3rd HBCT Chaplain Joins Lieutenant Colonel Ranks

Col. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., Prince George's County, Md., commander of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, promotes 3rd HBCT Chaplain Timothy Sowers, from Atchison, Kan., to the rank of lieutenant colonel, Jan. 1, in the dining facility at Forward Operating Base Hammer, Iraq.

Story by Sgt. Natalie Rostek

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – The 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team’s chaplain was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in a ceremony held, Jan. 1, in the dining facility at Forward Operating Base Hammer.

Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Timothy Sowers, an Atchison, Kan., native has been in the Army for 17 years. He began his military service in 1990 with a master’s degree in divinity after being a Lutheran pastor for six years. Sowers said the degree is a requirement for any person wanting to join the Army as a chaplain.

During his 17-year career, Sowers earned another masters’ degrees in human relations, counseling psychology, and military science.

“The Army has been very good to me,” he said. “It’s demanding. I’ve put in a lot of hours.”

Sowers said he is very humbled by his promotion. He is appreciative of the Army allowing him the opportunity to serve and help Soldiers.

During a speech he gave during his promotion ceremony, Sowers quoted Hymn 644 of the Lutheran Hymnal.

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow,” he said. “This promotion isn’t for me. It’s truly a blessing from God.”

Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., Prince George’s County, Md., commander of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, emphasized Sowers’ qualities in a short speech prior to the promotion.

“No Soldier should ever feel like going to see the chaplain is the wrong thing to do. Chaplain Sowers makes sure this happens,” he said. “He is a giving, caring, God loving, spiritual man.”

Upon redeploying from Iraq where he has spent the past 10 months deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Sowers said he will move on to his next assignment with the 5th Signal Command in Manheim, Germany.

“Personally, I look back on the past 17 years and I can think of a huge number of people I have met on the way,” he said. I am thankful I was able to help them.”