Photo By Spc. Katrina Faulkner-Brown | Spc. Doris Splunge speaks to women gathered in the forward operating base chapel,...... read more read more
Subscribe
By Spc. Katrina Faulkner-Brown
4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – A female Soldier with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, hosted a lock-in for 20 women in the forwarding operating base chapel, Sept. 20, 2008.
Spc. Doris Splunge, with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Brigade Special Troop Battalion, 4th BCT, 10th Mtn. Div., said a book she read a few months ago inspired her to sponsor a women's lock-in for Soldiers and civilians at FOB Loyalty.
The book is "Encouraging Words for Women," and its author is Darlene Sala.
Splunge is a food service specialist from Eclectic, Ala., and has served in the Army for eight years.
She has been deployed four times and is serving her second tour in Iraq.
"I talked to my sister-in-law, Michelle Splunge, about helping me put on a women's lock-in, basically asking her to talk to her friends, church [officials] and co-workers about donating items that would encourage our women Soldiers during the deployment," explained Splunge.
A lock-in is usually an all-night event designed to help promote bonding. This lock-in only lasted five hours but featured speakers, games, music and socializing opportunities for civilian and military females who attended.
"It was a really good experience, and I really enjoyed listening, praying and sharing," said Pvt. Refugio Zetina, a human resources specialist from Barstow, Calif., assigned to HHC, 4th BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. "It was really good to learn more about everyone."
The speakers brought encouragement, inspiration and the invitation to have a closer relationship with God through song and worship, commented Splunge. Staff Sgt. Davella LeBlanc said her favorite part of the service was the worship portion of the lock-in.
"It made me look deep inside myself and let everything go," expressed LeBlanc, a supply sergeant from Savannah, Ga., assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th BCT, 10th Mtn. Div.
Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Jones is the signal non-commissioned officer in charge with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 4th BCT, 10th Mtn. Div., and he served as a guest speaker at the lock-in. The Detroit native's topic was 'If God did it for Rahab, he could do it for you,' which is a reference to Chapter 2 from the book of Joshua in the Bible.
"I chose that topic because she was a woman who people looked down on because of her profession," explained Jones. "And I wanted the women to know that no matter what your past is, it doesn't have to determine your future."
Splunge said she wanted to share her faith, strength and honor of serving in the military through this night for women. She hoped the event would help females understand women should be there for each other, especially with the stress of a deployed environment.
| Date Taken: | 09.20.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 09.26.2008 09:59 |
| Story ID: | 24179 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 189 |
| Downloads: | 146 |
This work, Book inspires female Soldier to host religious lock-in for deployed women, by SPC Katrina Faulkner-Brown, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
