Photo By Crista Mary Mack | YORKTOWN, Virginia –U.S. Army Lt. Col. James Breckenridge, Fort Eustis pastoral care...... read more read more
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YORKTOWN, Virginia – One year before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, by petition of General George Washington, the Continental Congress created the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps on July 29, 1775. In commemoration of the 248th anniversary the combined chaplains’ offices of Joint Base Langley-Eustis gathered recently in Colonial Yorktown, where the British surrendered to the Continental Army, for joint training and an official observance.
“From 1775 when our nation’s Army was birthed, then the chaplain corps a month later, the revolutionaries had to have patience and endurance to overcome overwhelming odds for eight years, until 1783 and the signing of the Treaty of Paris … putting together militias and facing elite British warriors that were well trained,” said U.S. Army Chaplain Lt. Col. Brian Tung, Ft. Eustis chaplain.
The joint training focused on the nation’s first historic chaplains, included a visit to the American Revolution Museum, and featured a current training on moral injury, with featured guest speaker Capt. Brent Culpen, 1st Battalion, 222nd Aviation Regiment, 128th Aviation Brigade.
“What a powerful metaphor for patience and endurance in all the circumstances in our lives, and for all the obstacles we must face,” Tung said. “Their faith saw them through, and we can follow in their footsteps and be inspired by the legacy of what they pass on to us.”
True to Army tradition, the training closed with an official ceremonial cutting of a cake. The oldest military member, Lt. Col. James Breckenridge, Fort Eustis pastoral care chaplain, and the youngest Soldier, Pfc. Starr Sandle, a religious affairs specialist with the 1st Battalion, 210th Aviation Regiment, 128th Aviation Brigade, cut the cake together.
“This training had a lot of challenges, and we learned a lot about our history,” Sandle said. “It was engaging, plus we got to meet and work with new people from both branches and experience new things together.”
In Gen. George Washington’s era of chaplaincy, the denomination of the chaplain was matched with the preference of the Soldiers, a new accommodation unknown in the British Forces. The intent was, according to Washington’s petition to Congress, “to protect and support the free exercise of religion in the country and the undisturbed enjoyment of the rights of conscience in religious matters.” This intent continues today, represented at JBLE with a multidenominational representation of faiths available to both installations: in addition to several Christian faiths represented, there are chaplains for Jewish, Buddhist, and Muslim faiths available.
“May we carry on in our 248th year celebration to continue in our traditions,” said Tung. “For the providence of the divine is to work in our families and our nation and for our leaders and the people of the United States of America.”
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| Date Taken: | 07.26.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 07.26.2023 12:58 |
| Story ID: | 450022 |
| Location: | YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT EUSTIS, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 184 |
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