I feel as if I am standing on the edge of dawn with the sky starting to lighten in the east. In a month I will move to Arlington National Cemetery. Yesterday, circumstances actually had me participating in my first funeral there. An airman from one of my squadrons had passed away after a long battle with cancer, one I thought he had won, but it came back upon him and God called him home. I had gotten to know him before I deployed while he was taking his first round of treatments at Walter Reed. A very brave, strong willed young man dealing with some very difficult challenges, he tackled each one with gusto and a not give up attitude. I had met his parents a year and a half ago when they came to visit. Yesterday I saw them once again as I spoke with them about their son.The presiding chaplain was kind enough to allow me to participate in the service. It was a true privilege to render honors to him there at Arlington. I got to know some of the honor guard I'll be working with a bit more. I already know the chaplains as they just came from Andrews, and have known the chaplain assistants from prior working with them at Andrews.
I expect to be running as I leave out the door. Lots of things to do from preparing for the quarterly CAIB meeting, IDS items, wrapping up the supervision and mentoring of one of our chaplain candidates, out processing Andrews, continuing to get our records in order for an upcoming unit compliance inspection (I have a great NCO who is shouldering a big share of this task), a dozen other smaller items to complete and as always counseling and unit presence. And OAS (my terminal illness) has interfered slightly.
OAS??? -- Old Age Syndrome. Sorry... have to laugh at myself sometimes. But old men shouldn't go from running 3 miles to trying to run 12 miles, something I used to do weekly, but haven't done in a good six years. My left knee has stiffened up on me, forcing me to postpone my PFT that I was planning to do tomorrow, but now will likely have to push off a couple of weeks.
