By Chaplain Wayne Roberson, Chaplains Commission administrator
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Chaplains Bartel and Roberson |
Two Church of God Army chaplains passing through Kuwait on their way back to the states for a mid-tour R&R had the good fortune to meet while awaiting flights. Chaplain (CPT) Jeff Bartels and Chaplain (CPT) Jeff Roberson were in Kuwait when they happened to connect with each other. Both are in the middle of a 15-month deployment to Iraq … their second tour of duty in Iraq. Chaplain Bartels’ home station is Fort Riley, Kansas, and Chaplain Roberson is out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
It was definitely a reunion time for both chaplains. They had graduated from the Church of God Theological Seminary in the same class in 2004 and graduated together from the Army Chaplains School in the summer of 2004. Both went on active duty in 2005 and they went on their first deployment to Iraq that same year. Now they are in the middle of their second tours in Iraq. They had not seen each other in three years.
They both commented that a lot has happened in the last three years. So this time together gave them a chance to catch up on all that was going on in their lives, with their families, and in their ministry as battalion chaplains serving in combat zones. There had been flight delays on their getting out of Kuwait due to dust storms in the area. But the delays made it possible for Chaplain Roberson and Chaplain Bartels to meet and catch up on the past three very eventful years.
As with all of our military chaplains who have been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf area, both agreed that the hardest part of these long, and now multiple tours, is the family separation – all the missed birthdays, anniversaries, Christmases, and special events in the lives of their children. But their ministry to the soldiers is fantastic. In the midst of these war-torn countries among millions of Muslims, there are tremendous opportunities to reach American soldiers for Christ – and it happens every day.
Their time together while awaiting a flight home was indeed one of those unexpected blessings from the Lord.
For more information about serving God and country as a Church of God military chaplain, visit the Chaplains Commission website at: www.cogchaplains.com