Misawa Airmen attend prayer luncheon

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. A.C. Eggman
  • 35th Fighter Wing public affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  Nearly 200 people bowed their heads in prayer at the beginning of Misawa's National Prayer Luncheon Feb. 22 in the enlisted club ballroom. Following prayers and lunch, guest speaker Chap. (Colonel) Robert Bruno, the Joint Staff chaplain, was introduced.

"Historically, this gathering of the National Prayer Breakfast and Luncheon provides an opportunity for our leaders to reaffirm the morale, and spiritual values of which our nation was founded," said the catholic chaplain. "I have no doubt the assembly here today represents the very wide and rich diversity of our nation."

In February 1953, members of the U.S. Senate and House, prayer groups and President Dwight Eisenhower established the first Presidential Prayer Breakfast to seek divine guidance for the national leadership and to reaffirm faith and dependence in God. It has become an annual event in the United States.

"This gathering is all about the effort to enable growth and to facilitate the achievement of the greater measure of our human potential," said the 27-year military chaplain.
Chaplain Bruno was ordained to the priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church in 1977 and was commissioned as a first lieutenant chaplain in 1980. His current responsibilities include providing the chairman and the joint staff advice on matters of religion, ethical issues, morale and the quality of life of the Department of Defense.

Many in attendance enjoyed the chaplain's stories, especially his reminiscing about the days leading up to his unit's deployment in support of Desert Storm in 1990.

"I enjoyed the entire speech, his humor was on point and had a message, his remembrance of the deployment in Germany hit the point," said Chief Master Sgt. Lawrence January, 35th Civil Engineer Squadron, who has attended many prayer breakfasts and luncheons. "I think it's important for us to know our spiritual wellness is just as vital as our physical and mental wellness."

Other attendees thought it was good to see senior leadership in touch with their spiritual side, and to see base members gather in fellowship and in prayer.

"I think it is important for our base personnel to come collectively as a group regardless of denomination to join together in prayer," said Anna Stachowski, 35th Fighter Wing secretary, who also attends the event annually