The man who heads the Catholic archdiocese tasked with ministering to members of the military visited a Fort Lewis unit during a tour of American bases in Iraq last week.

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio visited the headquarters of the 555th Engineer Brigade – better known as the Triple Nickel – at Joint Base Balad. Broglio, 57, celebrated Good Friday Mass at a base chapel and visited the Triple Nickel earlier that day at the invitation of Lt. Col. Gary Studniewski, the brigade chaplain and Catholic priest.

Catholic chaplains in the American armed forces officially serve in the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, which ministers to more than 2 million people in the military, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the State Department.

Broglio – a civilian with no prior military experience but who was afforded the treatment of a two-star general – met with brigade commanders, sat in on a combat patrol briefing and participated in a battle drill, in which the crew of a Mine Resistant Ambushed Protected reacted to a mock roadside bomb strike.

"The purpose of this (visit) was two-fold," brigade spokeswoman Lt. Jenny McCowin wrote in an e-mail. "The first was to show the archbishop and impress upon him the dangers that soldiers face in Iraq every day. The second was to demonstrate the power of increased spiritual strength to the soldiers."

It ain’t easy finding a job in this economy. But if you’re a veteran (or an employer looking to hire someone), the American Lake VA is holding an open house Wednesday.

Click below to read the release:

=> Read more!

Our lights & Sirens blog is reporting a group that opposes the military's use of local ports is planning a protest aimed at an upcoming Stryker deployment.