FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Chaplains of 1st Brigade Combat Team recently joined forces to provide spiritual fitness to Soldiers of the brigade here at Fort Drum in the first monthly event titled Chaplain's Chat.

Chaplain's Chat is designed to allow Soldiers to get to know the Unit Ministry Team.

The UMT's job is to provide religious support, which includes religious leader activities, such as religious services, rites, sacraments, ordinances, religious education, pastoral care and counseling, religious education, family life ministry, and institutional ministry.

Religious support also includes special staff officer activities, such as professional support to the command, management and administration; humanitarian support; training; and planning and operations.

"Our job is to provide religious support to Soldiers in every environment, whether in the field, deployed or wherever the mission sends us," said Chaplain (Capt.) Michael White, 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment chaplain.

Both in garrison and while deployed, it is important that Soldiers know who their Unit Ministry Team members are in order to have an outlet, and the Chaplain's Chat is design to do just that.

"The purpose of the Chaplain's Chat is to give Soldiers a way to get to know their chaplain in an informal way and to get a little training on spiritual fitness," White said. "It is not about religion; it is about building a stronger Soldier."

The chaplain is a resource that all ranks can use, and the Chaplain's Chat is no different.

"Chaplain Chat is open to everyone in the military community, because no one is higher ranking than God," White said.

"I really enjoyed the Chaplain's Chat because it was a laid-back atmosphere," said Spc. Samantha Gomez, intelligence analyst with 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion.

"It did not did feel like church," she added. "It was just a nice and relaxing change of pace to the week, and I will be at the next one along with my battle buddy."

"I would like to invite everyone out, and I hope that this can be used to give them a different pro-spective on life and life as a Soldier," White said.