US Army Spc. Guenter Nyanankpe was baptized at Forward Operating Base Salerno in Afghanistan last month.

“Baptism symbolizes the death and resurrection of Christ,” said US Army Chaplain (Capt.) Seung-Il Suh…”You go under the water, meaning you are dead and buried. And when you come up again, that symbolizes resurrection.”

Nyanankpe seems to indicate he ‘grew up’ Christian, but his Chaplain said he “didn’t seem serious” until a few months into his deployment.

“He started coming to services every week,” said Suh, “and making a serious effort to pursue life as a Christian. Finally he came to me and asked how to ‘walk-the-walk’ to really live a Christian life.”

So what does young Nyanankpe think about military Chaplains?

“I really appreciate, and thank God that we have people like Chaplain Suh to mentor people like me,” he said, “young Soldiers, people that are still developing as human beings.”

US military Chaplains fill a vital role to the spiritual fitness of the Soldiers they serve.  Even when deployed thousands of miles from home, US troops can rest assured the military generally does an admirable job of ensuring their religious freedom, as Chaplain Seung-Il Suh testifies.