SOUTHWEST ASIA -- During a long deployment, small comforts can help ease homesickness and boost morale.
Capt. Timothy Baranoski, 1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery chaplain, created a resilience center to provide those comforts to help "Strike First" Battalion Soldiers through their deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
With help from citizens from across the United States the center, under the direction of Pfc. Derrick White, chaplain assistant, has exceeded its expectations.
"What you see here today started as a crazy idea but with love and support and an extra helping of blessing, it has grown beyond what I could have ever imagined," said Baranoski.
Recently, Col. Michael Morrissey and Command Sgt. Maj. Gerardo Dominguez, 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade commander and CSM respectively; Lt. Col. Maurice Barnett and CSM Robert Sanchez, 1-44th ADA commander and CSM respectively; and the battalion unit ministry team opened the CSM James Blankenbecler Resilience Center with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The center was dedicated to Blankenbecler who was assigned to 1-44th ADA in 2003. While deployed to Iraq, he was wounded during an attack on his convoy that included an improvised explosive device and rocket propelled grenade. He died of those wounds Oct. 1, 2003.
Blankenbecler demonstrated the Army Values in service to his Soldiers and country by putting his Soldiers and their welfare above his own, and giving his life for the freedom of others.
"Command Sergeant Major Blankenbecler was a good man who cared about his Soldiers, this is a great legacy to his name," reflected Dominguez.
The resilience center has a full stock of basic hygiene items for Soldiers and a variety of snacks and goods along with occasional homemade cookies from back home.
While hygiene items and snacks are enough to boost morale, the resilience center also offers a library of DVDs and books for Soldiers to enjoy in their down-time.
Perhaps the greatest feature of the center is the Reading Corner. Soldiers can record themselves reading a book to their children and families, then send a DVD along with a copy of the book back to their families at home.
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