Week In Review (Dec 20th-26th 2010)

Short week is the best way to describe the past week.  That just means that we did 5 days worth of work in 3.

Monday was filled with briefs and other office work as is becoming the routine.  Went to dental for a checkup in the morning.  Of course they scheduled my cleaning on my day off.  Had an intel brief and overview of the upcoming deployment.  It gave me some framework with which to start planning our ministry plan for when we finally get in country.  I also did my first PRT since coming back on active duty.  I wanted to get one on the upcoming fitrep and to get on the cycle with the rest of the Navy personnel in the battalion.  I should have pushed the sit-ups a bit more and maxed those out.  I was remembering the old scoring system where your weakest area governed your overall score.  I figured I would run about 11min so didn't worry about the other areas too much.  I ran a 9:55 and should have maxed the sit-ups like I did the push ups then the overall would have been much higher.  Oh well, lesson learned for the spring cycle.

Tuesday was more meetings in the morning getting some predeployment presentations ready and then the afternoon was a cultural brief for the deployment.  That was pretty interesting and I got some good book recommendations from the presenter.  I also learned I can get some one-on-one tutoring on the local language before we deploy and will set up a schedule this coming week.  I think knowing the language, however limited, will help break the ice and open doors with the locals when we are deployed. 

Wednesday was a medical stand down which meant I had to have my record checked for a few things.  Seeing how I just checked in nothing was a surprise and I had to get a typhoid vaccination (its my 3rd one since joining) because the record didn't transfer.  I need to find that yellow card soon to update everything.  I get to endure the yellow fever one again once they have enough people to open a vial.  And I am sure there are more shots coming before the deployment.  We then put everyone on their 96 hour liberty and had our holiday party.  They moved the schedule up 30 minutes from what was published so I literally walked in to the party right as the CO was calling for me to do the blessing.  Divine intervention got me there in time to do the blessing and not miss my one job for the evening.

Spent the weekend at home for Christmas and got to see some snow finally.  I kept hearing all the people back in Durham talk about snow repeatedly this winter and was getting a little jealous.

The above picture is my parent's neighborhood right before I left this afternoon.  I was grateful that the NC DOT did a wonderful job clearing the roads this morning and that allowed me a smooth ride back.  There was one wreck on I-40 and I still can't figure out how it happened.  The road was completely dry where it occurred and there were 5 cars involved.

Next week is another short week as the 96 hour ends tomorrow afternoon and then we get another one starting Thursday at noon.  I can't go anywhere as I have CACO watch for the next 10 days starting tomorrow. 

Merry Christmas

I guess since everyone else is posting related to today being Christmas Eve, I'll join in the party.  I'm headed home for the holiday and will be back down to Lejeune on Sunday night as I have to take over CACO watch starting Monday morning and have it through the new year.  No parties for me I guess.  Seeing how I'll be deployed next year doing ministry to those who stand the watch I figured I borrow some poems I found over at Blackfive that sum up why I find it important to be doing what I do in taking care of the Marines and Sailors with whom I serve. 

The first one is pretty well known among the military circles:

‘Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one-bedroom house made of plaster and stone.
I had come down the chimney, with presents to give
and to see just who in this home did live.

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
a sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I’d seen.
This was the home of a U.S. Marine.

I’d heard stories about them, I had to see more,
so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.

He seemed so gentle, his face so serene,
Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine.
Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.

Soon around the Nation, the children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
because of Marines like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
“Santa, don’t cry, this life is my choice
I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more.
My life is my God, my country, my Corps.”

With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.

I watched him for hours, so silent and still.
I noticed he shivered from the cold night’s chill.
So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
and covered this Marine from his toes to his head.
Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold,
with an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold.
And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
and for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside.

I didn’t want to leave him so quiet in the night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure,
said “Carry on, Santa, it’s Christmas Day, all secure.”
One look at my watch and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight.

©Copyright circa 1991 by James M. Schmidt
(As printers in the December 1991 issue of the USMC magazine, Leatherneck)

The second I just saw for the first time today and wanted to post it as well as it is a good thing for those who don't have the best of feelings for the military to read to get an insight into why those in the service volunteer to stand watch this time of year:

A DIFFERENT CHRISTMAS POEM

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,

I  gazed round the room  and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,

My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,

transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,

completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,

Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.

