This week was interesting to say the least. Pretty steady business as we get ready for a long training out at Twentynine Palms, CA. This is the last hurdle before deployment. I showed up Monday morning thinking we were flying out on Wednesday, but that got moved to tomorrow which actually worked out best for me because I had a ton to get done around the house. I felt like I was in meetings for most of the week. The first one started at 7am each morning and I usually wouldn't get a breath until around lunch. Had a few more guys stopping by thinking about getting married before deployment, but not as much as a few weeks ago when it was pretty much all I did that week.
The weekly visit to the brig was interesting because as soon as I sat down to wait for the first Marine I came to see, they called away a fire drill. So twenty minutes later I finally got back in to see my guys. None of them will be there when we get back, so I hope that that was my last visit for a while provided no one else does something to get put in there.
We got issued a bunch more gear for deployment but aren't allowed enough bags to carry it all to CA, so I just picked what looked most needed and will pack the rest when we deploy. I can't believe how much gear we are required to take with us everywhere we go. Supposedly, the people in charge of our embarkation are pretty picky about how much gear we take and such so that has been fun playing within the rules to pack all this stuff. Hopefully, I've gotten everything within the limits.
The Passover Seder meals also arrived this week. Of course they would arrive after we had shipped everything to CA on trucks so it has taken some favors to get the 8 meals loaded on the plane. I'm really looking forward to leading the Seder in a few weeks, though some of the food items aren't looking too appetizing, especially as they are MRE type foods.
It has become quite apparent that deployment is right around the corner. I am finally in contact with the chaplain for the battalion we are relieving and getting as good a lay of the land as possible and beginning the turnover process. I am sure we are both excited but for opposite reasons.
The weather was nice and I got to run along the river after work a couple of times this week. I will miss this time of year where the weather is pleasant, though a bit schizophrenic. Hopefully it's not too hot in CA during the day and we can get some workouts in during any free time that may arise. I am trying to get some approval from the network people for access to the blog while on USMC computers so that I can post updates from the field, especially care package needs once we are deployed.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Week In Review (07 March--20 March)
OK, it's actually two weeks, but I was visiting my family last weekend and didn't really feel like posting then. Plus, March Madness has started and I was more focused on that in my free time than writing stuff for a blog not many people read. It has been easy to find time tonight with one of the games being a huge blowout (I didn't think VCU would win the first game much less have Purdue down by 20).
The last two weeks have been absolutely crazy. Our deployment schedule has been accelerated so we are leaving for Afghanistan earlier than expected. And we still have to plan for and head out to California for some training later this week. Needless to say I feel like I'm back on a submarine again with the hours I am pulling right now. 11 hour days are short ones and are much appreciated. At least I don't have to stand duty every third night and get the weekends off for the most part.
We got back from Virginia late afternoon on the 6th and I had to be back in to work on the 7th at the regular time because of a training on the repeal of DADT. That took all afternoon and pretty much frustrated me the whole time. You would think chaplains would be more of the attitude that it didn't really matter who came into their office and would care for them equally, but I guess there are some with serious issues surrounding the repeal. That afternoon the CO gave me a heads up that we might be leaving early when I talked to him about going to a future presbytery meeting in Los Angeles and he said not to buy tickets just yet. Apparently the junior Marines were a step ahead of the CO as the next day I had 7 people come in for pre-marital counseling (every Marine is supposed to see me before they get married as part of our marriage check in sheet). I have been averaging 6 per MONTH. I think I am now up to 12 this month already. I also had to prep an Ash Wednesday service, but with the craziness and freaking out about the deployment date, no one showed up. I have to say, I think it was a good service planned, but oh well such is the life of an infantry chaplain. We did get Thurs and Friday off because it was planned that way for a while, so I headed home on Friday to visit the parents and friends.
