On Leave

I'm taking a break from my incredibly hectic schedule of laying around and resting to write out a note. I'm on leave for a week between a couple of important functions related to my upcoming deployment. Just before I left, we went through an entire processing line. Most of my paperwork was able to be completed. And just in time for me to go on vacation, I recieved several vacinnations, including one for small pox. Having the scar from childhood does not count. It wasn't as bad as I anticipated, though it itches like crazy. So, off my family goes in our 14 foot camper. Actually so far the vacation has been mostly relaxing. The first night we had some heavy storms and our 3 year old was not sure how much she liked camping, but now she's loving it. We spent a day driving and hiking up on Skyline Parkway in the Shenandoah. Beautiful here. The little town of Luray is quite cosy as is also Front Royal.

Tonight we relocated to the Natural Bridge area. We are in a much more crowded and noisy campground. Before we were practically the only ones on our side underneath a beautiful canopy of trees. Now I have a beautiful canopy of adolescents around me. But I'm stretched out with my coffee (and it is coffee not motor oil as our new Senior Protestant Chaplain is fond of making) and a couple of good books. I'm reading The Ecumenical Luther and also Huntington's book: The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of the World Order. I'm trying not to be too involved in thinking about work issues after being soundly chastized by one of my NCO's (Non-commissioned officers) for responding to one of his emails. "No more emails!!!!" he said - "You're on leave!!!!!".

Been an adventure so far in some ways. Almost got the camper stuck in the woods trying to go up too steep of an incline. Having lunch at a populated stop, we suddenly were disrupted by a couple of babies and their mother walking through -- bears that is. Little later about 20 more miles down the road we saw another bear cub and about a gazillion deer. This morning, with about five minutes left in the campground we were leaving, I somehow, with great skill and luck, trapped a yellowjacket between my foot and sandal. Of course the bee was not too happy about it which meant that I wasn't too happy about it either. But my foot is the same size as the other -- which is a good thing. So tonight I'm going to be relaxing even more, but I am enjoying the slower pace right now.

Gear Up!

Gear up! The rally cry to get your gear and be ready for action. It is a constant cry in todays expeditionary Air Force with a high tempo for deployments. Everyone has the responsiblity to do their part. Now it is my turn.

Monday I started picking up gear for my upcoming deployment, uniforms and other associated "battle rattle" necessary for the location I will find myself in. Fortunately the Air Force has gotten wise in some regards and quite a bit of the gear will be there waiting for me.

The Air Force is certainly now an "expeditionary" force. We are on the move...constantly. The last few weeks I welcomed home troops from my Civil Engineering Squadron from Kirkuk, where the Air Force operates a fairly large airbase. These airmen were out of the wire doing convoys and repairing roads damaged by IEDs. (Read their story here)

This same day, I attended the change of command for the 316CES squadron here at Andrews. Lt Col Williams is moving on to a special assignment and Lt Col Duffy is taking command. And very soon more engineers will be heading for deployment. Lt Col Williams, in his last remarks to the squadron, mentioned how we are ready always, the CE rally cry here at Andrews. They are. We have to be, because we are always on the move.

CES is an amazing squadron. Last week I was contacted regarding a sick airman at Walter Reed who happened to be a Engineer from another base. This squadron has adopted this airman as one of their own. Family. These guys are family.

As I prepare for my own departure, I know my chapel team will be there for my family as will my neighbors on base. There a bunch of great folks at Andrews, a sense of closeness and trust that I think is fostered by an environment where loved ones go into harms way -- a sense of duty and dedication that extends beyond the service member to family. Today I also provided an invocation for an outstanding officer who received a well deserved promotion. The custom is to show appreciation to spouse with the gift of flowers, but he gave her something that spoke volumes more: he pinned her with rank one grade above his newly earned rank, to symbolize her importance to him.

Gear up! Its a call not only heard by the warrior, but by his or her family.

Ready Always

The last days have been very busy once again from assisting with financial planning for the Protestant parish to taking care of returning airmen from the desert. I have been up visiting sick airmen at Walter Reed and counseling with several different people.

This afternoon though, the pace slowed a little as I went out to visit with one of my squadrons, the 316th (formerly 89th) Civil Engineering Squadron. Their commander is leaving for a special school and was bidding them farewell, a sort of bitter sweet kind of event. This commander is something special too. He finished his farewell with a reminder to be "ready always", their motto. Why do we need this constant reminder? Coming home, I read in the news another reminder as to why we need to be ready always.

Ayman al-Zawahiri, Al Qaeda's number 2 man, had this to say today:

"The war with Israel does not depend on cease-fires ... . It is a Jihad for the sake of God and will last until (our) religion prevails ... from Spain to Iraq... We will attack everywhere."

