Staff Sgt. Robert Blalock, a native of Macon, Ga., and the chaplain noncommissioned officer-in-charge for 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, Task Force 12, oversees the final steps June 24 in getting the new Victory Chapel ready for its dedication July 1...
Staff Sgt. Evvere Anthony, a native of Glendale, Az., and the chaplain noncommissioned officer-in-charge for 2nd Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment, Task Force 12, helps set-up the last of the chairs June 24 in the new Victory Chapel as part of getti...
Spc. Ryan Emerson, the chaplain assistant for 2nd Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment, Task Force 12, who hails from Long Beach, Calif., but now calls Katterbach, Germany, home, helps set-up and clean the last of the chairs June 24 in the new Victory ...
Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq - Soldiers of the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade often greet one another with the unit greeting of "Wings of Victory," but that phrase will take on new meaning with the completion of Task Force 12's own Victory Chapel July 1 at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq.
As U.S. Army Europe Command's premier aviation brigade nears the end of its tour, it is leaving behind a legacy of great relationships and successful partnerships with various units in Iraq. One significant legacy it will leave for those who will rotate into country is that of a place for spiritual guidance and resiliency at Victory Chapel.
Chaplain (Maj.) Tom Bowers, 12th CAB chaplain, and his noncommissioned officer-in-charge, Staff Sgt. Robert Blalock, have been planning and anticipating this important day for many months in preparing a place dedicated to diverse religious support and morale-enhancing opportunities.
"The dedication ceremony has a dual purpose. On one hand, the facility is spiritually dedicated and presented to the Lord as a place of worship," Bowers said. "It is also dedicated by the Army according to regulation as a facility with a primary purpose of building the faith of individuals, groups and communities. We chose the name Victory Chapel to represent that we have victory through our faith."
He went on to describe the excitement that has been building within the Soldiers here as the day draws near for the chapel. Bowers said he is excited as well to finally have a building dedicated to building spiritual resiliency for the Soldiers of TF 12.
Among those attending the dedication will be the chaplains from other tenant units on COB Adder, such as the 224th Sustainment Brigade and 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade as well as the 1st Infantry Division chaplain, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Timothy Mallard.
While building faith is truly important, it couldn't get off the ground without building the physical structure of the chapel, which was constructed by the 485th Engineer Battalion team, who did the work on the co-located structures in the compound on COB Adder South.
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