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ARLINGTON, Va. (7/31/2012) - The chaplains of the 3rd U.S.
Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) marked the 237th anniversary of
the Chaplain Corps with a wreath laying ceremony on July 27, 2012 at
the Chaplain's memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, VA.
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(Left) Capt. Brandon Denning, 4th Battalion Chaplain, 3d U.S.
Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), joins U.S. Army Chief of
Chaplains, Maj. Gen. Don Rutherford, and Sgt. Maj. Stephen Stott,
Chaplain Corps regimental sergeant major as they bow their heads in
prayer during the 237th anniversary of the Chaplains Corps, July 27,
2012 in Arlington National Cemetery, Va. The chaplains were marking
the event by laying a wreath at the Chaplains' Memorial, an event
hosted by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)
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Soldiers, Chaplains and their families from around the
nation gathered at the Chaplains' Memorial to celebrate the
occasion and honor the fallen.
“We honorably
celebrate 237 years of our beloved Chaplain Corps,” said
Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Don Rutherford, the U.S. Army chief of
Chaplains, to the crowd. “I encourage each of you to
continue in your investment of our Corps and our Army.”
The Chief of Chaplains asked a special blessing be said
for the past, present, and future of the Corps during the
day's events.
“We are truly thankful for the last 237
years and may God bless the next 237 years,” said
Rutherford.
Those gathered bowed in prayer before a
special wreath ceremony in honor of the momentous occasion.
“The wreath laying was really nice,” said Chaplain
(Maj.) Jason Nobles, the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old
Guard) Chaplain. “I couldn't ask for a greater event for
these Chaplains.”
During the luncheon that followed,
those involved in the planning were able to reflect on the
meaning and success of the anniversary celebration.
“This event is very special for our Corps, and it was a team
effort to get the job done,” said Nobles, who organized the
event. “I couldn't have done any of this without my team
doing their parts.”
Sgt. Anthony Keylon, a Chaplain's
assistant assigned to the 4th Battalion, 3rd U.S. Inf. Reg.
(The Old Guard), said the event was a huge success because
of the execution and thorough planning.
“This event
has been in the works for months, and to get all of the
moving pieces together was really amazing. I would
definitely call this event a success,” said the East Ridge,
Tenn., native. “It was all about attention to details. We
had ensured that food, buses, chairs, sound systems and
every little thing scheduled was ready by that morning.”
He added that the Chaplains' hectic schedules made it
even more significant that so many could assemble at once.
“We had about 200 people here, and this was a special
time that the Chaplain Corps can get together and minister
to one another,” said Keylon. “The Chaplain Corps is so
small that everyone knows everyone. I got a chance to see
people that I haven't seen in a while.”
Keylon
continued by saying that he can't wait until next year's
anniversary.
“This is my first year here with The Old
Guard and having a chance to add to the history of this
Corps in such a major way has been such a valuable
experience,” he said.
By Army Sgt. Luisito Brooks
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
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