As a young boy Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Peter Brzezinski seemed destined to become a minister.

His great aunt, Winnibald Lapinski was a mother superior, and she sent him cards telling him that she was praying for him to be in the ministry someday.

"I was only 12 or so years old, and didn't really know what she meant," he said. "But I knew pretty early on that the ministry was my calling."

Decades later, Brzezinski is a chaplain in the Army with 20 years of service.  Since July 2008, he has worked as the Chief of the Department of Ministry and Pastoral Care at Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC).

Although he has only been at MAMC for a short period, he has already left his mark.  When the shootings at the post exchange took place, and the victims were brought to the hospital, he was on the spot, Jay Ebbeson, the strategic communication director for MAMC said.  "He has his ear to the ground and is always there for the soldier, family and patients.  He is a class act.  He has a holistic pastoral care approach and he is a natural in providing care."

Chaplain (Lt. Col) Harlon Triplett, the executive officer of the Training Division at the U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School at Fort Jackson agreed.  MAMC is a great place for Brzezinski to be, said Triplett who met him when he worked as Triplett's deputy, when he was the division chaplain for the 3rd Infantry.

"Pete is the hardest working man I've ever met in my life," Triplett said. "His work ethic is second to none.  He has a humble servant mentality. "

For Brzezinski, his journey to becoming an army chaplain began in 1975, when he enlisted in the Army.  He completed his basic training at Fort Sill.  In his spare time, he attended a Bible study group.  To complete his four year enlistment, he was sent to Panama, where he was exposed to the Overseas Christian Servicemen Center (now known as Cadence International) which was run by a family in Panama, he said.  It was here that he realized that he was called to ministry.

"I knew I was called to do ministry, and I knew I wanted to be in the Army, but I couldn't put the two together," he said.  "I tried to be an army aviator, but God closed that door."

Then he met an army chaplain and decided that was the path he wanted to take.  His formal training comprised undergraduate work at Columbia Bible College in South Carolina, followed by three years in seminary, and two years in church, Brzezinski, a Presbyterian minister, said.  It was tougher than he thought.

"When I made the decision to become a minister, I thought how hard could it be?" he said. "Then I got introduced to academic probation."

However, his grades improved and his career took off.  His prior military service gave him the discipline he needed to get through the rigorous program, he said.  He studied hard, and worked part-time doing maintenance work on campus.  In the meantime, in 1990, he applied for and was accepted to active duty, he said.

He reported to Fort Drum where he went through a bit of a culture shift, between being enlisted and being an officer, he said.  "When I was enlisted, I rarely saw an officer," he recalled.

He had direct contact with the soldiers, as he was integrated into the unit.  It was a great time in his career, he said.

"I enjoyed working closely with the soldiers," he said. "Frequently, a soldier or a civilian comes by troubled and needs counsel.  To know that person left me being heard and maybe feeling better is the best feeling."

During his deployment to Iraq he had the opportunity to be with the soldiers 24/7, and formed a tight bond with them, he said.

"I think that when you have less to do in your free time, chapel is more appealing," he said. "There are more soldiers who reconnect with God during deployments, than soldiers who disconnect.  But we let all of them know we are available, and that we care about them."

For Brzezinski, going out the gate with a convoy with no guarantee that he would come back, was a defining moment during his deployment, he said.

"A peace came over me, and I realized that I was right where I was supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to do," he said.