Photo By Sgt. Samuel Soza | Spc. Ericka Jones, of Miami, Fla., unit supply specialist with the 810th Military...... read more read more
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq — Doors opened wide for service members and civilians who attended the dedication ceremony of the new chapel, held at Contingency Operating Base Basra, Jan. 2.
The ceremony included music and performances from multiple 34th Infantry Division Band detachments, a gospel choir, a performance by the dance praise team, and prayers from the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities.
Several prominent figures and community leaders attended the event, including Imam al-Moosawi and acting archbishop, Imad al-Banna, of St. Efram Chaldean Catholic Church. Both leaders are from Basrah.
Also in attendance were Martina Strong, 34th Infantry Division's State Department political advisor, Alice Walpole, the British consulate-general, and Mike Sunshine with the Provincial Reconstruction Team, as well as members of the Red Horse Team — a group of U.S. Airmen who construct facilities throughout warzones, including this chapel.
A marble plaque, made by associates of al-Moosawi, was also uncovered during the ceremony to commemorate the event.
The role of a chapel is crucial to service members, said Lt. Col. John Morris, chaplain, 34th Inf. Div. chaplain.
"This is my third deployment to Iraq," said the Afton, Minn., native. "And this chapel, like every chapel that I've served in, in Iraq, is a sanctuary in the middle of a very dangerous place."
"This is a place of peace, of quiet, of all the good things, that war isn't, he said."
Construction on the chapel began around October and was completed, Dec. 21, said Morris.
In the beginning, the 34th Inf. Div. chaplains held services in a 45-man tent they inherited from the British forces, which was insufficient for the 9,000 American personnel on the base, Morris said.
Later, they used the special event dining rooms found at the dining facilities.
"At one point there were four different DFACs and so we had four different sites," said Morris, "It was very discouraging, I had Soldiers get angry many times, [that] we kept changing locations and they were frustrated."
When two of the DFACs were converted to a Post Exchange and gym, the options were even more limited.
In August, a temporary solution came in the form of a 300-man tent, obtained from nearby Camp Bucca.
This was used while plans for a new chapel were developed - a project that faced its own difficulties.
"It looked as though this chapel would not be able to be built in time due to lack of housing. That had to be the first priority," said Morris. "And there was a lack of material."
After four months, the chapel was finally completed.
"We're told a miracle happened," said Morris, "That construction on housing was completed on time, material came in to build this, everything came together, and we were able to be in here for Christmas, which was a tremendous blessing."
Morris also said the new chapel has many improvements over the previous facilities, including adequate air-conditioning, no leaking and plenty of room for simultaneous activities.
An unplanned feature is the beaming bell atop the new building, which will make the chapel a prominent landmark to future service members, Morris told attendees.
"That was a total surprise," he said, "That isn't a part of the original plan. The Red Horse Team took it upon themselves to design that, and put it up there as a gift to the chapel team, and we are just blessed to have it."
Morris sees a double meaning behind the notion that the chapel is something service members and civilians can use to orient themselves.
"This is a place to come and, for a few moments, get away from the war," said Morris, "To set aside the harshness of the environment and the harshness of military living.
"So much of what we do brings out the hard side of us," he said, "Here's one place where we can be fully human again."
| Date Taken: | 01.02.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 01.11.2010 01:26 |
| Story ID: | 43641 |
| Location: | BASRA, IQ |
| Web Views: | 301 |
| Downloads: | 259 |
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