FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Soldiers of varying ranks, units and religious preferences all gathered as equals for the National Prayer Breakfast held at the Fort Bragg Officer's Club, Feb. 27.
Traditional dividing lines between Soldiers went unnoticed as lower enlisted Soldiers, non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers prayed together. Religious differences were set aside as Christians, Jews and Muslims joined together in prayer.
"It brings Soldiers together to pray for our country and reflect on the importance of prayer," said Lt. Col. Matthew M. Goffe, who serves as the chaplain with the 82nd Airborne Division. "We have a new president and new leadership. It's also important we pray for them."
The prayer breakfast began with the singing of the National Anthem. Afterwards, Lt. Col. Ran Dollinger, Fort Bragg's Deputy Installation chaplain, led the congregation in the invocation.
The National Prayer Breakfast is a tradition, which began in 1952, when President Harry S. Truman signed a resolution from Congress, declaring an annual National Day of Prayer, usually held the first Thursday of February in Washington D.C.
The National Prayer Breakfast is also observed throughout the military, though exact dates are different from installation to installation.
Maj. Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, was among the high-profile speakers at the event. As the division was in charge of planning and coordinating this year's breakfast, Scaparrotti greeted the congregation warmly and gave word for the breakfast to get under way.
Nearly 350 attendees enjoyed a breakfast of eggs, bacon, biscuits, fresh fruit, juice and hot coffee. The room was loud with friendly fellowship. Soldiers celebrated religious differences and treated each other as equals.
After the clamor of the crowd died down and the plates were bused away from the tables of smiling, laughing Soldiers and their families, chaplains began a diverse series of religious readings.
Capt. Mohammed Khan, a Muslim chaplain, began by reciting the first chapter of the Quran. Maj. Ira Ehrenpreis, a Jewish chaplain, followed with his recitation from Psalm 23. Maj. Brad Baumann finished the reading with a passage from the Christian Bible's book of Matthew.
"We were very fortunate to have chaplains from the Islamic tradition, the Jewish tradition and the Christian tradition participating,'' said Col. Joel Cocklin, Fort Bragg's garrison chaplain.
Lt. Col. Marc Gauthier, chaplain for the United States Army Special Operations Command, asked the crowd to join him in solemn prayer for the nation. This prayer was one of the main events of the breakfast. Gauthier led the crowd in praying for the wisdom and integrity of the nation's leaders and for the safety of its people and its servants.
After the prayer, Cocklin introduced the morning's special keynote speaker, Maj. Gen. Douglas L. Carver, United States Army Chief of Chaplains, who began his Army career as a field artillery officer.
"God has a way of calling people to ministry," Cocklin said of Carver's joining the chaplaincy.
Carver addressed a number of the issues facing the chaplain, the Soldier, and the individual trying to find and understand faith. He spoke about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also addressed the crisis of faith for those who face the combat deployments and stresses of war, urging Soldiers never to despair and saluting them for their courage.
Most importantly, he spoke of community, standing together in spite of the turmoil.
"Don't turn your back on one another," Carver advised, "Stick with your battle-buddies. Keep in touch with your spouse and your loved ones. Don't walk this alone."
Carver closed by playing the piano and singing a song for the crowd. Lt. Col. Paul Hurley, USASOC Deputy Command Chaplain, then led the crowd in a benediction and released the guests.