Posted on 12/24/2007 6:29:06 AM PST by SandRat
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq — It makes no difference what a person’s faith is, or even if a soldier does not believe, chaplains work across theological lines in helping GIs solve personal problems.
In a combat area, the work of the Army’s uniformed religious leaders takes on greater significance, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Mark Zerger said.
The building that is his office for the next 13 months, has sandbag protection on this tightly-controlled military installation.
As the 11th Signal Brigade’s chaplain, the 55-year-old Zerger said deployments are stressful for soldiers who are called to leave their families and comfort of their stateside post — in this case Fort Huachuca — and that can lead to problems in marriages. He often sees soldiers who are lonely, agitated or homesick.
A Southern Baptist pastor, the chaplain said the brigade headquarters company has soldiers from a number of faith-based groups and he serves them all.
The topic of religion doesn’t come up, unless the soldier brings it up. “I don’t bring up my beliefs,” Zerger said.
Within the Army, chaplains are a major source of counseling, he said.
Even those who don’t believe in God come to chaplains to talk out problems, Zerger said.
“Just about everyone comes to see the chaplain,” he said, adding, “Some come to blow off steam and others just to have a cup of coffee and joke around.”
A pot of coffee is always brewing in the office.
For some, chaplains are a good first step in mental health counseling but only the initial one, he said.
Chaplains have to know what their role is, what limits they have and how to seek additional help for a soldier, Zerger said.
A man with a quick smile and hearty laugh, Zerger has an understanding of the enlisted soldier.
He served as an infantry soldier from 1971 to 1974. He also was a police officer for a couple of years and then became an Army reserve chaplain before returning to active duty 19 years ago.
He received a bachelor’s degree in theology from Dallas Bible College and a master’s in divinity from Southwestern Seminar in Fort Worth.
Initially he and his wife of 25 years, Rhoda, planned to be missionaries in Thailand to help Cambodian refugees forced to flee their homeland.
But an arthritic condition his wife had put that plan aside.
However, Zerger said when he retires he may do missionary work in Africa, but that is a few years off.
Born in Oklahoma, he jokingly said, “I’m from New York City,” but a Texas twang gave him away.
“I claim San Antonio, Texas, as my home,” he finally confessed.
He and his wife have a son, Sean, a second lieutenant in the field artillery at Fort Sill, Okla.
“He’s suppose to be here (in Iraq) next year,” Zerger said.
There are a number of chaplains on Camp Victory and they work together providing services, Zerger said.
There is a general Protestant service but chaplains of different denominations also performed from their faith-based background, which for him is Southern Baptist, he said.
“Me, I’m very Southern Baptist, but slightly left of center,” the chaplain said.
An outgoing man, his presence is easily seen and heard in the dining facility, Zerger said, he is always concerned about the welfare of a soldier.
“If I see a soldier going into debt, I’ll approach that person to see if I can help,” he said.
That may mean bringing in the wife or husband of the soldier and having the couple helped by Army Community Services financial counselors, Zerger said.
And, it’s not just a one-time service for the chaplain said follow-up has to be done.
If he sees a soldier who has sought help, which is not hard in the close confines of the brigade’s complex, Zerger said, “I do follow-up and try to close the loop.”
There are some things he is required to inform the command group about and those are incidents in which a soldier says he, or she, has abused a minor, or if they are suicidal or homicidal.
It’s not a matter of having the GI go over and report themselves for “I take them right then and there,” the chaplain said.
In other situations, such as a soldier who wants to talk about an individual sexual orientation issue, Zerger said he is prohibited from telling a commander.
But, he said he advises the soldier to inform the appropriate command structure.
Chaplains are the only members of the military prohibited from carrying a weapon, and some people question why he and others serve as religious leaders in the armed forces. Zerger said, “I’m not a pacifist.”
Herald/Review senior reporter Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com.
FR WAR NEWS!
Merry Christmas, Chaplain!
I don’t know Zerger. He seems like a very good chaplain to me. LK, do you know Zerger?
Thanks, Red. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Chaplains from all branches of service are very busy this time of year. My prayers are with them.
Have you seen this http://www.strengthforservice.org/ ?
Might give you some ideas for a project for your Congregations now to do to spiritually help the troops.
I have heard of it. It is a noteworthy program. Thanks.
The chaplains that I came into contact with in Iraq were tremendously supportive and my faith in God was solidified in spite of or maybe because of the mayhem and death that was all around us. As far as weapons go, mine was always on my side even when going up for Holy Communion. Chaplains should be allowed to carry weapons in hostile areas——in my opinion.
Zerger doesn’t ring a bell. When I was authoring the 1995 edition of FM 16-1, I met a lot of chaplains that I had not previously known. Zerger is not one of them.
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