National Prayer Breakfast set for March 18

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jessica Jacques
  • Hanscom Chapel
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Chaplain Brig. Gen. David H. Cyr, deputy chief of the Air Force Chaplain Corps, will be the guest speaker at Hanscom's National Prayer Breakfast March 18 at 8 a.m. in the Minuteman Club ballroom.

The roots of the National Prayer Breakfast go back to the early 1950s, during the time of the Cold War. A joint resolution of Congress, signed by President Harry Truman, proclaimed a National Day of Prayer. In 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower presided over the first National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. Since then, each February, the President and congressional leaders gather over a morning meal to seek inspiration and spiritual strength to face the demands of leadership. Local observances of this breakfast have spread throughout the country and bring government, civic and military personnel together in recognition of the moral and spiritual values upon which America was founded.

Cost for the prayer breakfast, with a menu of scrambled eggs, bacon, home fries, and assorted muffins and fresh fruit, along with juice, coffee or tea, is only $5. Uniform of the day is the appropriate wear for military members, and business attire is recommended for civilians.

Chaplain Cyr's theme for his address is "God Bless America." In his position, he assists the Chief of Chaplains in establishing guidance on all matters pertaining to the religious and moral welfare of Air Force personnel and their dependents and directing and maintaining a trained, equipped and professional Chaplain Corps of more than 2,200 chaplains and chaplain assistants. As a member of the Armed Forces Chaplain Board, he advise the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff on religious, ethical and quality of life concerns.

Chaplain Cyr was commissioned as a Chaplain in February 1979. He began his career at Vance Air Force Base, Okla., as Protestant Chaplain followed by service as a Senior Protestant Chaplain and Wing Chaplain. His special duty assignments include Chaplain School Instructor and Executive Officer to the Chief of Chaplains. He has also served as the Joint Staff Chaplain at the Pentagon and Command Chaplain for both U. S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Combat Command. Before assuming his current position, he served as the Commandant of the U. S. Air Force Chaplain Service Institute, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

For prayer breakfast reservations, call the chapel at 781-377-3538.