Courtesy Photo | After 30 years of service Chaplain (Col.) DeWayne L. Brewer, the 1st Cavalry Division...... read more read more
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By Sgt. Joy Pariante
1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs
FORT HOOD, Texas - Some people call it coincidence, to some it's fate, but to others it's more of a divine intervention. Sometimes things happen at just the right time, like getting hired for your dream job when you can't take your current job anymore. Other times, things happen that you don't want to happen, but you realize later that no matter how good or bad the occurrence, it happened at that moment for a specific reason.
According to Chaplain (Col.) DeWayne L. Brewer, these are all examples of God's impeccable timing and ability to give us what we need exactly when or far before we really need it.
In his 30 years of service, Brewer, a reserve chaplain mobilized to serve the 1st Cavalry Division's rear detachment. Even after being passed over for multiple promotions and being forced out of the Army five times during his career, Brewer keeps ending up back serving and doing what he loves. "What I love has deeply hurt me," Brewer explained. "That is the essence of life and of love."
It's part of God's timing and plan, he explained. "The Army said 'we don't need you anymore,' but the Lord had a purpose and brought me back to the Army."
Brewer has been mobilized three times since joining the Reserves in 1995; first to be the rear detachment chaplain for 4th Infantry Division in 2003.
Next, the Army sent him to Afghanistan to be the camp chaplain in Kabul for Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan. Finally, the chaplain made his way to First Team, where he'll finish out his Army career on April 28.
"I don't know of any other way to finish up than with America's First Team," Brewer said. "With this last assignment God gave me a wonderful gift. It's the second time God's helped me close out something with an amazing assignment."
The first closure was when Brewer finished his active duty career as a transportation officer with the 106th Transportation Battalion. Brewer's active duty career was cut short after 15 years when the Army was drawing down forces in 1992. Brewer took the separation package option and decided to go to seminary school back home in Kentucky.
Upon finishing school, Brewer was accepted into the Army Reserves as a major in the Chaplain Corps.
Since then, Brewer has divided his time between his civilian and military ministries. "I love being a Soldier and a minister for the Lord," Brewer said. "They go together." And Brewer's love for being a Soldier makes leaving even harder. "I don't want to get out, but the Lord reminds me that he gave me all these years to serve even when I thought it was over," Brewer said. "In removing me from the Army, He reminded me that my identity is not in the Army. My security is not in the Army. It is in Christ, it's in Him."
Brewer will be heading back to Kentucky where he will be with his wife of 31 years, Sheri. He is looking forward to either working as a hospice chaplain or a minister at a church.
After three decades of serving, Brewer doesn't want to leave the Army with just stories of his experiences. He said he wants to leave the Army with exactly what he's taking away from it, love.
"If we pass on, not just our experiences, but the story of love because that's what carries on. Love for what we do, for the nation, for the Lord and for one another," Brewer said.
| Date Taken: | 03.12.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2007 17:42 |
| Story ID: | 9405 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 190 |
| Downloads: | 158 |
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