Army Chaplain (Capt.) Colt Randles cuts a wooden block
for a new door handle for the Solid Rock Chapel at
Forward Operating Base Hunter, Iraq, March 5, 2009.
Randles and Army Chaplain (Capt.) Michael Roberts are
working together to put the finishing touches on the chapel. |
|
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HUNTER, Iraq, March 11, 2009 -- Two Army chaplains are building much more than the faith of
their soldiers on this remote base near the southeastern border of Iraq.
Chaplain (Capt.) Colt Randles and Chaplain (Capt.) Michael
Roberts of the 1st Cavalry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team are building a
chapel for soldiers here, one board at a time.
“I waited four months for a tent,” Randles, a Muskegon, Mich., native, said. “It
was me and my kit. I was conducting services with a cardboard box in the dining
facility.”
As they put the final touches on the building, the Solid Rock Chapel now offers
a permanent structure not only for soldiers, but also for interpreters and
civilians.
The chaplains have expanded the facility by adding “Holy Joe's Caf�,” which has
hot coffee available for the troops, and a large-screen television to keep
soldiers entertained with movies and video games.
“Guys relate to video games,” said Roberts, a Killeen, Texas, native. “They
slaughter me on ‘Call of Duty 4,' but it's a tool to relate with them.”
He said it's fortunate he's winning 80 percent of his
Madden '09 games against the troops, because it's more than pride that's on the
line. Sometimes the chaplain does push-ups if he loses,
but the troops have to show up for the next Sunday service if he
wins. |
