From the kitchen to the desert, chaplain’s assistant steps up

Photo By Sgt. Meredith Brown | Cpl. Alexander McDonald, the chaplain’s assistant for 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward) is tasked with providing security for the 3rd CEB chaplain, as well as, providing religious services and administrative needs of the chaplain.  

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, AFGHANISTAN

11.12.2011

Story by Cpl. Meredith Brown 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Afghanistan - Cpl. Alexander McDonald, a food service specialist by trade, can normally be found behind the scenes in the chow hall whipping together pastries at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. However, during his current deployment to Helmand province he has taken on an entirely different role.

Far from the comfort of the kitchen, McDonald serves as a chaplain’s assistant for 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), a role normally designated for a religious programs specialist (or RP) in the Navy.

Just a couple months before the battalion was slated to deploy, Lt. Bryan Davenport, the chaplain for 3rd CEB, had his RP cross-train to become a hospital corpsman, leaving him to deploy without security and assistance.

An RP is responsible for providing security for the chaplain, assisting and facilitating all religious ministries and being an administrative expert, especially with travel for the chaplain.

McDonald, 21, and a native of Sacramento, Calif., knew he would not deploy within his military occupational specialty, considering that during his previous deployment to Helmand province he worked in the combat operations center, so when the chaplain’s assistant position became available he seized the opportunity to learn something new.

McDonald explained that before the chaplain’s RP left he had the opportunity to learn his new job.

During the turnover, McDonald trained in personal security, learned the administrative aspects of the job and about different faiths, in addition to his overall responsibilities as the chaplain’s assistant.

He admitted it was a challenge and he was not exactly sure what to expect because things were constantly changing.

“I was going outside of my [military occupational specialty],” said McDonald, who received his Pro Chef Level 1 certification in the Marine Corps from the Culinary Institute of America. “I was no longer able to use the skills I have been trained with and was going into something totally unfamiliar.”

Only a month into his deployment, McDonald has had the opportunity to visit multiple forward operating and patrol bases throughout the province, to help Davenport perform his ministry functions, a welcome change from his previous deployment.

During his trips outside Camp Leatherneck, McDonald is often heard joking around with the Marines about his job, ensuring they know where he came from and that his desserts are better than theirs and their wives.

Getting to come out and see something totally new and interact with the Marines while getting to know them on a more personal level has been awesome, he said.

“I really enjoy being a cook,” McDonald said. “I like being creative and getting to teach other Marines. The main thing you take away from being a cook is teamwork because that is what you need to get the job done. I’m always making sure Marines are fed and now it is my job to make sure the chaplain is safe.”

The working relationship between the chaplain and his assistant is imperative to the overall mission of the Chaplain’s Corps. The two work together day and night to ensure the emotional, spiritual and mental needs of the Marines and sailors are met.

“Cpl. McDonald is proactive, mentally proactive, he’s engaged,” Davenport said. “I’m thinking of something and he is already up to speed with me. It’s almost like I don’t even need to ask him.”

For the next few months, McDonald will continue to support the 3rd CEB chaplain anyway he can before he returns to the kitchens at 29 Palms.

Editor’s note: 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion is currently assigned to 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

• Date Taken: 11.12.2011
• Date Posted: 11.14.2011 05:43
• Story ID: 79998
• Location: FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, AF