ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. (June 22, 2016) -- The U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, or ATEC, welcomed a new Command Chaplain during a Change of Stole Ceremony June 2 at ATEC Headquarters.
Chaplain Rajmund (Ray) Kopec (Lt. Col) relinquished his stole and the responsibility for spiritual and pastoral leadership of ATEC, as well as his duties as the Aberdeen Proving Ground Catholic Priest, to Chaplain Krzysztof (Kris) Kopec (Lt. Col), ATEC's incoming Command Chaplain.
Besides being Chaplains and sharing the same last name, Ray and Kris Kopec have many other things in common as well. Both are Roman Catholic Priests who were both born in 1965 and raised in the same small town of Nisko, Poland. Both immigrated to the United States in 1988 and are graduates of the same Catholic Seminary School, Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. Ironically, they never met while growing up in Poland.
ATEC commanding general, Maj. Gen. Daniel L. Karbler, who presided over the ceremony, extended a warm welcome to the new Command Chaplain. "It is great to have Father Kris with us at ATEC. He is a familiar face to the Karbler family, as he was our priest at Fort Sill and provided the invocation at my 1-star promotion ceremony. Evidently, his blessings then worked miracles up to now," Karbler joked.
Before coming to ATEC, Kris Kopec served as Community Chaplain at the U.S. Army Garrison in Bavaria, Germany, and provided religious support, pastoral care, and counseling to over 27,000 Soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians, and their Family members.
After the exchange of the stoles, Karbler thanked Ray Kopec for his unwavering commitment to the ATEC family and for working tirelessly to ensure their spiritual vitality. "Father Ray has been an incredible presence for all of Aberdeen Proving Ground," said Karbler. "Whether in his duties as ATEC's Command Chaplain, or as APG's Catholic priest, Father Ray has made innumerable contributions to our Soldiers, Civilians, and Families."
Ray Kopec was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his faithful devotion to ATEC Soldiers, Civilians, and their Families. Karbler praised him for the key roles he played in ATEC's Ready and Resilient Campaign which significantly improved the command's climate and enhanced the resiliency of the workforce.
Ray Kopec departed ATEC June 15 for his next assignment as Division Chaplain in Fort Hood, Texas.
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