"Rely on God and fight your enemies...make yourselves martyrs."

This is why engineers and chaplains, and indeed all airmen and even all Americans need to be "ready always". There are those whose religious zeal is so great they will kill in the name of their religion. Don't get me wrong, I will defend the right of people to be spiritual, indeed that is one great think about wearing the uniform and taking an oath to defend the constitution which guarantees the right for spiritual practice and faith. But I cannot sanction death and destruction with the purpose of imposing religion upon another. Faith is not created with point of the sword. To believe that God is dependent on human beings to create a society that imposes faith on others seems guided by something other than trust in a loving and merciful God. Faith is not about human coercion but divine persuasion of the heart. If I had to force my religion upon another, I might have to wonder about the veracity of my religion. Faith should have enough persuasive power in its own merit to accomplish its task, if it is true.

We in uniform stand in the gap to defend freedom -- to be spiritual or not to be -- and I'm ok with that -- because I believe faith is created by God as He operates through the hearing of His Word. God does not need me to create a world where faith is imposed or forced on people, but only a world with freedom for people to have the option of being spiritual. I am here to meet the spiritual needs of our troops, to meet their constitutionally guaranteed right to be spiritual, but also to defend that constitution as a commissioned officer of the United States, proud that here we have freedom concerning our practice of religion and are not part of something ruling from one sea to another imposed by the gun, the bomb, or the terrorist.

A place for chaplains in the desert

The picture is of Chaplain Captain Tate who was one of my instructors when I went through the Air Force chaplain orientation course at Maxwell Air Force base earlier this year. He is now in middle of the war providing pastoral are. The setting here is one of our emeds (an emergency medical hospital.) EMEDS are fully equipped and highly portable. They are what Hawkeye wish he had in MASH.

This is an important and vital ministry, one I shall have the opportunity to participate in someday soon. I found this link to a three part video series on how incredible the medical care is for our wounded called "The Lifeline". Remember too, that Andrews is the first stop on the return home for these guys. It is an incredible privlege and honor to serve and minister to the wounded as they come home. The link for "The Lifeline" is here. If you haven't already, I would encourage you to add these brave men and women to your daily prayer list.

Some changes

There has been a bit of a change around here at Andrews. I returned from CST to a new wing. I am now part of the 316WG rather than the 89th. Our wing symbol is the Griffon, which symbolizes the strength of the lion with the speed of an eagle. I also like to think it indicates that we are equally strong and able to accomplish our mission on the ground or in the air. I believe sometimes people have the impression the Air Force is not composed so much of warriors as the other services and that the only combatants are our pilots, but nothing could be further from the truth. I would stack our security forces against those of any other service. Our special forces units are often the first ones on the ground, setting up landing zones. Our people are running convoys and conducting operations just as other branches. The Griffon truly symbolizes the Air Force mission and our mission at Andrews -- warriors who are deadly competent and equally fierce on the ground or in the air.

The 316th is part of the AFDW (Air Force District of Washington) that has been formed linking the various Air Force assets in the captial region. I've also been assigned to a new unit -- the communication group here at Andrews, though the chaplain who is leaving this unit is still here for a bit yet. I'll probably pick up responsibilities for this unit in full shortly before I deploy. This illustrates the growing need for flexibility among our staff as incoming staff will have to cover for my units in my absence.

We have two chaplains who have arrived in recent days and another in bound in August.

The next couple of days will be especially busy as I engage in the reintegration process for a number of people who are returning from deployment to the Middle East from our 316 Civil Engineering Squadron of whom I am proud to be their unit chaplain. (CE ROCKS!)

Lots of counselings and visitations as well as some administrative taskings continue. Great work to do though.

You can read more about our new wing standing up here.

As conflict grows

As the conflict grows in the Middle East coupled with growing tension over certain states aquiring nuclear weapons and how the world seems shifted more and more toward sustained conflict, this passage came to mind.

And wars will break out near and far, but don't panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won't follow immediately. The nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this will be only the beginning of the horrors to come. -- Jesus (Matthew 24:6-8)

I am going to be preaching on this text and the following today -- I think appropriate for such a time as this.

For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. (Romans 13:3-4)

Valor -- the untold stories are told

A quote from a Stars and Stripes piece:

Valor.

For more than four years now, American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have been fighting the war on terror. While politicians and pundits argue the merits and demerits of strategy and prosecution, the military man or woman has been slugging it out, every day, with a foe who is often unseen. (End quote)

Read more here of the story and read about the stories of some of the heroes by clicking here.

Contingency Skills Training Completed

Contingency Skills training concluded with several days in the classroom learning more about how to counsel those with combat related stress and injuries. While some of this was a refresher of earlier training, there were new insights as well. I was glad when Friday rolled around so that I could join my family for a long 4th of July weekend. I took some leave over the holiday and we went to the beach, which is not far from Andrews. We needed some down time.

