Story by Sgt. 1st Class Adam Shaw
16th Sustainment Brigade
Date: 06.15.2009
Posted: 06.15.2009 07:24
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE Q-WEST, Iraq - Maj. James Boulware, brigade chaplain, 16th Sustainment Brigade, is helping couples work on their marriages, despite being thousands of miles away from each other.
He has started a program that allows Soldiers at Q-West to see and talk to each other video teleconference, and receive a two-way counseling. The chaplain's office offers this to couples within the brigade who are seeking to strengthen their marriages and work through marital problems
"This program brings couples together, allowing discussion between chaplains and couples," said Boulware. "The benefit is that couples actually have the opportunity to receive counseling together."
The program offered by the Liberty Chapel has a chaplain with the Soldier and a chaplain with the spouse at his or her home station.
"This form of counseling also gives the chaplains an opportunity to hear from both spouses, instead of just one," said Boulware. "Having another chaplain on the other end allows individual counseling on both ends to be in sync."
One Soldier, who spoke on the basis of anonymity, said that the VTC was an excellent opportunity to strengthen his marriage.
"It has helped me understand that it's ok to seek help in dealing with relationship issues and life in general," said the Soldier, who is currently deployed to Q-West. "That sometimes you need guidance from an outside source in order to overcome the issues at hand. It's finding an understanding and a mutual respect as a couple, and when your able to talk it out and give each other a chance to grow that you'll find a way to smile again."
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