Photo By Kyle Richardson | U.S. Army 1st Lt. Thomas Obiatuegwu, native of Nigeria, a chaplain at the 58th Street...... read more read more
FORT HOOD, Texas - As soldiers from the 41st Fires Brigade took a break from the physical demands of the Table XV, battery level training exercise, they took advantage of the down time and devoted some time to training and strengthening a part of the body often forgotten about; the spirit.
Chaplain (Maj.) Joseph Vieira, of Quincy, Calif., brigade chaplain for the 41st Fires Bde., arranged for Chaplain (1st Lt.) Thomas Obiatuegwu, a native of Nigeria, to conduct a Catholic Mass for the soldiers training in the field located on Fort Hood, Texas, Sept. 24.
In the field for two weeks, training and evaluating soldiers’ combat and readiness skills, the Mass allowed the soldiers a chance to practice their faith with their brothers in arms, work on strengthening their spirits, and fellowshipping with one another.
“Just because you’re out here in the field doesn’t mean you have to forget about your spiritual needs,” said Maj. Anthony Campbell, a Lockhart, Texas, native and the brigade’s aviation officer.
Once a Eucharistic minister, Campbell said he appreciated being able to attend a Mass in the field and assist the chaplain during service.
Obiatuegwu or “Obie” for short, taught about the importance of remembering one’s faith, conditioning the spirit as much as the physical body, and taking time to pray during his first chance at holding Mass in the field.
“Faith is a vital issue in one’s life,” said Obiatuegwu. “Faith will keep you going when everything else falls short.”
In the unusual setting for a Mass, underneath camouflage netting, the soldiers prayed, read scripture, and took part in communion.
“Conducting a service in the field is a little different than garrison,” said Staff Sgt. John Ocasio, from Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico, the brigade’s chaplain assistant. “It’s a different feel and style, but the most important thing is for soldiers to feel good when they leave.”
Ocasio said that field services are usually shorter than a regular service but none the less they’re still affective.
“It is essential that a person maintains their faith structure while they are in the field and when they’re deployed,” said Vieira. “It is one of those things that is no more to be denied than the air we breathe. Faith is where you can find the strength to continue with the mission even if your physical body is tired.”
| Date Taken: | 09.24.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 09.27.2010 21:15 |
| Story ID: | 57096 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 45 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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