Here are a few pictures from our days in the field.

This is my chaplain assistant who will be going down range with me soon as we deploy.















Here I am geared up riding in a "hummer". It's amazing how fun it is to run around in the woods being shot at with simulated rounds while wearing 75 pounds in body armour, kevlar helmet, and other gear. The truly amazing thing is how fast one gets used to the extra weight.



















Here we are returning from the field and my fire team is getting ready to turn in weapons and vehicles. (Of course chaplains don't carry weapons.) You can see on of the Security Forces people from McDill who made up my fire team standing in the open turrent of the hummer.


















Here you can see a guard tower at a compound on Fort Dix that is now used for Fire Base defense training -- which reportedly was once used as a compound in World War II to house prisioners of war.

Training for war

It has been a busy last couple of weeks. I'm here at lovely (can you hear the sarcasm in my voice?) Fort Dix in New Jersey where a low has been sitting of the coast bringing in plenty of tropical moisture just in time for our field training in combat contingency skills. But I must say that this has been an enlightening and worthwhile couple of weeks. We've been going full steam with long days and no days off. But the upside is that I feel much more confident about handling myself in the middle of a war zone than I would have been without the training.

We have a large class. There are seven chaplains and seven chaplain assistants and some JAG officers mixed into a whole bunch of Air Force Security Forces. Over the past few weeks we have practiced combat tactics out in the field, urban building clearing, operating out of a Foward Operating Base, and convoys. I've been shot at with simulated ammunition -- wasn't hit fortunately. I learned early to keep my hiney down! There are some interesting bruises amongst the people on my fire team though. Of course part of the reason that I wasn't hit is that since chaplains are non-combatants and do not carry weapons, we tend to get deposited in a reasonably safe spot of the action while the combatants move on and take care of business.

I can't go into a lot of details about the kinds of training due to its being protected in nature, but I can say that it is top notch and that the troops impressed me with how serious they through themselves into it and with how well they did. They train as they will fight because they will fight as they train. I did participate in every major evolution even though I was not a shooter. I've been rained on, shot at, mortared (simulated but sounds like the real thing complete with concussions), enjoyed day after day of MRE field rations, ran around the woods like a banshee with 100 pounds of gear and body armour, driven humvees through mud thick enough to capture a horse, learned how to respond to attacks, how to move with a fire team as it engaged in offensive and defensive ops, learned how convoys should respond to various scenarios, and learned how to save a life of an injured servicemember when wounded. I've learned radios and call signs and what to look for in terms of danger signals in the environment around me.

And I've learned at lot about our AF security forces (who we affectionately call "cops"). They are more than cops. They are first rate combat troops and they have a difficult job. Downrange (deployed) they will work 7 days a week often 12 hours or more a day on the line or even outside the wire providing security for convoys. They work hard. This training evolution has been the first time I've spent any substantial time with these kinds of troops and they have earned my enduring respect.

These last days are reserved for specific training related to our professional position -- so the cops have gone on to more detailed training and the chaplains are meeting to learn more about spiritual and emotional issues frequently encountered downrange and how to engage them. All in all its has been a good time. There is a saying one often hears in the military: "Its all good". In this case I have to say even being soaked to the skin and laying in the mud -- it was all good!

Today is Flag Day

June 14th -- Flag Day.

June 14, 1777 the Continential Congress adopted the basic design that is our flag. This first Congress declared, “White signifies purity and innocence; red, hardiness and valor; blue signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice.”

A short meditation and tribute to consider. The last verse of our National Anthem -- the Star Spangled Banner.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the Heaven-rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Off to Train for War

This Friday, I and my chaplain assistant will head to Fort Dix to to the Air Mobility Warfare Center for our contingency skills training. The focus for us will be on combat operations in urban environments and defensive operations involving convoys. This is the last segment I need to be full up and ready for deployment to the war. Chaplains find themselves in a unique situation in combat environments. We are classified as non-combatants by the Geneva conventions, and under orders to not carry or utilize weapons, even in self defense of ourselves or our fellow troops. We can be shot at, but we can't shoot back. However, we can respond as anyone else to render first aid or even self-care in the event someone is hurt. And it is important for us to know how the troops will respond in the even of combat so we do what needs to be done to take care of ourselves so we can keep ourselves and our wingmen from getting hurt.

I'm going to the war. Can't say where or when -- but I'm heading there into the thick of things. I've already started collecting the gear I will need. I know my location and my time frame. To be honest, I'm looking forward to the opportunities associated to get involved in the lives of our airmen and women and even our soldiers and sailors who will be there. I'll certainly miss my family and friends, but this is one of the reasons I joined for. I will say though, that I will miss being here at Andrews. We have new leadership and several new chaplains coming in and they are all first rate. It will be an exciting time this fall to watch the new ministry develop here.

