Here I Am at TQ: A Chaplain's Account of Life in Iraq

The following blog was written by Navy Chaplain Ollis J. Mozon Jr., TQ Group Chaplain for 1st Marine Logistics Group

Thursday, 19 June 2008 (Happy Juneteenth)

            This has been a very “moving’ month – plus. In early May, less than a week after returning from Camp Fallujah, when we lost our four CLB-1 Marines, RPC Dennis Abeling and I went back for the memorial service. That was a moving event. On the stage, there were four memorial stands – sets of boots with down turned rifles, helmet on top and dog tags dangling – with a poster sized picture of the deceased. Chaplains are expected to provide spiritually focused words of comfort at the memorial service. Commanding Officers typically provide appropriate words of honor for their fallen Marines, sharing the difficulty for a leader to lose any of his personnel yet encouraging all to “stay in the fight and accomplish the mission,” as a tribute to the fallen. What is most touching are the words of the young Marines speaking of their personal connections to their roommates, friends or persons who were, “like a brother/sister to me.” These young Marines are authentic and eloquent. They tell the story, quote a scripture or line from a favorite movie, always conveying that the fallen is really loved and really will be missed and honored.

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            With so many changes in our battlespace and so much movement of various units, our higher headquarters (MNF-W) chaplain found one unit that had not had a chaplain visit in 31 days.  His plan to address this deficit was to have a couple of commands provide some temporary coverage, so I was able to move Chaplain Leo Lynch and RP3 Ross S. Curiel down to Basara to provide a week of ministry.  It turned out to be a great experience for all. They even managed to find a container large enough to fill with water to perform a baptism by immersion while down there.  During that same week Chief Abeling and I traveled back up to Fallujah for the Multi-National Forces-West (MNF-W) Major Supporting Commands (MSC) Religious Ministry Team (RMT) conference for the senior chaplains and RPs. The theme was “Ever Creative Responsive and Flexible Combat Ministry.”

            During the week following our return, we began moving into the new Walker Memorial Chapel after cleaning out months of dust that had gathered since its dedication ceremony. Finally, on 11 May (Mother’s Day) we held our first worship services in the new chapel.  This was the Sunday before the anniversary of Lance Cpl. Walker’s death here in al-Anbar province on 15 May 2007.

            The following weekend I had the opportunity to host the Central Command (CENTCOM) Chaplain. CENTCOM is headquartered in Tampa, FL but is responsible for the part of the world that covers Afghanistan and Iraq. (It used to encompass the Horn of Africa where I was in 2005-06, which is now part of the newly established Africa Command (AFRICOM)). He moves and travels a lot in his job overseeing ministry teams in multiple countries. On his visit to TQ, I had to arrange an office call with him and my Commanding General (CG), a luncheon meeting with all the TQ RMTs, and tours of the Navy Riverine Squadron area, the Personnel Retrieval and Processing Detachment and our surgical facilities. He also collaborated with Chaplain Keith Shuley a Mass Confirmation and First Communion for two Marines. When it was time for him to move on, I assigned RPC Abeling as his religious support and security for the rest of his visit throughout Anbar Province. They visited many large and small outposts in the Area of Responsibility (AOR).

            While Chief was moving about the AOR with the CENTCOM Chaplain, I moved my office up to the Walker Memorial Chapel. Then, RP1 Brenda Dwiggins and I made a move to Al Asad for a support visit with our CLB-6 RMT, Chaplain Richard Roe and RPSN Jason Barrett. Chaplain Roe was covering for one of the Wing chaplains who was on leave, so our Sunday schedule was very full. He preached the 0800 and 0900 flightline services (one in a chow hall and the other in a small chapel), then he preached the 1100 Contemporary Praise service in the main base chapel. I preached the 1500 Gospel service in the main chapel and for Chaplain Roe’s 1900 service in a small chapel near the air terminal. Thanks to one of Iraq’s infamous dust storms we were delayed a day and a half getting back to TQ.

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            During this period one of our RMTs, Chaplain McKinney and RP2 Ponder, had opportunities to do some moving around an Iraqi village. Part of their battalion’s mission is to help rebuild Iraq. The Civil Affairs and engineer Marines of the battalion have been involved in making improvements on the village’s water treatment plant, repairing the school and some other buildings. The RMT has been involved in providing school supplies, Beanie Babies, and soccer balls for the Iraqi children. They have also been able to conduct Religious Leader Engagements (RLE) with the village imam. A RLE is a “meet and greet” between the religious leader of the community and of the religious leader of the military unit. In the Iraqi Muslim tribal system the imam is a very influential person. It helps build trust when they see that the US military unit has a religious leader who accompanies the commanding officer and may be involved in some of the decision-making and promoting goodwill between our cultures.

            Once RP1 had moved back down to TQ, we started preparing for Father’s Day. June 12th would have been LCpl Walker’s 23rd birthday if he had not given his life serving our country. (It is worth noting, a news story this week indicated that violence is down 89% in Anbar Province compared to this time last year. Praise God and keep the prayers coming!) We prepared to hang a framed copy of his Memorial Service Bulletin in the sanctuary on the Sunday closest to his birthday, which just happened to be Father’s Day. In addition, we finally got the screen, flat panel TVs and projector mounted.

             I preached the two services on Father’s Day. In a message titled “Fathers Set Standards” based upon Joshua 24:15, I shared 10 things I learned from my Daddy. Chaplain Lynch had prepared special certificates for Father’s Day – for the Father with oldest, youngest, most boys, most girls, most children. I got one for the “Most Beautiful Child” along with every other Navy, Marine, Army, and Air Force father who stood up.