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Head of Army’s Special Forces calls mom ‘true prayer warrior’


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (BP)–William G. Boykin is not just big and strong, but to hear him speak, he is a man with a big, strong faith in God.

Boykin, commanding general of the U.S. Army’s John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School in Fort Bragg, N.C., heads Special Forces, including Delta Force. That unit of soldiers goes into situations that most civilians can’t even imagine. And they go in as warriors.

“We don’t head into situations to keep the peace. We go in to win. I’m a warrior, not a peacekeeper,” he said. “Delta Force goes in, strikes quick and gets out. Often it is a hostage situation.”

Boykin spoke to a full sanctuary, which included participants of the National FAITH Institute meeting in Daytona Beach, Fla., Jan. 28-31, as well as church members and others from the Daytona Beach community.

Boykin said his Christian faith has sustained him and guided him throughout his military career.

“My mother raised me as a Christian. She is a true prayer warrior,” he said. “Whenever I have a big decision to make, I call her and get her to pray.”

Thirteen years ago when he was named to lead the Special Forces group, Boykins said, “I knew this would be a tremendous challenge, so you know what I immediately did … I called my mother.”

Boykin was one of the original officers in Delta Force. This group of soldiers has gone into war zones in Iran, Grenada, Panama, Somalia and other places of conflict. The events of their mission in Somalia have been dramatized in the motion picture, “Black Hawk Down.”

Boykin said while he does not endorse the movie, “I’m not saying see it or don’t see it. That’s your decision.”

Before every mission, Boykin said he prays with his men. “I always pray for God’s blessing on these warriors, for his protective hand around them. Then we sing ‘God Bless America.’ God has been faithful and has held us in his hands.”

Boykin told the FAITH participants that the way they are trained is like the concept of Special Forces training — one person trains 100, who in turn can train 10,000. “It’s a forced multiplier training. With you, with one prayer, you can call down 10,000 people. With us, with one A-team and a group of 5,000 untrained Northern Alliance warriors with heart, we can defeat the Taliban.”

Of the current war on terrorism, Boykin said, “We have seen a godly man in the White House declare war on terrorism. We need warriors to fight and win this battle. I’m not just talking about our men and women in uniform. I’m talking about all of you in the sanctuary.

“Bin Laden is not the enemy. No mortal is the enemy. It’s the enemy you can’t see. It’s a war against the forces of darkness. The battle won’t be won with guns. It will be won on our knees.”

He said, “Don’t let go of this country. Stay on your knees and don’t ever give up.”
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(BP) photos posted in the BP Photo Library at http://www.bpnews.net. Photo titles: WILLIAM G. BOYKIN and FAITHFUL GENERAL.

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  • Polly House