National Day of Prayer Breakfast at FOB Hammer

Chaplain Timothy Sowers, from Atchison, Kan., 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, delivers his message at the National Day of Prayer Breakfast at Forward Operating Base Hammer, May 6. (U.S. Army photo/Pfc. Class Evan Loyd)

By Pfc. Class Evan Loyd
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division Public Affairs Office

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – After a night of rain, the roads on FOB Hammer were covered in mud, but that didn’t stop Soldiers from meeting the rising sun and bright blue skies for the National Day of Prayer Breakfast May 6.

In attendance were Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, and the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

Chaplain Timothy Sowers, from Atchison, Kan., of the 3rd BCT, started services by welcoming the 2nd BCT troops, who will replace his brigade in their area of operation.

“We truly appreciate that the chain of command takes the Soldiers’ spiritual fitness into account, along with their mental and physical fitness,” Sowers said.

The National Day of Prayer has a long-standing history in American tradition. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the continental congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued.

Sowers was followed by Staff Sgt. Antoine Williams, from Florence, S.C., Headquarters Company, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd HBCT, who sang the National Anthem.

Sowers also gave a message on the power of God and asked that He watch over and protect the troops of both brigades during the transfer of authority in the Mada’in Qada.

Chaplain Nana Bassaw, 2nd BCT, from Sekondi, Ghana, concluded services with a benediction; Williams lead the group in singing the Army Song.

“It was a great breakfast and a moving service,” said Spc. Brenden Stovall, from Oklahoma City, of the 1-10th Field Artillery.

Bassaw plans to have more events like this in the future, including weekly movie nights and a bible study.

“We don’t want to have events just to have events,” Bassaw said. “Instead we hope that each event will have an integral effect on the Soldiers spiritual life.”

The 2nd BCT, 1st Armd. Div., from Baumholder, Germany is replacing the 3rd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., from Fort Benning, Ga., which has been deployed in support of Operation Iraq Freedom since March 2007.