By Lacey Justinger, Triad Contributor
from Triad Online

Forward Operating Bases (FOB) Freedom and Liberty have prioritized scheduling and logistics to support mobilizing Soldiers’ religious commitment.

1st Lt. Bryan T. Wright, 478th Engineer Battalion (left), and Maj. Quentin Collins, 1203rd Engineer Battalion (right) baptize Staff Sgt. Edward A. Lewis, 224th Engineer Company, in a handmade, field baptismal font at Forward Operating Base Liberty. “Freedom of religion; if you honor that, you honor everything the Soldiers stand for,” said Chap. (1st Lt.) Bryan T. Wright, with the 478th Engineer Battalion. “Take that away, and you take away everything a Soldier stands for and puts their life on the line for.”

“We’re here to provide support for all denominations,” said Chap. (Maj.) Quentin Collins, with the 1203rd Engineer Battalion. “We’re here to provide support for the freedom of religion.”

A small crowd, including a unit commander, gathered around a plastic-lined wooden box filled with water located a few yards away from the motor pool, a dusty road and large tent under construction.

Their purpose was to show support for Pfc. Conner L. Green with the 1203rd and Staff Sgt. Edward A. Lewis with the 224th Engineer Company, who chose to participate in a field baptism as a testament to their beliefs.

“It was something I always wanted to get done before I went overseas, and my whole squad turned out for it,” said Lewis in response to his field baptism.

Inside a triple-wide trailer, where the walls are covered in improvised explosive device-defeat posters, road maps of Iraq, sand tables and charts, groups of Soldiers meet weekly to express their faith and set aside time for worship during their mobilization training.

“The FOB got behind us and dedicated one classroom to us all day long, so whenever we could coordinate schedules it was available and ideal,” said Chap. (Lt. Col.) Gary D. Gilmore, with the 35th Engineer Brigade, who held services at FOB Freedom. “We had services morning, noon and night with a good mixture, variety and response of all units, at all three services.”

“The Army and the government have an obligation to support a Soldier’s right to the free exercise of religion,” said Chap. (Col.) Steven Colwell, the Fort McCoy installation chaplain. “Chaplains, chaplain assistants and other religious support personnel are the way the government attempts to fulfill that obligation to the Soldier’s First Amendment rights.”

Catholic Masses at the FOBs started in July and are held Sundays at Liberty at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at Freedom. Father Patrick Boyle, one of the Catholic priests contracted to provide services, travels from Mundelein, Ill., to officiate some of the services. He served as a chaplain in Vietnam and offers the same format of Mass that he performs for his home parish.

The Mass includes communion and crowd interaction; Spc. Jacob C. Steele, 2nd Lt. Matthew J. Kremer and Spc. Justin Case with the 478th Engineer Battalion all read passages for the congregation during the second service offered at Liberty this summer.

He tells Soldiers, “Even if you can’t get to Mass, keep it in your heart. Pray for everything; pray for the war. Do your part, take no chances and be careful.”

Protestant Services are scheduled at both FOBs at 7 p.m. Sundays.

Unit chaplains stationed at the FOBs may offer more flexible chapel schedules. Due to training schedules, chapel attendance has ranged from eight attendees to 120 Soldiers.

“Soldiers have been frustrated when they can’t get there,” said Gilmore. “It’s hard to make time when the training schedule treats Sunday like every other day and there are no two hours where everyone stands down.”

“We’re all here training to go to war but if we are not spiritually ready to go then all that training will not be effective,” said Collins. Collins brings in a personal MP3 sound system, a laptop and a PDA to provide worship service music, slides and sermon notes. “Encouraging, uplifting messages of hope,” he said are his main focus. “Joy is the key thing; joy breaks tension in intense situations.”

But according to these chaplains, chapel services are only a small part of the mission. Chaplain’s assistant Sgt. Joel Taylor with the 1203rd explained that the main focus is to go out and minister in the field and to give spiritual encouragement to the Soldiers.

“Most of the ministering is out with the troops in the field, 11 at night up in the guard tower, praying with them before they go outside of the wire; that’s where it’s at,” said Wright. “Soldiers are good readers of who’s genuine and if you really care about them.”

“Preaching is a small facet, less than 10 percent of the emphasis,” said Collins. “It’s a proactive mission; we’re called to be with the Soldiers, as a good luck charm, a talisman. Commanders value what religion brings to the fight.”

“It’s a different worship atmosphere when Soldiers come together,” said Gilmore. “It’s a boost for morale, a positive impact for the head and heart; then get out there and train.”

For more information, contact the Fort McCoy Religious Support Office at (608) 388-3528 or visit the Chapel Center in building 2675.

(Justinger is a public affairs specialist for Eagle Systems and Services Inc., contractor for CONUS Support Base Services.)