Photo By Sgt. Tommie Berry | Maj. Aprill Bright (center), the chaplain for 1st Infantry Division Forward, conducts...... read more read more
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Poznań, Poland — The U.S. Army's Chaplain Corps has safeguarded freedom of religion for all Soldiers and their families both home and abroad since July 29, 1775. This year marks its 246th anniversary.
The Chaplain Corps has provided religious support to Soldiers regardless of their location or mission throughout history. Working in multiple faith teams, Unit Ministry Teams (UMTs) continue to demonstrate critical thinking to adapt to the Army's needs.
Forward Division Chaplain Maj. Aprill Bright, 1st Infantry Division, is deployed to Forward Operating Site Poznań, Poland in support of Atlantic Resolve. As the forward chaplain, Bright conducts worship services, faith and fitness workout sessions and valued-based training events for Soldiers and Department of Defense contractors located in Poznań.
"To be a chaplain deployed in Poland, I would say the first word that comes to my mind is impact; impact and influence," Bright said. "What a great opportunity for religious support teams to be supporting Atlantic Resolve."
The Chaplain Center and School located in Fort Jackson, S.C., trains Soldiers to be the religious leaders the Army needs. Over eight weeks of training, the Army transforms Soldiers into religious leaders who demonstrate the core values of nurturing the living, caring for the wounded and honoring the fallen while advising commanders and providing religious support to the Army family.
"Army chaplains are intentional in ensuring UMTs are present during every deployment,” Bright said, “because we believe Soldiers should have access to religious support wherever they are.”
As the 1st Armored Combat Brigade Team, 1st Infantry Division takes command in Area Support Group (ASG) Poland, the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division will be redeploying to Fort Hood, Texas.
Battalion Chaplain Capt. Chang Joshua Yi with 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division is finishing up a nine-month rotation at Boleslawiec Base Camp, Poland. During his time in Europe, he traveled between base camps located in Karliki, Swietoszow and Boleslawiec, Poland, to provide multiple worship services on Sunday and value-based training events. Yi also traveled to Grafenwöhr, Germany, to provide Christmas services for Soldiers amid COVID-19 restraints.
"It's like being a family and getting that closer relationship," Yi said, "just being able to talk to Troopers, one by one, and getting involved. Sometimes it's just life coaching. Sometimes it's spirituality. Sometimes it's just being a big brother."
Regardless of the need, chaplains are on call to build horizontal relationships with fellow Soldiers and vertical relationships with a higher power. Whether through counseling, worship services or value-based training, chaplains remain assets and resources to protect force readiness.
Both Yi and Bright bring to light the history and traditions that ASG Poland has to offer. Through value-based training events such as tours at Auschwitz concentration camp and cultural exchanges with Polish counterparts, the Chaplain Corps and UMTs can engage with Soldiers in discussions about morals and ethics.
"I'm grateful and honored to supervise and share my gifts and talents to help build our partnership with the local community and our Polish counterparts," Bright said.
On the morning of July 29 in Poznan, Poland, Bright initiated a faith and fitness workout session in honor of the Chaplain Corps anniversary.
"We're dedicating the time we have for a brief history, reading, words of encouragement and prayer," Bright said.
The mission of the Chaplain Corps continues in ASG Poland and around the world as UMTs promote the freedom to exercise religion while providing counsel, engaging in host nation partnerships and encouraging Soldiers to strengthen the bonds of the Army Family.
| Date Taken: | 07.29.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 07.29.2021 08:15 |
| Story ID: | 401981 |
| Location: | POZNAN, PL |
| Web Views: | 362 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The Tradition of Faith: Forward Chaplains Celebrate their 246th Corps Anniversary, by SFC Jennifer Reynolds, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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