In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,

So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,

But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.

Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,

Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,

And I crept to the door  just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,

a lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,

Perhaps a Marine, huddled  here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,

standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,

Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,

You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,

Away from the cold and the  snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light.

Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,

I'm out here by choice. I'm here every  night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,

That separates you from  the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,

I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"

Then he sighed, "That's  a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam,'

And now it is my turn  and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,

But  my wife sends me  pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,

The red, white, and  blue... an American flag.

"I can live through the cold and the being alone,

Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,

I can sleep in a  foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another,

Or lay down my life with my  sister and brother..

Who stand at the front against any and all,

To ensure for all time that  this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,

Your family is waiting  and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,

"Give you money," I  asked, "or prepare you a feast?"

It seems all too little for all that you've done,

For being away from  your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,

"Just tell us you love  us, and never forget.

To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,

To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

    For when we come home, either standing or dead,

To know you remember we fought and we bled.

    Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,

That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.

H/T Subsunk at Blackfive

My prayer for this night is for the safe return of those who are standing the watch tonight.  I have good friends all around the world tonight and I remember the days I was out there at Christmas.  We treated it like any other day knowing that we'd get a chance to celebrate it when we got back.  And I also use this night to pray for everyone to finally lay down arms and see beyond our nature to see God's good plan for us.  But until then, I'll continue to serve those who are on watch as long as God sees fit.  

Merry Christmas!

Week In Review (Dec 13th-19th 2010)

Another week in the life of an infantry chaplain.  Life is getting busier and will continue to do so until after we return from deployment seeing how we start the intense workups after the holidays.

Monday held my first day on Casualty Assistance Call Officer (CACO) watch.  We have a chaplain standing by each day to go with the CACO for any notifications.  Quiet day and that is a good thing. 

Tuesday was my day to attend Combat Life Saver (CLS).  This course is essentially first aid that I learned in Boy Scouts many years ago.  Tourniquets, pressure bandages, splints, treating for shock and hypothermia.  I got to learn what is in the CLS bag that I will most likely carry seeing how I don't have a weapon or ammo to carry and when things get dicey it is something I can do to help keep the Marines safe.  There will be other lifesaving/first aid courses before we deploy and I hope to catch a bunch of them.  We are blessed to have some great corpsmen that know their stuff.  I also went out in the field for a few hours in the late afternoon as a few companies were out there.  I didn't stay the night and that was fortunate as it was colder than the previous week when I slept outside. 

Wednesday was my second trip to the brig.  We have a few guys in there and I go out to visit them each week to see how they are doing, etc.  Until I come here I haven't done much visitation in a prison, other than some visits to CCU at Pearl for one of my Weapons Department guys, so it is a bit disconcerting and I hope I never get used to visiting the brig.  Good ministry, but still a bit weird ministering through bars.  Also did some viewing of possible Bible studies to start during the predeployment cycle. 

Thursday included some planning of the adopt-a-school program for not only the battalion, but also the regiment.  Our parent regiment is deploying forward soon so they are placing the program in our hands until we leave.  Then we'll turn the regimental program over to another battalion until the regiment returns.  Luckily the RP is the battalion coordinator and is willing to step up with regimental program.  Unfortunately, we also learned that the RP is heading to a different regiment and I'll be getting a new RP.  I really like the one I have now, so it will be a bit of a transition and there is some anxiety on my part regarding the new RP.  Just like with the one I have now, as long as he can shoot well and run around my pace, everything else is icing on the cake. 

Friday was my PRT weigh in.  I am doing one just to make sure we don't have to explain it away on the Fitrep next month.  The PRT is tomorrow and I am not worried at all about passing.  In fact, I've lost a bit of weight the last few months which means I'll lose some more in the next few months as the PT picks up.  I also missed my own Hail and Farewell (or at least the Hail portion) as someone came to see me right as I was getting ready to leave for the party.  Oh well, these things happen.

I went back home to Durham this weekend for a family dinner with my mom's family which is always a highlight of the Christmas season as I get to play with the little ones in the family.  Nothing like having three small children hanging all over you trying to keep you from moving.  I also got to visit my grandfather for his 87th birthday which is tomorrow. 

