Lt. Col. Laing, an assistant professor of systematic theology and philosophy at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's Houston campus, will serve as the senior chaplain for the brigade during the year-long mission.

The unit is scheduled to deploy this fall for nine months overseas, most likely in Iraq, although the troops may be redirected to Afghanistan. With Iraqis preparing for national elections in early 2010, the 72nd likely will aid the country during the change to self-governance.

"Our current mission involves managing the transition of authority to the Iraqi government and security forces," Laing said.

Their headquarters will be the commanding control for the Green Zone, where troops will handle detainee operations and convoy security.

Laing, whose military career spans 23 years and two previous deployments, will provide guidance and supervision for the chaplains within the brigade and serve as an expert on religious issues.

Stephen Missick, one of the chaplains under Laing's supervision, graduated from Southwestern in May and was commissioned in a ceremony following the commencement. Laing has known Missick both as a student in the classroom and a chaplain's assistant within the Texas Army National Guard.

"My primary responsibility is to provide the spiritual care for the soldiers assigned to the brigade," Laing said. "Beyond that, I'm also an adviser on ethical, moral and spiritual issues to the brigade commander."

During previous deployments, he was a liaison between commanding officers and local religious leaders such as Muslim imams and other clerics.

Laing's journey to faith started shortly after he enlisted in the Army at the age of 17. During basic training, he began attending chapel through the encouragement of some of his fellow soldiers.

"Basic training breaks down the pride, so that contributes to one's receptivity of the Gospel," Laing said.

When he returned home from basic training, he began visiting churches of various denominations. He also began reading the Bible and found himself at a point where he wanted to believe its message but felt he could not.

"So, I prayed to a God I wasn't sure existed and asked Him to help me believe," Laing said. "And as I continued to read the Bible and pray and go to different churches to worship over the course of three months or so, I went from not believing to believing.

"When people ask me how I got saved, I say that I honestly believe it was through the work of the Holy Spirit through the reading of God's Word that faith came," he said. "I became receptive to God's work in my life through basic training and that time period in my life, but I'd say I got saved through just reading God's Word and the Holy Spirit convincing me of its truth."

Soon after his conversion, Laing began sharing his newfound faith with fellow soldiers. As reconnaissance scouts, his unit rarely saw chaplains. Eventually, he began leading worship services for his platoon, and over a two-year span, about 90 percent of his 30-man unit became Christians. Continued...