The tension is real. The protesters are actors. Soldiers with the Louisiana National Guard’s "Charlie" Company from Houma are practicing for scenarios they’re likely to face when they deploy to Iraq.
Captain Van Constant is facing his first deployment in a combat zone.
"Sometimes I do have to pinch myself and say am I really doing this. Am i really going to Iraq," Constant contemplated.
But he won’t be carrying a gun.
"My tools for combat, are predominantly that for offering the last rights of the church to any catholic soldiers that might need that, as well as scripture readings for consolation and holy water and prayer cards and things like that"
Constant is the chaplain for the Louisiana Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 156th Infantry. He carries everything he needs in a makeshift plywood altar.
"I’m a non-combatant, which means that I do not carry a weapon. I have a chaplain’s assistant who is a trained soldier. His name is Sgt. Standrridge and Sgt. Standrridge is a very competent soldier, a very good marksman."
While the 3,000 soldiers of the Louisiana National Guard go through field training at Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Constant is also in the field, offering mass.
Constant was a priest in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux when Hurricane Katrina hit. In the weeks following the storm, he served in New Orleans at St. Patrick’s church, offering mass and counseling troops and first responders.
"They were taking care of the first hand needs right after the storm and they were seeing looting and violence and things like that and they were having to do some pretty serious protection and so they were stressed."
And that contact with Louisiana Guard troops who were just returning from Iraq led Constant to enlist.
"Soldiers were saying to me, father, we need priests. We don’t have priests. I was in Iraq for 18 months, didn’t see a priest. So I want to go with them."
The last time this Louisiana brigade was in Iraq, there were losses - 32 of its soldiers died. And in one horrible day five years ago, five soldiers from Charlie Company in Houma were killed when their armored vehicle hit a roadside bomb. That mission was more offensive in nature, with guardsmen searching for the enemy. This time the Louisiana soldiers will provide base and convoy security.
"It’s always a constant threat. No matter where you deploy. I think our soldiers have been training extensively to deal with any type of threat," said Lt. Col. Clay Rivers.
"I’m not an infantry chaplain until you make me one. I’m like a civilian in uniform so help me along," Constant told Clay.
The chaplain is making relationships here that he hopes continue in Iraq where he will be a priest and counselor. Soldiers face everyday problems, only under unique circumstances, like receiving a "Dear John" letter.
"Soldiers that are very young are experiencing a broken heart for the first time or a concern that a broken heart will take place when they’re in another part of the world. So those types of things distract them."
The training is serious as guardsmen endure long hours in the field, and practice handling the stressful situations they’ll soon face in Iraq.
"I pray that they’re successful in that all the missions that they go on they come back safely. We hope and pray that we do not lose a single soldier on this deployment"
The chaplain’s mission is to let all of these soldiers know that they are not alone.
