Army Chief of Chaplains preaches to 3rd BCT religious leaders

Photo By Sgt. Natalie Loucks | Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Douglas Carver, Army chief of chaplains, gives a coin to Chaplain (Capt.) Anthony Randall, Arvada, Colo., chaplain, 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, Sept. 15, during Carver's visit to Forward Operating Base Hammer, Iraq.  

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, IRAQ

09.17.2007

Story by Sgt. Natalie Loucks 

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

By Sgt. Natalie Rostek
3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Army Chief of Chaplains Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Douglas Carver visited chaplains and chaplain assistants of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, Sept. 15, during a trip to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Hammer.

Before sitting down with religious leaders to discuss mentorship and Soldier welfare, Carver took a tour of the brigade headquarters. During the tour he asked Soldiers the question he deems the most important.

"'How are you doing?' is the most important question Soldiers can ask each other," Carver said. "Not just 'How are you doing?' but 'How are you really doing?' and really listen to their answer."

After the tour Carver met with chaplains and chaplain assistants of 3rd BCT and the 557th Expeditionary Red Horse Squadron residing at FOB Hammer.

"Soldiers need us," he said. "They need us for encouragement, comfort, relieving their fears and encouraging their hope."

Carver said when Soldiers return to the U.S. from their current deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom they are going to need guidance from their religious leaders to return to normalcy from a stressful 15 months.

After emphasizing the need for chaplains and chaplain assistants in armed forces units, he warned the religious leaders of compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is caused by the stresses of providing constant sympathy and empathy to Soldiers on a steady basis. Carver encouraged religious leaders to take time for themselves.

"Find time to rest. Rest is your time to replenish, to sit back and listen to God," he said. "If you are not resting, you are not hearing God. If you are not hearing God, what are you telling your Soldiers?"

Carver awarded coins to three deserving 3rd BCT religious leaders. Awardees were as follows: Chaplain (Capt.) Anthony Randall, Arvada, Colo., chaplain, 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment; Pfc. James Bullock, Wadsworth, Ill., chaplain assistant, 3-1 Cav. Regt.; and Pfc. Courtney Stephens, Jacksonville, Fla., chaplain assistant, 203rd Brigade Support Battalion.

"When this tour is over," Carver said, "you are going to know something about your personal faith."

The 3rd BCT is assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.

• Date Taken: 09.17.2007
• Date Posted: 09.17.2007 09:32
• Story ID: 12375
• Location: FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, IQ