Unit Ministry Teams Convene at BOB Adder

By Sgt. Mark Miranda, 4th BCT, 1st Armd. Div.

4th BCT, 1st Armd. Div.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Chaplains and chaplain's assistants from Multi-National Division-South came together for a religious support conference at Contingency Operating Base Adder's religious activities center.

The conference, attended by unit ministry teams from around MND-S and hosted by 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, was used to stress the growing importance of working in an Iraq environment different than previous years, and discuss lessons learned from 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division's UMT experiences. "My goal is to put water back in the well, to encourage everyone to stay vigilant, as your ministry is vital," said Chap. (Lt. Col.) John J. Morris, 34th Red Bull Infantry Division chaplain.

Lt. Col. John Morris, 34th Infantry Division Chaplain presents Staff Sgt. Bellatrix Estrella, a chaplain's assistant with 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division with a bible during a religious support conference for unit ministry teams at Contingency Operating Base Adder. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Mark Miranda)

"By today, the U.S. Army is out of cities by and large, and Iraqis are going to do what they're going to do," said Morris in reference to the U.S. - Iraq security agreement. "Either way, the job (for Chaplains) doesn't change. It can be a smooth transition or it can become a very kinetic environment."
The conference was dedicated to Chaplain Henry Vakoc, who died June 20 from injuries sustained from a fall. Vakoc was the first Army chaplain to be seriously injured in Iraq May 29, 2004 when a roadside bomb exploded near his humvee. "Everything we do today, we do in honor of (Vakoc)," said Morris.

Morris addressed some of the issues and concerns of unit ministry teams. "Scrounging for resources is discouraging. It's hard not to give up. It can be a hard system to work in but we have to get this job done," said Morris. "We're constantly selling the importance of what we do to command teams, to senior noncommissioned officers." Chap. (Lt. Col.) Thomas Behling, deputy division chaplain, addressed the new environment in which MND-S chaplains now operate. "Never in history have we done this. We have a contractor army as well as a conventional army here.

Lt. Col. John Morris, 34th Infantry Division Chaplain speaks to unit ministry teams from throughout Multi-National Division - South during a religious support conference at Contingency Operating Base Adder. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Mark Miranda)

We had contractors in Vietnam, but not at this scale," said Behling. "It's a nuanced environment."

"This is a different deployed environment," said Chap. (Maj.) Stephen Broadus, chaplain for 4th BCT, 1st Armd. Div. "What we're trying to make the civilians understand is that we are not a church. We are a chapel service."

Unit ministry teams from throughout Multi-National Division - South gather for an informal discussion during a religious support conference at Contingency Operating Base Adder. Chaplains and chaplain's assistants convened at the COB Adder religious activities center to share experiences, conduct training and discuss issues facing unit ministry teams operating in Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Mark Miranda)

"We have 1,000 local nationals who come onto COB Adder and on Friday they want to have time and a place for prayer. What do we do with them? It's a challenge sometimes," said Broadus, who hails from Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Unit ministry teams broke up into discussion groups throughout the day and during meal breaks to talk about experiences and share guidance. Sessions also covered training and operational planning. The day closed with a worship session.

"Show up, put your best effort out. That's all I'll ask, but it's not an easy thing to ask, for you to go out on convoys and helicopters to see our Soldiers," said Morris. Morris said the trend towards "secular culture" compounded with the combat environment makes the work of chaplains challenging. He reminded the attendees that the UMT conference was a time "to renew ourselves. It's about helping people now. We are hope and help to hurting people."