The Infantryman's Prayer

 

With preparations for war well in hand, the safety of our men and women in service becomes top of mind.  A reader of David Hackworth's column donated the words to this prayer for distribution.  Couples Company has taken the words and added pictures, providing you with two formats for printing this non-denominational prayer.

The color version shown at the top can be printed as a JPG or PDF.  Set your color printer to its highest quality settings by using the properties or option functions (depending upon printer).  If you don't have a color printer, you can also ask your local color copy retailer to print this directly from the Web for about $2.

The black and white version is created to be customized.  If you have a photo software program, just copy the full size JPG by right clicking on your mouse and choosing "copy".  Then open your photo software, choose new and paste.  Add family photos or other mementos in the white areas and print out a copy to send with your soldier when he is called to duty or leaves on tour.

If you don't have photo software, just print out the black and white version and paste photos and mementos where you want them.  You can give this to your soldier as is, or spend about $2 to have a full color copy made at your local copy and business services company (highly recommended as most home color printers contain ink that runs when it gets wet).  Here is the full Prayer:

Infantryman's Prayer

Almighty God, whose will it is that we be leaders of men.

Hear us as we come to you for guidance in this awesome 

responsibility.

Let us never forget our duty in the men whom lead. May we instill in them the qualities of loyalty, integrity and duty.

Grant us the patience in dealing with the mistakes of our fellow man.

Let us never forget that no man is perfect, but that perfection for fragile humans is trying each day to be better than the day before.

Give us courage, O Lord, in the face of danger; keep us pure in heart, clean in mind, and strong in purpose.  

Remind us that wisdom is not gained in an hour, a day, or in a year, but it is a process that continues all the days of our lives.

Keep ever before us our goal, which is not to perpetrate war, but to safeguard peace and preserve your great gift to man, Freedom.

May you always be near to guide us in decisions, comfort us in our failures, and keep us humble in our successes. We ask your divine blessings and leadership as we discharge the honor and responsibility of leading men in the service of our country.

Walk close to us always, our father that we may not fall.

AMEN