Photo By John Hughel | Oregon Army National Guard Chaplain (Col.) Jacob Scott opens the 2024 Oregon Army...... read more read more
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WARRENTON, Ore. – Oregon Army National Guard Chaplains from around the state were greeted with near picturesque spring weather for their Chaplain Annual Sustainment Training, held this year at Camp Rilea, from March 14-17, 2024.
As the four-days of training began, Chaplain (Col.) Jacob Scott, State Chaplain for the Oregon National Guard, welcomed the Chaplains and Religious Affairs Specialists from across the state by focusing on three goals in his opening remarks.
“I am hoping that you’re encouraged by the time that you spend here… I hope that you’re equipped to be better fit for the mission that you have that God has called each and every one of us serving in the military together…and I hope that you are inspired.”
These aims of being ‘Encouraged, Equipped and Inspired,’ helped the group springboard through a variety of activities and events over the training weekend and helped foster the theme of “Providing HOPE in the LSCO and the USINDOPACOM Area of Operation.”
In setting a broader tone for the morning session, Scott referenced a quote from Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) William Green, Jr., Chief of Chaplains for the U.S. Army, saying, “this really hits the nail on the head.”
“We must collaborate with one another to prepare the souls of our Army teammates for war, so that spiritual readiness will empower our Army to win with adaptability and resilience,” Scott said, quoting Chaplain Green.
Scott expanded this concept, describing the various levels of commitment and cooperation for the Religious Affairs mission to be successful for service members.
“We provide religious support and we collaborate together to make sure that we can provide the best for the men and women who wear our uniform and also to our civilian workforce who support us in our mission,” Scott said. “When I first started working at Joint Force Headquarters, it was one of the eye opening experiences for me to realize the number of civilians who support our great organization.”
Two of those key civilian resource providers briefed the group following Chaplains Scott’s opening presentation. Tara Howie took time to detail all the programs from the Military Families Readiness Program – which provides quality of life information and resources for service members, their families and their communities in which they live. Then Richard Bradeen, from the Survivor Outreach Service described the role of the program and how SOS helps support families of the fallen by delivering services to survivors around the state and region.
As the training shifted to broader military operations, Army Capt. Jackson Turner, assigned to the 189th Combined Arms Training Brigade, First Army from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, gave a detailed presentation on Large Scale Combat Operations, or “How Battalions and Brigades Fight.”
Also attending this part of the training presentation was Chaplain (Maj.) Myoung Cho, who currently serves as the Brigade Chaplain with the 189th Infantry Brigade (CATB). The unit’s mission is to observe, coach and train members of the Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve – thus providing ready units to combatant commanders in support of global requirements.
“Looking at how Large Scale Combat Operations compare to Counterinsurgency missions, it's important to look at the entire Spectrum of Conflict,” Turner said, detailing the levels of force, violence and destruction compared to the military assets committed. “Multi-Domain Operations are the Army’s contribution to joint campaigns, spanning the competition continuum found in the narrative, indirect and direction levels of competition.”
In pointing out the value of the narrative phase, Jackson illustrated the important early aspects found in Peaceful Competition, Peaceful Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid to the group.
“This level of competition is particularly valuable before actions expand to indirect actions and escalate to direct actions,” he said, allowing the group to see how religious support roles play a part of the ‘Big Picture,’ in the COIN vs LSCO spectrum.
One other important theme discussed during the training supports the ‘Oregon National Guard’s Top Three.’
“Our new Adjutant General – Brigadier General Alan Gronewold’s ‘Top Three’, helps ensure that our National Guard is ready for whatever Oregon and our Nation needs us to do,” Scott explained to the group from one of the posters at the forum. “Be Connected, Be Competent and Be Committed…if we can build an organization that people will want to be a part of, and be willing to meet the needs of Oregonians and the people of the United States of America, then that’s at the core of everything we're trying to do.”
The well-organized agenda included other presentations, team building breakout sessions, physical fitness activities and time for members to interact during and after scheduled events.
During the late afternoon on March 14, a special ceremony took place at the Base Chapel for three former members of the Oregon National Guard’s Religious Affairs team. The St. Martin of Tours Presentation honored retired Chaplains Col. Scott Delbridge, Col. Daniel Thompson and Religious Affairs Specialist Master Sgt. William Kaemmer.
St. Martin of Tours a long history with the chaplaincy – and is awarded to “those chaplains and religious affairs specialists who have demonstrated the highest standards of integrity and moral character, displayed an outstanding degree of professional competence, selflessly served soldiers and families, and contributed to the promotion of the Army Chaplaincy,” according to the Office of the Chief of Chaplains.
After Chaplain Scott presented these awards, he noted the combined service of these three members through the course of their careers.
“In total, they contributed nearly a hundred years of military service as members of the Chaplain Corps,” he said. “These awards have been long overdue but it’s also great to see them here with us this weekend.”
| Date Taken: | 03.19.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 04.03.2024 01:39 |
| Story ID: | 467623 |
| Location: | WARRENTON, OREGON, US |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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