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Chief of Chaplains visits Raider Soldiers

By Sgt. David Hodge

1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - The U.S. Army's highest ranking spiritual leaders visited Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers at southern Baghdad's Forward Operating Base Falcon to address the needs, concerns and direction the Chaplain Corps faces across the Army.

Maj. Gen. Douglas Carver, U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains, and Sgt. Maj. Tommy Marrero, Chief of Chaplains regimental sergeant major, visited the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division's chaplains and their assistants at the Steel Falcon Memorial Chapel to listen and offer insight concerning the future of the branch.

"It is an honor to visit with deployed Soldiers," explained Carver, a 35-year veteran. "Any chance we get to come to theater to see our chaplains, we take. That's what it is all about."

Maj. Gen. Douglas Carver, U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains, fields questions from Soldiers of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, at the Steel Falcon Memorial Chapel, Forward Operating Base Falcon in southern Baghdad. Carver, a 35-year Army veteran, discussed the future of the Chaplains Corps with battalion-level chaplains and their assistants. Lt. Col. Jim Carter, who hails from Monroeville, Ala., serves as the chaplain for MND-B in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Carver spoke about counseling techniques for the deployed Soldiers to help cope with the effects of war and encouraged the chaplains and assistants to maintain their spiritual resilience throughout the deployment.

"I'm looking for a chaplain with a pastor's heart," Carver stated. "We appreciate your service, dedication and sacrifice."

Carver said he considers the service to be one of the most respectable lifestyles and after visiting numerous FOBs around Iraq, assured the Soldiers that the Army's chaplaincy is in good hands.

Marrero also chatted with the Soldiers and stressed the importance of keeping one's faith while deployed.

"If chaplains lose their faith while deployed, the Soldiers are the ones that pay the price," explained Marrero, a former U.S. Army Ranger. "At the same time, Soldiers are helping other Soldiers; they need to take the time and care for themselves in a spiritual and moral way."

Maj. Gen. Douglas Carver, U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains, leads Soldiers of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, in prayer at the Steel Falcon Memorial Chapel, Forward Operating Base Falcon in southern Baghdad. Carver, a 35-year Army veteran, fielded questions from battalion-level chaplains and their assistants to discuss the future of the Chaplain's Corps during his visit.

Marrero primarily focused his attention on the retention of chaplain's assistants and stated that each Soldier is important to the Army's mission.

"We have maintained the number of chaplain's assistants in the Army without lowering the standard by which we recruit," Marrero stated.

Marrero also explained to the Soldiers that chaplain's assistants have done an outstanding job since the onset of the war, and encouraged the veterans to share their experiences and encounters to as many people as possible.

Spc. Joshua Clare, a chaplain's assistant assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., said he believes Carver's visit was encouraging that he is glad the Chief of Chaplains took the time to visit 1st BCT's spiritual leaders.

Clare, who hails from Saint Maries, Idaho, stated many chaplains and assistants are engrained with the "Soldiers First" ethos.

"We focus on Soldiers first, and it gives us a sense that what we are doing is helping the Soldiers," explained Clare.
Upon completion of the question-and-answer session, Carver urged the chaplains at FOB Falcon to continue to wholeheartedly minister to the Soldiers throughout the remainder of the deployment.

Clare and the Soldiers of the 1st Bn., 66th Armor Regt. "Iron Knights," are currently serving a combat deployment attached to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, in eastern Baghdad in support of MND-B and Operation Iraqi Freedom.