Photo By Sgt. 1st Class R.J. Lannom | New York Air National Guardsman, Lt. Col. Brian J. McNamara, chaplain for the...... read more read more
February 17, provided a unique opportunity for a New York Air National Guard chaplain to perform religious services for National Guard members currently working in Washington, D.C., as part of Capitol Response. For those of the Christian faith, Ash Wednesday, which starts the 40 days of Lent leading to Easter, is typically conducted at local churches across the country.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Brian McNamara, a chaplain with the New York-based 106th Rescue Wing, performed the Ash Wednesday services for Soldiers and Airmen both in and around the U.S. Capitol, ensuring the spiritual health of the Guardsmen who desired it. McNamara appreciated the uniqueness of performing services on the Capitol grounds.
"Normally, I get to stay in one place, and parishioners come to me," said McNamara. "I felt a particular sense of honor conducting this service here in Washington."
More than 25,000 National Guardsmen from all 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia activated, mobilized and deployed to Washington to support the peaceful transition of power during the 59th Presidential Inauguration and approximately 6,000 Guardsmen continue to ensure the safety of the Capitol by supporting federal law enforcement agencies with security, communications, medical evacuation, logistics, and safety support to district, state, and federal agencies in the area.
Approximately 120 religious support team members, including chaplains and chaplain assistants from both Army and Air National Guard units from across the country, were brought together and became operational in a matter of days. Across the task force, they provided support and aid across the spectrum of faiths to Soldiers and Airmen, assisting in the readiness of the units deployed here.
Coordinating the spiritual support of such a large group of National Guardsmen became the responsibility of the District of Columbia National Guard's Chaplain Corps. The sheer size of the task force provided a challenge that, while daunting, the chaplain corps met without hesitation.
“We provided a full range of religious support activities which supported over 25,000 Guardsmen in the D.C. area during the inauguration and after,” said Lt. Col. Bobby R. Patton Jr., command chaplain, District of Columbia National Guard. “In a matter of days, we become responsible for the religious welfare of a Corps-level element.”
"Nothing of this size has ever been thought about, much actually put into operation," said Maj. Aaron Rozovsky, deputy chaplain, Joint Force Headquarters, District of Columbia National Guard. "We knew we had to establish a Joint Religious Operations Cell."
The Joint Religious Operations Cell (JROC) supervises and communicates religious priorities, assesses and directs religious affairs activities, answers specific religious inquiries, facilitates unity of effort and enhances lines of communication and situational awareness across the task force.
"The Guardsmen who traveled here to the District are truly a cross-section of the country," said Rozovsky. "We were able to support all faiths throughout the task force, whether Catholic, Protestant, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist and Norse Pagan."
The JROC provided Qurans and prayer beads, mats and spaces for Islamic servicemembers, and kosher meals, kippot (skull caps), tallitot (prayer shawls), and Shabbat and Tu Bishvat service for Jewish Guardsmen.
Chaplains have served at all levels of the U.S. military since 1775 in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. They are an essential element in supporting the free expression of faith while also guarding against religious discrimination of any kind within the command.
"It is a true privilege to be able to serve the religious and spiritual needs of these National Guardsmen here on one of the most memorable missions of their military careers," said Rozovsky.
| Date Taken: | 02.19.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 02.19.2021 19:57 |
| Story ID: | 389445 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 264 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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