This article appeared in the Turret April 2004 - 

Readers' Forum - Operation Bold Lion ministers to Soldiers

After a long day at the M-9 (pistol) qualification range, once the weapons are cleaned and turned in, 180 IET Soldiers board buses to embark on yet another operation.

The operation that these Soldiers, who are training to be 19K armor crewman, are embarking on is very different from anything they have experienced in their first eight weeks of training. The Soldiers are from the 1st Armor Training Brigade's 2nd Battalion, 81st Armor, known as the "Red Lions" Battalion, and the event they are participating in is Operation Bold Lion, an event initially conceived by Chaplain (Capt.) Gregory Arflack.

Operation Bold Lion is an event that allows local churches to sponsor IET Soldiers from Fort Knox in their first venture off post. There are several local churches that participate, and all of them do an outstanding job in ministering to the Soldiers with physical and spiritual food and in showing their gratitude to the Soldiers for their service to the nation.

One local church has been a regular participant in Operation Bold Lion, and has distinguished itself by its dedicated service to the Soldiers of 2-81 Armor. The church is Radcliff First Assembly of God, located on Rogersville Road. Through its participation, it has ministered to more than 1,300 IET Soldiers, served more than 8,000 slices of pizza, more than 4,000 sodas, over 2,800 homemade cookies, and approximately 120 gallons of ice cream, and distributed more than 1,300 copies of the New Testament to Soldiers.

According to the church's pastor, the Rev. Lee Williams, the church "is blessed just as much by having the Soldiers as the Soldiers are blessed by coming. We really enjoy having these Soldiers at our church; it is an honor to be able to serve those who freely choose to serve our nation."

Williams, a veteran of Vietnam, understands what it means to serve the nation in time of war and how vital it is for Soldiers to know that they are appreciated.

The commander of 2-81 Armor, Lt. Col. Rodney Symons II, has not only blessed off on Operation Bold Lion, he wholeheartedly supports the program. Symons recently recognized Radcliff First Assembly of God for its outstanding support of the Soldiers of 2-81 Armor by presenting the church with a 2-81 Armor Certificate of Appreciation. During the ceremony, Symons told the congregation "we appreciate all that you do for our Soldiers."

Capt. David J. Murphy

Fort Knox