Iraq Chaplain Sees Lives Changed

Chaplain (Captain) Richard A. Hill, a Christian Reformed Church minister, began serving a year-long deployment in August 2009 as an active-duty Army Chaplain in Iraq where needs, especially of a spiritual nature, are many.

Even as the war is reportedly winding down, Hill has been very busy working with more than 800 soldiers and, indirectly, helping to serve the needs of hundreds of Marines, Sailors, Airmen and civilian contractors.

His unit is the 307th Brigade Support Battalion, which is part of the 1st Brigade, 82D Airborne Division, out of Ft Bragg, NC. At his home base in Iraq, he serves as the lead chaplain for one Sunday service and rotates with two other chaplains at additional services. "My main service is very active and volunteeristic," he says, adding that chaplains before him developed lay leadership for the base church.

But he doesn't simply stay at his home location.

He often has to hop aboard convoys or ride in helicopters to provide spiritual care to the Soldiers who are stationed in dusty, far-flung installations. "The body of Christ here is very diverse, but unified," says Hill. "Church for most Soldiers is a chance to be refreshed."

Things have gone fast, and he hit the ground running after he was made active duty. He completed Chaplains' initial training at Ft. Jackson, SC, and then reported to his unit at Ft. Bragg. "I had no time to rest when I got there, because they were already in the middle of train-up for deployment," he says.

In May, they trained for a month at Ft. Polk, LA. Upon returning to Ft. Bragg, he helped lead a Brigade-wide Singles and Family Retreat in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Besides conducting services and visiting with military personnel, making sure they have the spiritual care they need, Hill teaches a weekly New Believers Class, in which they are currently studying through Louis Berkof's Summary of Christian Doctrine.

Worship involves many of the Soldiers, allowing them to participate in the Gospel service instead of just watching. "It has been very rewarding to see the lives of the military touched by God," he says, especially since they are under no compulsion to attend church or avail themselves of the services of a chaplain.

"It's so different than what they do the rest of the week that it functions as a little break from operations, as well as a chance for fellowship and worship," he says.

He supervises three weekly Bible studies, a prayer night, a Mime and Praise Dance Team, and "an excellent Gospel choir" that is about 30 strong. "We even had some Marines join the choir just because they liked to sing. As a result, they gave their lives to Christ because they discovered the true Christ in the lives of the others."

Now halfway through his deployment, Hill says that he looks "forward to going home to Ft Bragg to see my wife and two children." He says his "greatest prayer is for the comfort of the Holy Spirit to be with me and my family" in the remaining time they are separated from each other.