Soldiers find comfort...
Faith sustains them through perilous times
By Demorris Lee STAFF WRITER FORWARD
OPERATING BASE COBRA, Iraq --
Sgt. Daniel Blasky of Charlotte told about 20 soldiers Sunday that there was a reason God had them in Iraq. Blasky, 32, stood in the corner of the mess-hall-turned-sanctuary to encourage the soldiers at Forward Operating Base Cobra to remain strong in their faith. "I'm sitting here in the desert, what in the world does God have me to do?" asked Blasky, the former pastor of West Elkin Pentecostal Holiness Church. "When [improvised explosive devices] are coming at you and when times get hard and tough, no matter what, remember there's a reason why God has you here." But each person has to answer that question for himself, Blasky said. At the noon church service, and with sweat beading on his forehead, Staff Sgt. Jerry McNeil, 51, told the soldiers to "put on the armor of God." "When you have on the armor of God, you are able to withstand anything that comes your way," McNeil preached as if he was back at Unionville Missionary Baptist Church in Laurinburg, where he is an associate pastor. "Put on the armor of God and hold to God's unchanging hand." For some soldiers, religious faith is what has allowed them to keep going despite being away from their families and their civilian careers and facing the possibility of death every time they ride outside the area guarded by soldiers.
Going to church services on Sunday and Bible study on Wednesday night gives them the opportunity to say "thank you" and to remain committed. "I always like to go to service and praise God for what he's done for me in my life," said Spc. Mark Joseph, an English teacher from Hope Mills and a member of the 1st Battalion 252 Armor Regiment. "It's even more important now that we are in this environment where it's kind of easy to forget about going to service. But God is here, and this is a reminder." Sgt. Clifton Gauldin, the assistant Chaplin at FOB Cobra, said it is important for soldiers to know there is a place to worship. A permanent chapel is being completed. Until then, services take place in any spot soldiers can find. "It's very beneficial for soldiers to have a place where they can collectively turn to spiritually," said Gauldin, 25, who is from Ruffin but who worked at Wachovia Mortgage in Raleigh for five months before being deployed. "It doesn't matter if we have two or three people, whenever one comes together, we have a service." Spc. Lonnell Dixon, 27, of Fort Bragg was thankful that he was granted leave this week. In a month or so, his wife, who is active Army, is to be deployed to Iraq. They will be in separate parts of the country and may not see each other for up to two years. "He's making a way for me to see my wife," Dixon said. "For that, I've got to give him praise."
Sgt. Daniel Blasky of Charlotte told about 20 soldiers Sunday that there was a reason God had them in Iraq. Blasky, 32, stood in the corner of the mess-hall-turned-sanctuary to encourage the soldiers at Forward Operating Base Cobra to remain strong in their faith. "I'm sitting here in the desert, what in the world does God have me to do?" asked Blasky, the former pastor of West Elkin Pentecostal Holiness Church. "When [improvised explosive devices] are coming at you and when times get hard and tough, no matter what, remember there's a reason why God has you here." But each person has to answer that question for himself, Blasky said. At the noon church service, and with sweat beading on his forehead, Staff Sgt. Jerry McNeil, 51, told the soldiers to "put on the armor of God." "When you have on the armor of God, you are able to withstand anything that comes your way," McNeil preached as if he was back at Unionville Missionary Baptist Church in Laurinburg, where he is an associate pastor. "Put on the armor of God and hold to God's unchanging hand." For some soldiers, religious faith is what has allowed them to keep going despite being away from their families and their civilian careers and facing the possibility of death every time they ride outside the area guarded by soldiers.
Going to church services on Sunday and Bible study on Wednesday night gives them the opportunity to say "thank you" and to remain committed. "I always like to go to service and praise God for what he's done for me in my life," said Spc. Mark Joseph, an English teacher from Hope Mills and a member of the 1st Battalion 252 Armor Regiment. "It's even more important now that we are in this environment where it's kind of easy to forget about going to service. But God is here, and this is a reminder." Sgt. Clifton Gauldin, the assistant Chaplin at FOB Cobra, said it is important for soldiers to know there is a place to worship. A permanent chapel is being completed. Until then, services take place in any spot soldiers can find. "It's very beneficial for soldiers to have a place where they can collectively turn to spiritually," said Gauldin, 25, who is from Ruffin but who worked at Wachovia Mortgage in Raleigh for five months before being deployed. "It doesn't matter if we have two or three people, whenever one comes together, we have a service." Spc. Lonnell Dixon, 27, of Fort Bragg was thankful that he was granted leave this week. In a month or so, his wife, who is active Army, is to be deployed to Iraq. They will be in separate parts of the country and may not see each other for up to two years. "He's making a way for me to see my wife," Dixon said. "For that, I've got to give him praise."
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