I have introduced H.R. 382, to name the post office located at 8585 Criterion Drive in Colorado Springs after slain Army chaplain Dale Allen Goetz. Goetz was the first Army clergyman killed in action since the Vietnam War. Goetz was killed in August 2010 while serving his country in Afghanistan. He was riding with a resupply convoy when the enemy attacked with an improvised explosive near the Arghandab River Valley. Four of his fellow soldiers from Fort Carson died with him in that attack. Goetz was serving with the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team with the 4th Infantry Division of Fort Carson, Colorado. Goetz, who was 43-years old, left behind his wife, Christy, and their three young boys. He is also survived by his mother, Hope, and his sisters, Kim Sumner and Ann Senetar. Abbreviated history of the Chaplain Corps from the U.S. Army National Museum: As long as armies have existed, military chaplains have served alongside soldiers, providing for their spiritual needs, working to improve morale, and aiding the wounded. The Chaplain Corps dates back to 29 July 1775, when the Continental Congress authorized one chaplain for each regiment of the Continental Army, with pay equaling that of a captain. Since the War for Independence, chaplains have served in every American war. While their duties are primarily focused on spiritual and morale issues, many chaplains have also demonstrated tremendous bravery. Stories abound of chaplains administering the last rites to fallen soldiers, oblivious to the fire around them, or dashing out into the open to rescue the wounded without regard to their own lives. Captain Dale A. Goetz lived and died according to the Chaplain Corps motto, Pro Deo Et Patria (For God and Country). Chaplain Dale Goetz was a man of uncommon faith. In 2002, he left his small congregation in South Dakota to volunteer to serve in the Army, knowing the risks he faced. According to one of his good friends, God was using him. He was very actively witnessing. He didn’t want to be just a social worker. He wanted to see soldiers hear the Gospel and trust Christ. His devotion, his service to others, and his love of country were an example to all. I had the honor of meeting Dales widow, Christy. She, too, is a person of tremendous faith. She and her late husband are an inspiration to everyone whose lives they have touched. I trust that the people of Colorado Springs will remember Dale every time they enter or see this post office, and that they will remember his patriotism, his courage, and his faith.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 16:30:00 +0000
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