Looking forward to the short week and another trip back home for Christmas.  Plus, I might actually get some unpacking done and make some room to start cleaning the house. 

Week In Review (Dec 6th-12th 2010)

This week was highlighted by my first trip out in the field with the Marines. 

Monday was a typical Monday for me fraught with meetings all day.  While I'm not the biggest fan of scheduling meetings all day, it does free up the rest of the week for getting out of the office to be with the Marines I serve.  We also had a chaplain and RP training that focused on the gear we carry and how to put it all together so that training had some great value.  Plus, we were shown some of the new gear coming out next year that may lighten the load a bit. 

Tuesday was spent in the field all day.  I got out there around 1000 with one company to see them do some training on a variety of topics focusing on their squad level leadership.  At about 1600 I went to visit a second company which is the one I stayed overnight with.  It was extremely cold that night with a low around 15 without the wind chill.  I'm grateful for an effective sleeping bag they issued me as that was the warmest I was all day once I got in the bag for the night.  I now know what gear I need to buy to stay warmer when we do the Battalion wide Field Exercise next month. 

Wednesday was fairly light as I was recovering/warming up from the previous night.  I did get to PT with the Navy Corpsmen for the first time and of course I decide to go on the day they get in trouble with the HMC so he decides to make PT memorable for them.  I felt that one for a day or so. 

Thursday included a visit to the barracks to talk with the Marines on duty, something I try to make time for each week.  Got some great conversations in and really enjoyed those visits.  I think I ended up out there for about 2 hours. 

Friday was a day full of counseling and checking in 65 new Marines that just graduated from the School of Infantry.  After that was done I had to take off to the lawyer's office to close on the house and then went back to work for a few minutes to check on any last minute issues that might have come up.  Then I got to enjoy the first weekend here since I moved and got a good run in on Saturday and visited a local church today as well as getting things unpacked at bit and getting a new washer and dryer then doing three weeks worth of laundry.

Week In Review (Week of Nov 29th, 2010)

So one of the ways I want to take this blog is to provide people back home some sort of feel for what I do on a daily basis.  Seeing how I can't relay all of the conversations I have with my Marines for a number of reasons, I'll just provide some highlights of where I go each week with the Marines to give a small glimpse into the wonderful world of a Chaplain to an infantry battalion.

Monday was a day off for the most part as we were getting back from the Thanksgiving liberty period.  We reported in at 1800 just to make sure we were all still alive and doing well ready to start the week.  Being new to the USMC way of extended liberty periods, I assumed that the civilian organizations on base would be open on Monday.  I was wrong and spent a few hours driving around trying to do errands to no avail.  I'll just take the time off and relax next time. 

Tuesday was a long day, it started at 0445 with a muster at the barracks for a 9 mile hike with all of my gear.  It was only one company doing the hike, but they invited me and I need to get back into shape seeing how we have a battalion wide 18 mile hike coming up in a few months.  I survived and didn't fall out.  Unfortunately the 10 or so Marines that did fall out got some ribbing about how the chaplain kept up.  Perhaps the funniest moment came when I saw the Marine variety of inter service rivalry.  While we were doing the hump, some Marines from the logistics group were doing a run of some sort and one of them couldn't keep breakfast down.  From our ranks came one unrelenting voice harassing him for his inability to keep up with the rest of his PT group.  Infantry making their dominance known.  Later that day I had lunch with a senior chaplain of my same denomination and got some great advice on how to be an effective chaplain. 

Wednesday was moving day for me as my stuff arrived.  Still haven't had time to open more than 5 boxes.  Had a meeting with the family readiness team later that afternoon and learned a great deal about how to best connect with the families when we deploy.

Friday I flew out to San Luis Obispo to officiate a wedding for a former Junior Officer of mine back in the submarine days.  It was a beautiful town and a great time for myself.  I got to meet some great people and had some great food and laughs as well.  I have an airline I would rather not fly again on my list, but other than that it was a great weekend.  Got in late last night and still made it to work and through the whole day without much problems.

Those are just a few highlights of why I love my job so much.  Good laughs and ministry with my "congregation" at an intimate level.  This week will be my first night out in the field and of course I picked the coldest night of the year to head out there.  We'll see how warm the gear they issue really is.