, ▁Germany , ▁ ▁During ▁that ▁time ▁he ▁deployed ▁to ▁Bos nia . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁Fort ▁Car son , ▁Col o ., ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁for ▁three ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁years . ▁He ▁was ▁then ▁assigned ▁as ▁chap lain ▁for ▁the ▁ 4 4 th ▁Corps ▁Support ▁Battalion ▁from ▁Fort ▁Lewis , ▁W ash . ▁The ▁ 4 4 th ▁provided ▁log ist ical ▁support ▁to ▁the ▁Fort ▁Lewis - based ▁units ▁in ▁northern ▁Ira q , ▁including ▁the ▁Task ▁Force ▁Olymp ia ▁headquarters ▁and ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Brigade , ▁ 2 nd ▁Infantry ▁Division , ▁the ▁Army ' s ▁first ▁S try ker ▁vehicle ▁brig ade . ▁The ▁ 4 4 th ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁Ira q ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁While ▁in ▁Ira q ▁V ak oc ▁endeav ored ▁to ▁celebr ate ▁Mass ▁for ▁soldiers ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 9 6 th ▁Brigade ▁Support ▁Battalion ▁– ▁station ed ▁in ▁Mos ul ▁– ▁no ▁matter ▁where ▁they ▁were ▁located , ▁in ▁an ▁area ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁Connecticut , ▁sometimes ▁for ▁only ▁two ▁or ▁three ▁soldiers ▁in ▁remote ▁out posts . ▁In ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁his ▁sister , ▁V ak oc ▁said , ▁" The ▁saf est ▁place ▁for ▁me ▁to ▁be ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁God ' s ▁will , ▁and ▁if ▁that ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁line ▁of ▁fire , ▁that ▁is ▁where ▁I ▁will ▁be ." ▁ ▁V ak oc ▁was ▁injured ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0