Fort Bragg Chaplain Strikes a Chord at 9/11 Ceremony

By: Kelly Twedell

If this old guitar could talk. 

Having played the guitar all his life, Chaplain (Col.) Michael Charles first bought an old Yamaha acoustic guitar in 1980 because it was the cheapest thing he could afford. Now he plays in style with his Martin D35 Johnny Cash that deployed with him in 2008 to 2009 to Baghdad, then to Korea and of course most recently, Afghanistan.

"Like a shepherd's staff, you have to have a good one," joked Charles. 

During Fort Bragg's 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony the Chaplain played the emotion rendition 'Where were you when the world stopped turning'. "It was a very emotional song and I had to practice it a lot to get through it," he said.

Col. Charles shared that music and the ministry go hand in hand and it often draws people in. He has enjoyed playing for others and during chapel services during each deployment. Music is a universal language that carries on beyond where denomination or faith ends.