Photo By Spc. Steven Johnson | U.S. Army Chaplain Col. Timothy S. Mallard, an assistant professor and the director of...... read more read more
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CHICAGO - Unit Ministry Teams (UMTs) from across the division visited the First Division Museum at Cantigny on April 25 and 26, 2023.
1st Infantry Division unit ministry teams visited the museum to develop a stronger understanding and appreciation for 1st Infantry Division’s history. They also held leadership development training with religious support Soldiers to discuss religious support and advisement in current and future conflict continuum.
On the first day of the trip, U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy Commandant Command Sgt. Maj. Rickey G. Jackson, the former Command Sgt. Maj. of 1st Infantry Division Artillery, 1st Infantry Division, spoke about how the Army is training Soldiers to be prepared for long sustain combat operations in a multi-domain operation (LSCO/MDO).
“What I’m asking you to do is hard. Nothing we are doing is easy, however if we are going to do it we got to be really good at it,” said Jackson.
The 1st Infantry Division Chaplain, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Richard West echoed Jackson’s sentiment and expressed his admiration for the NCO’s thoughts after the speech.
“What impressed me the most about CSM Jackson’s training was his emphasis on Character,” said West. “Character is the lynch pin and it’s the foundation from which trust is built, and trust is the foundation of leadership. Without character, your competency and commitment will become undone.”
The group finished off the first day of the visit with a guided tour of the First Division Museum at Cantigny Park. During the tour, Soldiers learned about the role that the 1st Inf. Div. played in specific battles throughout the unit’s history. They sat inside tank simulators that depicted the Battle of Norfolk. They also walked through exhibits depicting scenes from the Normandy Invasion, the Battle of the Bulge, the liberation of concentration camps in Europe and the museum’s historical archives, where uniforms and weaponry used by Soldiers who once served in the 1st Inf. Div. were maintained.
“I learned that the Big Red One was involved in pivotal battles such as D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge,” said U.S Army Capt. Min Kim, a chaplain assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.
Following the tour, Kim reminisced on a previous trip when he visited the site where Operation Norfolk took place and the sense of pride he had to be serving in the same battalion as the Soldiers who served so bravely during the operation.
The second and final day of the visit began with a lecture about providing religious support during LSCO/MDO, particularly remedying moral injuries, which was led by U.S. Army Chaplain (Col.) Timothy S. Mallard, assistant professor and director of ethical development at the United State Army War College.
To give an example of moral injury Mallard read a passage from “A Machine Gunner’s War” written by Ernest Albert "Andy" Andrews Jr. who described the kinetic trials of combat towards the end of the Second World War in which he came upon three German children manning a machine gun nest.
“Outfitted in military type uniforms with the Hitler insignia they were tugging up and down on a rope that was rigged to the machine gun through a pulley system,” said Mallard quoting Andrews. “As they yanked on the rope the now empty gun repeatedly swiveled left to right. Shuttering with horror, I realized that only the timely exhaustion of the weapons ammo had prevented me from killing these children with my grenade. When the boys noticed me gazing down at them, a look of sheer terror came over their faces. Overwhelmed with compassion, I knew I had to get the kids to safety. Jumping into the hole I tried to calm them and win their trust.”
Another common theme throughout Mallard’s speech was the prioritization of holistic health amongst the five domains of physical fitness, sleep, nutrition, mental readiness, and spiritual readiness. Building trust and cohesion is essential in increasing resiliency amongst teams.
“Units should focus on promoting a positive command climate that encourages soldiers to take care of themselves in these domains to increase their resilience in any circumstance.” said Kim. “As a group, building a cohesive and trustworthy team is essential by regulating the Army's seven values within the unit.”
Mallard also spoke about chaplains’ role in helping Soldiers recover from moral injuries. The Chaplain Corps has the inherent duty to aid wounded Soldiers in attaining a measure of healing. According to Mallard, the Corps has the unique ability to show value in the Soldiers as a person who has both body and soul.
“One of the things you are looking for when treating someone with a moral injury is; have they become morally numb?” asked Mallard. “In my own words, moral injury occurs when a person either in their belief system or in their soul, a core value or principal has been crossed to the point that they have to act in response.”
Support groups can help Soldiers who have experienced moral injury to find relief from their trauma, acknowledged Kim.
“Basics are the most important things,” said Kim. “Which is why the Army is continually working to ensure soldier readiness, not just knowledge.”
Ultimately, the trip was defined by an adherence to the essential values of the Chaplain Corps. Treating moral injury requires continuous education and discussions to help identify and support individuals experiencing moral injury.
“My biggest take away is prevention training to mitigate moral Injury and PTSD effects,” said West “The highest group of PTSD sufferers were mortuary affairs Soldiers who rarely, if ever, saw direct combat in Iraq or Afghanistan. However, their exposure to Soldier’s remains was traumatic. Preparing Soldiers spiritually, and emotionally for that level of trauma is the key.”
| Date Taken: | 04.25.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 05.12.2023 10:58 |
| Story ID: | 444481 |
| Location: | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 58 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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