U.S. Army Garrison Benelux honored Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Albert J. Ghergich Jr. for 25 years of service during a retirement ceremony in Brussels Feb. 26.

A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Ghergich entered the Army in 1976 at the age of 17 and first served in the medical field. His caring attitude was already recognized then and bloomed as he re-entered the Army as a Chaplain in 1996.

"Soldiers in our Army answer the call to duty," garrison commander Col. Marty Vannatter said in his speech. "They are tasked with upholding the Constitution and protecting America's freedoms. Military chaplains answer that same call, but they also have the additional responsibility of caring for the spiritual well-being of Soldiers and their families."

After various assignments in diverse organizations, Ghergich arrived at U.S. Army Garrison Benelux-Brussels in 2013, and, throughout his time there, he has cared not only for Soldiers and their families, but for the civilian work force of the garrison as well.

"During his time here, he has gone beyond his normal duties," Vannatter said.

Vannatter mentioned a few examples of the strong impact the chaplain made in the community: Ghergich provided comfort and spiritual counsel to a civilian employee with a terminal illness. He prayed with and counseled a family when their young son was diagnosed with a serious brain tumor. He arranged transportation for elderly retirees with limited mobility to come to chapel services. He mentored his chaplain's assistant to earn a Master of Divinity.

After the official presentations during which Ghergich received the Meritorious Service Medal, the official retirement certificate, a presidential certificate of appreciation and the American flag, Ghergich recalled his career sharing some anecdotes but also explained the meaning of his two stoles. The first stole has two sides, one black and one white side. The black side is for official military events, memorial ceremonies and funerals. The white side is for more festive moments like baptisms and marriages.

"It reminds me of the highs and the lows of military service in chaplain's ministry," Ghergich said.

He described the symbolism of the stole in his own life.

"The black side reminds me of the times I had to walk into some very difficult and often hopeless situations. It also reminds me of all the funerals I preached for Soldiers killed in action, for friends who were lost along the way and children lost to accidents and illness, the families and units who have to struggle to make sense out of sometimes horrific events -- the difficulties and the hardship I have endured myself," Ghergich said. "The white side reminds me of the good times, the amazing units and people I had the privilege to serve with, the baptisms, weddings and the joy, the wonderful assignments."

To symbolize his re-tirement as a chaplain, Ghergich asked the USAG Benelux commander to remove the two-sided stole from his shoulders.

Saying "Once a Soldier, always a Soldier," Vannatter didn't remove his stole but, instead, flipped it over to the white side, symbolizing that the festive part is ahead of the chaplain.

The chaplain's second stole is for his denomination, representing the United Church of Christ and his genuine faith, and he asked his wife, Ann, to remove it from his shoulders.

Ghergich offered one last piece of advice.

"Serve with honor and dignity," he said. "I hope you will consider adopting as your personal motto, the motto of the Chaplain Corps, 'Pro Deo et Patria' -- 'For God and country.' "