Out in the war, operations are truly a joint endeavor. There is way less distinction between the operations of the services than when I was last in the military in the early 90's. I have a wedding coming up for instance for an Army captain whose unit I serve as its chaplain as it is attached here at Andrews. Out in the war, there is almost not distinction between the services. Everyone works together to get the job done and work to make sure we all come home.

I've been doing some research to better prepare myself for what is coming. I found this video which I found very enlightening about convoy operations. This 2nd video helps one understand the saying "you don't hear the bullet that kills you". I hope to have an opportunity to tag along on some of these rides and to get out with the locals to add something to the efforts that are being made to bring peace and stability to so many places in the world right now. Other video from Iraq can be found here & Afghanistan here

On a side note, one of our reserve chaplains is also a member of the LCMS like myself. He has a congregation not to far from here. This is a good thing for my family, as the local one's we've visited so far have not been a good fit for my family. It is only about once every couple of months that we have a chance to go to services on Sunday morning, but it will be good to have a place to go and touch our roots and reinforce our identification with our tradition on a regular basis.

Combat Dining In

I'm a big World War II buff. One of the customs that developed in that time was the practice of the "Dining In". The Dining In is a very formal military tradition following specific customs for conduct during the meal, violations of which can send a person to the "Grog". There are usually 2 Grogs -- an awful concoction of liquid items barely digestible but non-alcoholic and an acoholic version that is of such proof that it can serve as alternative lighting should the electricity go out.

The Combat Dining In is its own animal. Here the same sorts of rules (can't come late, can't cut out of the dinner for a bathroom break, can clap to toasts, and so forth) apply only to go to the Grog one must run an obstacle course of water guns, water hoses, or even in some cases the dinner itself having been turned into missiles for attack.

Friday night was my first experience as I was treated to a Dining In experience with one of the 89th's foremost squadrons -- the 89 CES (Civil Engineering Squadron) as they welcomed many of their comrades home from deployment. Within ten minutes my boots were full of water and my wallet would take days to dry out thanks to a dunking into the pool. But I was relieved of having to go to the Grog by the Commander himself, as he recognized that as a Chaplain and official holder of a Geneva Conventions Card that I am a non-combatant, so I was encouraged to send someone in my stead. (Of course, twists like this just add to the fun.) Of course, I still found myself on the receiving end of collateral fire being caught often in the middle of cross fire. All in all it was great fun and a great chance to build some camaraderie.

Promotions, rubbing shoulders, and a new office

Today was a day for promotion ceremonies. I woke early to greet a bunch of our troops returning from deployment and to kick off the process for their reintegration back home. I then moved to the Chapel for final preparations for a high visibility event, the promotion of our Wing Chaplain Charlie R. Stutts to full colonel. We had many distininquished visitors including commanders from our own base but also including Generals from the Chaplain service as well as the one star who commands the 89th Airlift Wing. My role was to narrate the ceremony, which I truly enjoyed. I have to say it gave a good feeling to see Chaplain Stutts finally wearing eagles. He works hard. They look right on him.

Later that afternoon, I provided the invocation for the promotion ceremony of our enlisted folks who are putting on extra stripes this month. The pride and comradery was very evident. Our Wing Commander mentioned during his closing comments that he gets alot of encouragement from the smiles and energy of these new promotees as they come up before the group to receive their recognition and shake his hand. I too find the day to be sort of like a pep rally, with each of the units showing their pride in their people through chants and cheers.

One really great thing about these ceremonies is the opportunity to rub shoulders and share conversation with all kinds of folks - from commanders of various units, all the way up to the Wing Command and Command Master Chief, as well as the young airman putting on his first stripe. All share in common a great love for their nation and a dedication to excellence and service.

As I said before, Chief Master Sergeant Gerald Murray, who is the highest ranking enlisted member of the United States Air Force serving as the Master Sergeant of the Air Force, comes to our chapel for services. It is a true treat to be able to speak with him and hear what he sees and hears out all over the world from the troops he visits with and to hear his concern for each of them and their families. Again, what I hear from so many people is admiration for the hard work and dedication our personnel are putting forth in this war on terror for the benefit of the nation. I can't say enough how much of an honor it is to serve with people of such character.

On a different note, I'm working on a new office within one of my squadrons that I provide care to. The Civil Engineering Squadron is making space for me in their HQ building. I plan to split my time between their location and my chapel 1 office. I'm going to visit sometime tomorrow or Friday to look at the space they are giving me. Being with the troops -- that's where ministry is at.