AUSTIN, Texas -- Educator and civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune once said, “faith is the first factor in a life devoted to service. Without it, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible.”
For chaplains serving in the United States Army, service and faith reinforce each other and guide the invaluable duty they perform as counselors and mentors. Army Maj. Francisco Stodola, chaplain for the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, lives these two complementing roles every day he wears the uniform.
“This is one of the major jobs of every chaplain,” said Stodola, “to see that every soldier’s needs are met. Every chaplain is expected to take care of all the troops under his care.”
This summer, Stodola supports the full spectrum of brigade operations by visiting various sites and training events throughout the organization.
“The annual training for any guard member is typically two weeks,” he said. “But in this particular case my AT is being divided up into sections so that I can have exposure to numerous units who are preparing for deployment.”
As a chaplain, Stodola’s service means much more than providing religious services. At the brigade level, he frequently acts as special staff to the commander and a key trainer of annual briefings for all personnel, to include suicide prevention, redeployment and family life.
“There are Army duties,” said Stodola, “such as giving required briefings that the soldiers are supposed to receive. This is for everyone’s benefit, irrespective of their religious preference.”
As an ordained Catholic priest, he serves as an official ambassador of his religion and faithfully represents the diocese endorsing him.
“One cannot be a military chaplain without that endorsement,” said Stodola. “In my particular case, it’s the Bishop of Laredo because that’s where I’m from, who has to sign me over to the military archdiocese located in Washington, D.C. They don’t direct the chaplain or assign him. Once he’s endorsed, it’s up to the Army to decide where it is you serve.”
One of the chaplain’s brigade parishioners, Spc. Robert A. Reynolds of B Company, 449th, values the services and presence of the military’s religious advisers.
“Chaplain services are very helpful to soldiers,” said Reynolds. “It fulfills that spiritual need that a lot of soldiers have and it also builds unit cohesion because it’s one of those things that Soldiers can do together.”
Stodola will visit Camp Swift next month in support of Task Force 1-108th Air Helicopter Battalion’s pre-mobilization training and later in August for the 1-171 General Support Aviation Battalion.
“We constantly and on a daily basis pray for all of the troops,” said Stodola, “and particularly for those who are deployed that God will protect them and we always ask that he have mercy on the souls of those who have given their lives for our great nation.”
| Date Taken: | 06.15.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 07.27.2011 13:41 |
| Story ID: | 74392 |
| Location: | AUSTIN, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 130 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Brigade chaplain serves, mentors and leads, by SGM Daniel Griego, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
