Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7th ID

By Staff Sgt. Lindsey KiblerJuly 11, 2013

Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7ID
1 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Following their change of stole ceremony, July 8, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Darryl Hollowell, of Cleveland, Ohio (left), outgoing 7th Infantry Division chaplain, and incoming 7th Infantry Division chaplain, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Paul Jaedicke, of Stanford, C... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7ID
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Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7ID
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Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7ID
4 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Lt. Col. Darryl Hollowell, a chaplain for the 7th Infantry Division speaks to Soldiers during his farewell speech, at the Change of Stole ceremony in Lewis North Chapel at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., July 8, 2013. (U.S. Army photo by S... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7ID
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Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7ID
6 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Nearly nine months after his assumption of stole ceremony, making history as the division chaplain for the newly reactivated 7th Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and its seven subordinate brigade's unit ministry teams, Chaplain (... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7ID
7 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Lanza, commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division shakes the hand of the new division chaplain, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Paul Jaedicke, after placing the stole upon his shoulders during a change of stole ceremony, July 8, Joint B... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7ID
8 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Nearly nine months after his assumption of stole ceremony, making history as the division chaplain for the newly reactivated 7th Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and its seven subordinate brigade's Unit Ministry Teams, Chaplain (... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7ID
9 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Lt. Col. Darryl Hollowell prepares to relinquish spiritual leadership of the 7th Infantry Division's chaplains office, July 8, 2013, during his change of stole ceremony at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Lind... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7ID
10 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Lt. Col. Darryl Hollowell, left, a chaplain, relinquished spiritual leadership with the 7th Infantry Division, to Lt. Col. Paul Jaedicke, right, during a change of stole ceremony hosted by the 7th Infantry Division commanding general, Maj.... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7ID
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Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7ID
12 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Lanza, commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division, poses for a photo with Lt. Col. Darryl Hollowell, a chaplain, after presenting him with the Meritorious Service Medal July 8, 2013, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wa... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Chaplain finds 'Lord's purpose' that, again, leads to 7ID
13 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Lanza, commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division, presents the Meritorious Service Medal to Lt. Col. Darryl Hollowell, a chaplain, in recognition of his hard work, dedication and spiritual leadership while serving... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Nearly nine months after his assumption of stole ceremony, making history as the division chaplain for the newly reactivated and restructured 7th Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and its seven subordinate brigade's unit ministry teams, Lt. Col. Darryl Hollowell, chaplain, relinquished spiritual leadership to Lt. Col. Paul Jaedicke, chaplain, July 8 during a change of stole ceremony.

"As we change out the chaplains, we tasked Chaplain Hollowell when he first came here to stand up the division chaplains and to stand up a unit ministry team from scratch. I don't think we have ever given that mission to any chaplain since, perhaps, before World War II," said Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Lanza, commanding general of the 7th ID. "More importantly than just standing up the team for the division is what (he) has meant to the brigades that (he has) mentored, lead, and (has) supported. It has been tremendous."

Lanza noted that a chaplain's duties go far beyond that of providing spiritual leadership to soldiers and their families. They are involved in the readiness and resiliency of the formation, leader development and building the next generation of chaplains, and impacting the command climate by working with commanders and command sergeants major at every echelon of Army organizations.

"As we do this transition, what Chaplain Hollowell is handing over ... is 100-percent mission complete," Lanza said. "He is handing over an organization that is ready to take it to the next level. He has built winning systems, he has built a winning team, and he has built a cohesive chaplaincy corps within this division that Chaplain Jaedicke will be the benefit of."

Nine months ago Hollowell stood in front of his family, friends, commanders and ministry support teams from throughout Joint Base Lewis-McChord and vowed to elevate the amount of religious support available to Bayonet soldiers and their families, as well as to increase the overall health of the force.

"When I came here I wanted to set a standard of ethics for our chaplains," said Hollowell. "If anyone is frowned upon, it should never be a chaplain, so continue to push professionalism and that road of ethics and standards for your chaplains."

Hollowell, a native of Cleveland, will now have the opportunity to do so at an Army-wide level as he moves to his next position at Fort Jackson, S.C., home of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps' Chaplain Center and School.

As Jaedicke took his place at the podium, the stole now gracing his shoulders, he was quick to do two things: give thanks to those who helped with the ceremony and his transition, and let the audience know that as a young lieutenant he never once thought he would be where he was now.

"When I was a combat engineer platoon leader in the 7th Light Infantry (Division), my engineer battalion did not have a chaplain or even a chaplain assistant. This was sort of before the days of the unit ministry team concept. So my battalion commander assigned me the extra duty of battalion chaplain representative. I'm not sure why I got that exactly, other than maybe that he knew I went to church on Sunday mornings," the Stanford, Calif., native explained.

The extra duty, he said, really only entailed taking soldiers to the chaplain, or pointing them in the right direction, when they needed someone.

Jaedicke admits he wasn't offering them much of anything but, after some time, he caught the attention of the division chaplain, who asked Jaedicke to come to his office.

It was there the chaplain gave him the talk about how he should one day, too, become an Army chaplain.

"On the outside, I was very respectful. I was giving him the ol' north-south head nod," Jaedicke recalls. "On the inside I was thinking, 'Are you kidding me? Are you serious?' Not only no, but heck no! I wouldn't get to carry my M16, and, besides that, when boys grow up playing with G.I. Joe actions figures, and this is very important, nobody wants to be the sailor ... or the chaplain. Everybody wants to be the 11 bravo with the crew-served weapon or the scuba diver.

"But here I am. And there you are," Jaedicke paused. "Somehow this stole got placed around my neck. The Bible reminds us, in Proverbs, Chapter 19, 'Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails'."

Jaedicke, a distinguished military graduate of the Claremont College's ROTC program, received a regular Army commission as a combat engineer.

He was assigned to the 13th Engineer Battalion, 7th Infantry Division (Light) at Fort Ord, Calif. After completing his service obligation, he left the Army to follow God's call into Christian ministry. After seminary, he served 10 years as a senior pastor in Michigan, Colorado, and Illinois.

After the 9/11 terrorist attack and a 15-year break in service, Jaedicke re-entered the Army in 2002 as a chaplain.

His previous assignments include Chaplain Basic Officer Leader Course manager and developer, Fort Jackson; 3rd Brigade Combat Team chaplain, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Allied Forces South Battalion chaplain, Naples, Italy; and chaplain, 2-10 Aviation Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. Jaedicke has deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Jaedicke's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster); the Combat Action Badge; the Ranger and Sapper tabs; the Parachutist, Pathfinder, and Air Assault Badges; German Jump Wings; and the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency (Gold).

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Claremont McKenna College; a Master of Theology degree in pastoral ministries from Dallas Theological Seminary; and a Doctor of Ministry degree in preaching from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Jaedicke is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College and an ordained minister of the Evangelical Church Alliance.

The stole ceremony is among the oldest known rituals. Clergy wear stoles as symbols of their spiritual leadership responsibility. The stole reminds us of a chaplain's role as a spiritual-leader, servant-leader, and as God's representative among the people.

Jaedicke accepted spiritual responsibility for, and will now be charged with leading and providing religious support to the unit ministry teams of, not only, the division but its seven subordinate brigades. The UMTs of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Teams; the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade; the 17th Fires Brigade; the 555th Engineer Brigade; and the 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, combined, provide their nearly 20,000 soldiers with religious support and spiritual leadership, regardless of denomination.