First Team

I've been getting settled in here at Camp Liberty. I flew back to Iraq last weekend, and arrived at my new "home" where I am working for the 1st Cavalry Division, also known as America's "First Team." The historic 1st CAV patch is to the left.

My work here is quite different than with the 3-67 Armored Battalion. There I was a battalion chaplain, assigned as the chaplain for a unit of around 900 Soldiers, providing for their spiritual care.

Now I am assigned to the Division Chaplain office. The division oversees all of the Soldiers in the Baghdad area and surrounding. I believe we have around 80,000 Soldiers under our care.

There is one division chaplain, and then his deputy, and I work with them. My specific role involves a number things: including working on the helicopter flights for our subordinate chaplains, preaching at a Sunday evening, contemporary worship service, visiting troops, sponsoring the Gospel service and other things.

I have two assistants working for me right now, and they do excellent work. This is a very different type of ministry than at the battalion level, but I am getting the hang out it.

My living conditions are quite different as well. While Camp Liberty is not exactly Iowa, it is a more secure and safer environment than at FOB Rustamiyah. Not that Liberty is without danger, but it's certainly different than at Rusty. These coming months should be interesting.