Susan Sowers, Associate Rector of St. Christopher’s, Pensacola, brings unusual life experiences

By Norman Vickers, Coastline Communicator
St. Christopher’s, Pensacola

The Rev. Susan Sowers, new Associate Rector at St. Christoher's, Pensacola Photo courtesy of Tom Bray

The Rev. Susan Sowers will assume her new duties as Associate Rector at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 3200 N. 12th Avenue. “We are excited to have Susan as Associate Rector at  our growing church. Her depth of experience, warm personality, innovative approach to problem solving and profound faith will add greatly to the ministry of St. Christopher’s Church,” said Eric Long, Rector. Ms. Sowers began her duties on July 1.

Ms. Sowers grew up as a self-described “military brat.” Both her father and grandfather were graduates of the US Military Academy at West Point. She said, “Dad was on the faculty, as a instructor of Mechanical Engineering, when I was growing up. As a young child, it was inspiring to see the cadets march with precision , and I knew several of them personally, as they would come to our home on the weekends. Unaware that women were not being admitted at the time, I just assumed that I would someday attend the Academy. We were a close family, and I saw my grandparents frequently. In fact, when Dad was deployed to Vietnam, we stayed with my grandparents in California. Later, when it came time to choose my college, my parents were protective and preferred that I have a ‘normal’ college experience. But as they had just begun to allow women at West Point, it was my grandfather who encouraged me to pursue that dream. He had faith that I could meet the Academy’s rigorous academic and physical standards, and saw leadership potential.”

She recalled that there were some discouraging, and certainly character-building moments as a cadet. Being in the third class of women at the Academy, the attrition rate was high. Of the 1400 members of her ‘Plebe’ (freshman) class, 120 were women. While the overall attrition rate was 30% for the class, 50% of the women left prior to graduation.

While at West Point, Susan was active in several Christian organizations and activities, and it was this close-knit group of friends that provided stability and fun during the rigors of Academy life. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering in 1982. In the course of her military career, she also obtained a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from University of Washington, in Seattle, and an MS degree in Strategic Studies at the Army War College, in Carlisle, PA. During her various assignments, she was an active church member, and time allowing, participated in Bible studies, retreats, and served as the Youth Group

pastor.

But September 11, 2001 changed everything for those in the military! At the time, LTC Sowers was serving as Executive Officer on staff at the Pentagon, when the plane crashed into the building on 9-11. Due to new construction of the Pentagon, her offices had just moved down the hallway a few days prior to the terrorist attack; otherwise, she and her staff would certainly have been among the casualties. As she describes pre- and post- 9/11: “Before 9/11, we were certainly busy as we maintained a general unit-readiness, but afterwards – the pace and seriousness of our duties ramped up significantly. Throughout the military, the life and its tenor, for both soldiers and their families, was forever changed. Commanders were now preparing troops and their equipment for deployment into the combat zone, while simultaneously ensuring that the families of the deployed soldiers were cared for, as well.”

In 2003, then Colonel Sowers, served as Brigade Commander, and was responsible for 4,000 military in a Transportation and Military Police unit in Kaiserslautern, Germany. As commander of this unit, she prepared 13 of the 24 companies for deployment in and out of the combat zone, and was responsible for taking care of the needs of families remaining in Germany. Sowers said, “You can imagine some of problems for the military families whose soldier was deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Few of the families spoke German; and many of the young spouses had not previously managed the household, the children, and all the logistics of life by themselves. Worried for their loved-one in harms way and far from the rest of their family in the States, they had their own war to deal with.”

Prior to taking brigade command, she had been selected as a Postulant for Holy Orders with the Episcopal Church by the Bishop of Virginia, the Right Rev. Peter Lee. He agreed to delay her attendance at Virginia Theological Seminary by three years, as he saw it as a valuable opportunity for further spiritual formation as a senior leader. (Bishop Lee is a native Pensacolian and still has warm connections with Christ Church, Pensacola.) However, due to her own subsequent deployment to Iraq after command, Colonel Sowers’ tour of duty was extended an additional year before she could retire.

After brigade command, she served as the Chief of Staff, 3rd Corps Support Command in Balad, Iraq. Her staff numbered 700, and together they were responsible for a 20,000-person unit providing all the logistical support in Iraq. Returning to Germany the end of 2006 to retire, that challenging assignment has since proved to be a ’spiritual goldmine,’ as she now prepares to enter ministry of a different nature.

In 2007, Susan returned to civilian life as a seminary student in Alexandria, VA. During that three year period she was class vice president and also served as class co-chair for the Conference on Ministry. She is grateful for the preparation provided during her summer work as a chaplain in a hospital the first year, and as an intern at a large metropolitan church in McLean, VA, the second. She sees her work as the seminarian at St. Christopher’s in Springfield, VA, during her last two years of seminary, as both her greatest joy of seminary, and as an immensely valuable training ground for her future ministry in the church.

When asked whether Pensacola, as a military town, was a factor in her choice of location, she replied, “It really wasn’t. The fact that the St. Christopher’s congregation received me so warmly, combined with the opportunity of working with such a dynamic pastor, such as Eric Long, were the factors which really drew me. It’s an opportunity for me to grow with this fabulous church. I look forward to making many new friends in my newly adopted home-town.”