And when I got back to work on Monday it was just as crazy every day. I have been on CACO watch again until tomorrow, and the whole turnover on Monday was pretty bizarre, but I'll save that one for later. I confirmed with the people at the Peachtree Road Race that we are going to run a satellite version of the race in Afghanistan on the 4th of July and am looking forward to coordinating that. RP got everything lined up for United Through Reading while on deployment so the Marines and sailors can read books to their kids via DVD each night. I also got the Easter liturgy printed out so it could go in the stuff that needed to get sent to California this week.
Tuesday was Operational Stress Control and Response (OSCAR) training for about 125 members of the battalion, including me and the RP. It was a good training and should help us help the Marines better during the deployment. I also got some recreational equipment (kickball, wiffleball, etc) ordered for the battalion for deployment. I am taking the approach of getting them some childhood games to play while on deployment to break the routine as I know they will bring electronic means of recreation on their own.
Wednesday was pre-deployment brief day. I had to attend both because I spoke at both and also was required to attend the brief for the single personnel. We also had our readiness inspection that occurs before we are allowed to head out for deployment. The RP and I passed with only one deficiency and we knew about that one and it was self-reported. No big deal and it won't keep us from heading out. We also got the two mount out boxes with all we need for worship, our office supplies, candy to give out, devotionals, bibles, rosaries, etc packed and ready to go.
Thursday was a meeting with some other chaplains in the morning, it took about two hours, as none of us had really scheduled anything as our RP's were all taking advancement exams so the schedules were wide open and we took the time for fellowship and venting to each other, good self care was had by all. RP and I also got out and visited all the remote battalion shops for the week in the afternoon and got the offices cleaned up and ready for us to go away for a month.
Friday was Jane Wayne day when the families get to come in and go on a range and shoot and get to play on the obstacle course. We all get together for lunch and get to meet some of the families as well. We had some good hot dogs for lunch. We had to load our stuff onto the container that is taking them to California tomorrow morning. I also got the newsletter article done and submitted. I also got the Power of Attorney for my mom done in the morning as part of the deployment preps. And got the semi-annual report to my endorser completed and off before we went to California so I don't have to worry about the report while in the field.
Busy two weeks and this one looks to be just as busy.
The last two weeks have been absolutely crazy. Our deployment schedule has been accelerated so we are leaving for Afghanistan earlier than expected. And we still have to plan for and head out to California for some training later this week. Needless to say I feel like I'm back on a submarine again with the hours I am pulling right now. 11 hour days are short ones and are much appreciated. At least I don't have to stand duty every third night and get the weekends off for the most part.
We got back from Virginia late afternoon on the 6th and I had to be back in to work on the 7th at the regular time because of a training on the repeal of DADT. That took all afternoon and pretty much frustrated me the whole time. You would think chaplains would be more of the attitude that it didn't really matter who came into their office and would care for them equally, but I guess there are some with serious issues surrounding the repeal. That afternoon the CO gave me a heads up that we might be leaving early when I talked to him about going to a future presbytery meeting in Los Angeles and he said not to buy tickets just yet. Apparently the junior Marines were a step ahead of the CO as the next day I had 7 people come in for pre-marital counseling (every Marine is supposed to see me before they get married as part of our marriage check in sheet). I have been averaging 6 per MONTH. I think I am now up to 12 this month already. I also had to prep an Ash Wednesday service, but with the craziness and freaking out about the deployment date, no one showed up. I have to say, I think it was a good service planned, but oh well such is the life of an infantry chaplain. We did get Thurs and Friday off because it was planned that way for a while, so I headed home on Friday to visit the parents and friends.
And when I got back to work on Monday it was just as crazy every day. I have been on CACO watch again until tomorrow, and the whole turnover on Monday was pretty bizarre, but I'll save that one for later. I confirmed with the people at the Peachtree Road Race that we are going to run a satellite version of the race in Afghanistan on the 4th of July and am looking forward to coordinating that. RP got everything lined up for United Through Reading while on deployment so the Marines and sailors can read books to their kids via DVD each night. I also got the Easter liturgy printed out so it could go in the stuff that needed to get sent to California this week.
