The week before I was activated, there were times the pressure was immense. I would literally force myself to take a deep breath because we expected that weapons of mass destruction would be used against us in Iraq. I had all kinds of thoughts like, "This might be the last time I get to see my loved ones." So I was acutely aware that I was going through the same kind of emotions other Soldiers were.

Being an Army Chaplain is a substantially more involved experience than is pasturing a civilian congregation because you are literally with these Soldiers sixteen, eighteen hours a day. In the civilian world you might be with a secretary for five or six hours—but you're not with this quantity of people, and you're not all sharing very similar experiences.

The hardest aspect of deployment for my unit was with Soldiers having to deal with issues back home. Whether it was their spouse, a relationship, childcare, health issues or a financial dilemma, Soldiers are kind of helpless when they get information like this from home. It was an honor to be positioned to offer a little guidance and support.

When you're deployed as a Chaplain in Kuwait/Iraq, there's a fair amount of going around from tent-to-tent to get to know and be with the soldiers. That's in addition to providing worship and bible study as part of a regular schedule. We offered a daily bible study that was attended by around 25 or 30 different Soldiers there.

I'm not Mr. Charisma, I'm just a Steady Eddie kind of a guy. I tend to do better getting out there and joining the Soldiers as they're doing something—pitching in and gaining an understanding of what they're doing, some of the pressures they're under. I would try to sit with a different set of people during meals to get to know them in groups. And sometimes it would be a one-on-one thing—that's when I would explore where they were on their spiritual journey.

The Soldiers I served alongside of were remarkable. It was a great privilege to be with anywhere from 20 to 200 of America's finest every day of the year. The soldiers I met were so impressive in their competence and in their eagerness to perform their assigned duties. Some of us were able to serve in places like Babylon, a place so steeped in history. What a thrill to stand in that same location where the body of Alexander the Great had lain and where Daniel read the writing on the wall.

My Chaplain Assistant, SGT Mick, also thought the Babylon experience was at the top of his list. A former Chaplain himself, he had a superior understanding of the Chaplain role and was skilled in offering insight and assistance in ways a Chaplain Assistant would not normally be. SGT Mick is what the army calls a "force multiplier"! The term is usually used in reference to procedures or equipment, but it's also true of SGT Mick.

My background is unique as far as most Chaplain Assistants go because I was actually a former Army Chaplain myself. I really loved my time as a Chaplain, and I had an opportunity to come back in as an enlisted Chaplain Assistant. As a Non-Commissioned Officer, I was able to relate with the enlisted Soldiers much more effectively as a Chaplain Assistant than I ever was as a Chaplain. That's why it's so important to have a Chaplain Assistant working to build a bridge between the Chaplain and the enlisted Soldiers.

Chaplain Yost and I had a great working relationship and we were there for each other, which was really, really helpful. My friendship with him is something I really prize. It made our deployment I think a lot more effective because we were able to work closely together.

While we were in Iraq, the ground war was going on, and we had a combat support hospital right there in Camp Eudari that was receiving wounded Soldiers. Chaplain Yost and I visited the hospital and talked to some of these Soldiers. That experience was humbling because these Soldiers continue to show their professionalism, their dedication, and their commitment to each other even though they were wounded. You just can't help but be proud, to do whatever you can to help Soldiers like that to perform their mission and prepare them for some of the difficult experiences that they may face. That's probably the strongest argument I can think of for the Chaplaincy: we're there to support the Soldiers that are accomplishing those dangerous missions.

Chaplain Yost had such a way with people. He is so open. He always talked about the Soldiers and drew them out. He talked to them about their family, what their dreams were. He was there for Soldiers, it didn't matter who they were. He was interested in them, and it was a joy to work alongside him.

We didn't just interact with Soldiers, but with Iraqi civilians, too. Delivering school supplies to children at a local Iraqi school was a mission that was particularly near and dear to our hearts. By doing this, we were expressing goodwill to the local population there—showing them that they had nothing to fear from us, and that we're here not as occupiers but to help them to rebuild their nation. On our first visit to the school, we went out into the courtyard and hundreds of children were there, yelling and talking and all excited. They were speaking to Chaplain Yost and me in Arabic, but even though we didn't understand their language, we knew how happy and thankful they were because of the smiles on their faces.

So we were out and about a lot—with the Soldiers, and in the community. Chaplain Yost's in good shape so I nearly walked my legs off keeping up with him. He really understood what ministry of presence is all about just being there because he knew people needed to see that cross on his collar. He probably didn't mention the fact that he earned a Bronze Star [one of the highest awards a Soldier can receive]. It was given to him in recognition of his service over the course of the entire deployment. And that was very significant to me because it was an affirmation of the importance our Battalion Commander gave to his Chaplain. I think the medal speaks very loudly of that. If you asked Chaplain Yost, he'd say, "I don't deserve this." He's a humble man. You won't find too many Chaplains who have received a Bronze Star.