Mobile, Alabama. – With folded hands and bowed heads, Soldiers of the 226th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade pray during religious services at drill. With this quietude only broken by the resounding, “Amen,” by all.
As the Soldiers of the 226th MEB sing songs and listen to scriptures being read, everything appears like most religious services during a drill weekend or annual training. Yet this Sunday, the scriptures and the sermon following were delivered by a special guest, a padre from England.
Major Simon Rowlands, chaplain for the 3rd Infantry Battalion, Princess of Wale’s Royal Regiment, is participating in the Military Reserve Exchange Program. He has been granted the opportunity to work with chaplains from the Alabama National Guard over the next two weeks.
“It is a National Guard Bureau driven program,” said Maj. Scotty Riggs, chaplain for the 226th MEB. “It gives us the unique opportunity to host someone from a partnered allied nation to come and learn how we do things as a National Guard or reserve component.”
As part of the exchange, Riggs will also be participating by going to England in August learning how they conduct religious services and see their perspective on ministry support for Soldiers.
Together they conceptualize ideas that could be applied in their assigned ministerial positions upon completion of their respective stays in America and in England.
Riggs said that the program is a great way to learn the different perspectives from chaplains of allied nations. He also stated that having allied ministry collaboration helps one to understand why they are doing what they are doing.
As chaplains utilize these opportunities of collaboration, it helps unit ministry teams to find better ways to ministering to Soldiers within the units.
“The purpose behind the Military Reserve Exchange Program is for us to understand how different nations operate,” said Rowlands. “So when we are in a theater together, we are aware of how different armies and nations operate in the field.”
Riggs and Rowlands have discussed the various methods of providing service and support for Soldiers in units. They shared how unit ministry teams reach Soldiers on the lowest level.
“It is always about the individual Soldiers with their stories and lives,” said Rowlands. “It is a real privilege to be alongside them and share with them.”
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| Date Taken: | 07.24.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 07.24.2017 18:05 |
| Story ID: | 242406 |
| Location: | MOBILE, AL, US |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 226th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Host British Chaplain, by SFC Christopher Davis, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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