Anglicanism, which arose out of England. Then, with the founding of our country, those denominations or traditions came to America,” said Mallard.

Do I get paid as a chaplain candidate?

By 3 April 2010. Filed in Chaplain Candidates.

11

Chaplain Candidate FAQ

As a chaplain candidate, will the Army pay me while I’m in seminary?

The short answer is “no”.

Chaplain candidates belong to either USAR or USARNG. No Reserve or Guard Soldiers are paid except when they train. USARNG chaplain candidates are paid when they drill, attend CHBOLC, or participate in candidate training practicums. USAR candidates are paid when they attend CHBOLC or participate in candidate training practicums.

Chaplain candidates are not members of the AC. Even if a candidate intends to go RA after completing seminary and being accessioned as a chaplain, he will not be paid by the Army while in seminary, while completing ministry experience, or at any point other than while on active duty for training.

Page 2 of 2«12