Tuesday was Operational Stress Control and Response (OSCAR) training for about 125 members of the battalion, including me and the RP. It was a good training and should help us help the Marines better during the deployment. I also got some recreational equipment (kickball, wiffleball, etc) ordered for the battalion for deployment. I am taking the approach of getting them some childhood games to play while on deployment to break the routine as I know they will bring electronic means of recreation on their own.
Wednesday was pre-deployment brief day. I had to attend both because I spoke at both and also was required to attend the brief for the single personnel. We also had our readiness inspection that occurs before we are allowed to head out for deployment. The RP and I passed with only one deficiency and we knew about that one and it was self-reported. No big deal and it won't keep us from heading out. We also got the two mount out boxes with all we need for worship, our office supplies, candy to give out, devotionals, bibles, rosaries, etc packed and ready to go.
Thursday was a meeting with some other chaplains in the morning, it took about two hours, as none of us had really scheduled anything as our RP's were all taking advancement exams so the schedules were wide open and we took the time for fellowship and venting to each other, good self care was had by all. RP and I also got out and visited all the remote battalion shops for the week in the afternoon and got the offices cleaned up and ready for us to go away for a month.
Friday was Jane Wayne day when the families get to come in and go on a range and shoot and get to play on the obstacle course. We all get together for lunch and get to meet some of the families as well. We had some good hot dogs for lunch. We had to load our stuff onto the container that is taking them to California tomorrow morning. I also got the newsletter article done and submitted. I also got the Power of Attorney for my mom done in the morning as part of the deployment preps. And got the semi-annual report to my endorser completed and off before we went to California so I don't have to worry about the report while in the field.
Busy two weeks and this one looks to be just as busy.
Enough Already
I usually don't delve into theological debates here as the main focus is to try and provide a glimpse into the everyday life of a Navy chaplain. Those stories alone, many of which can't be told due to confidentiality, could take up many hours relating on a blog. However, this whole Rob Bell/Universalism/Is Hell Real debate is getting old, especially now that the collateral damage is hitting close to home.
For those that don't regularly follow theological debates that rage on the Internet all around you, I'll provide a bit of background. Rob Bell has written a book titled Love Wins that delves into the topic of hell. I haven't personally read the book yet and hadn't really intended to until it came out in paperback. But, picked up a copy today using a gift card so I wouldn't feel too bad about paying for a hard cover book (I stopped buying hard cover new releases while in seminary to cut back costs while I didn't have a steady job). Even before the book hit the shelves this past week people were blowing up the Internet with reviews of the book they hadn't yet read calling him a heretic and all kinds of other nice names we save for the people who rankle our theological leanings. Those who saw him as a spokesman for their theological positions disowned him, etc. Granted, I haven't yet read the book and even once I do I won't bother to post a review, as most people probably could care less what I think of the book.
What bothers me is the reaction. I hadn't really paid much attention to the lead up as I was out in the field serving my Marines and had more important things to worry about. And frankly, you could probably say I still have more pressing problems: an accelerated predeployment schedule, leaving for deployment training this week, getting Easter services prepped before we leave, working out the rough memorial service outline for deployment, counseling Marines until well after dark each day, cleaning the house and car, etc. However, a friend of mine got caught up in this whole hysteria and has paid a pretty steep price. He was a student pastor at a church in NC while attending seminary at Duke. He is in his last semester and was on track to get interviewed for provisional ordination in the Methodist church this month. Sometime during the lead up to the book's release, he wrote a piece for Emergent Village about what he lost and gained when he lost hell. His view of hell and mine are not the same, but that doesn't matter.
After he wrote that piece, he was released from his position as a student pastor. This isn't something that is done by the congregation alone. It takes the work of a senior clergy member, one who is supposed to mentor student pastors as well as provide assignments. I don't doubt that other factors came into play (my friend acknowledges as much). He was going to get a new congregation in less than three months anyways and will graduate from seminary in two months. I am a firm believer in firing pastors when they violate the trust and confidence we place in them as leaders, much the same as why military members suffer dearly when they break the rules. Maybe, it is the wide theological range of beliefs found in my own denomination that makes this so confusing to me. It does make me glad that my denomination allows some wiggle room in our "orthodoxy" to allow theological discussion and growth on a variety of issues. Where was the grace in this process? What about some serious discussions about beliefs before summarily dismissing someone who was leaving anyways? What lesson does that teach the congregation if their beliefs aren't "orthodox?" Now you have a congregation, and apparently a denomination that is afraid to discuss theological issues. I for one am crying out loud, enough already.
For those that don't regularly follow theological debates that rage on the Internet all around you, I'll provide a bit of background. Rob Bell has written a book titled Love Wins that delves into the topic of hell. I haven't personally read the book yet and hadn't really intended to until it came out in paperback. But, picked up a copy today using a gift card so I wouldn't feel too bad about paying for a hard cover book (I stopped buying hard cover new releases while in seminary to cut back costs while I didn't have a steady job). Even before the book hit the shelves this past week people were blowing up the Internet with reviews of the book they hadn't yet read calling him a heretic and all kinds of other nice names we save for the people who rankle our theological leanings. Those who saw him as a spokesman for their theological positions disowned him, etc. Granted, I haven't yet read the book and even once I do I won't bother to post a review, as most people probably could care less what I think of the book.
What bothers me is the reaction. I hadn't really paid much attention to the lead up as I was out in the field serving my Marines and had more important things to worry about. And frankly, you could probably say I still have more pressing problems: an accelerated predeployment schedule, leaving for deployment training this week, getting Easter services prepped before we leave, working out the rough memorial service outline for deployment, counseling Marines until well after dark each day, cleaning the house and car, etc. However, a friend of mine got caught up in this whole hysteria and has paid a pretty steep price. He was a student pastor at a church in NC while attending seminary at Duke. He is in his last semester and was on track to get interviewed for provisional ordination in the Methodist church this month. Sometime during the lead up to the book's release, he wrote a piece for Emergent Village about what he lost and gained when he lost hell. His view of hell and mine are not the same, but that doesn't matter.
After he wrote that piece, he was released from his position as a student pastor. This isn't something that is done by the congregation alone. It takes the work of a senior clergy member, one who is supposed to mentor student pastors as well as provide assignments. I don't doubt that other factors came into play (my friend acknowledges as much). He was going to get a new congregation in less than three months anyways and will graduate from seminary in two months. I am a firm believer in firing pastors when they violate the trust and confidence we place in them as leaders, much the same as why military members suffer dearly when they break the rules. Maybe, it is the wide theological range of beliefs found in my own denomination that makes this so confusing to me. It does make me glad that my denomination allows some wiggle room in our "orthodoxy" to allow theological discussion and growth on a variety of issues. Where was the grace in this process? What about some serious discussions about beliefs before summarily dismissing someone who was leaving anyways? What lesson does that teach the congregation if their beliefs aren't "orthodox?" Now you have a congregation, and apparently a denomination that is afraid to discuss theological issues. I for one am crying out loud, enough already.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Notes From the Field (Ft. Pickett, VA Edition)
So I am finally back at Camp Lejeune after three weeks at Ft. Pickett, VA for some pre-deployment training. It was an exciting and exhausting period with something going on 24/7. The battalion stood up a Forward Operating Base (FOB) which is where I coordinated all of my activities from. The FOB also held the Battalion Aid Station (BAS) which is where the corpsmen handle all major care and also became my sleeping quarters because the tent for officers ran out of room and I lost my spot the first time I left the FOB to visit the companies. This happened the first night of training, but wasn't too bad as I wasn't on the FOB often or for very long. I got off the FOB for half of the training nights and really enjoyed being out and about with the Marines during this complex training environment. It was also nice to not have as much counseling regarding guys not wanting to be in the Marines now that they are out doing the job for which they signed up and trained for many years.
I got to see my RP (assistant and bodyguard) shoot for the first time and was quite impressed. 4 shots, 4 kills at 400 yards on the range. I know that I am well protected while in country, which is good news to both myself and my mom. It also gave me a chance to see the RP in action and I have lucked out with a great assistant who does well keeping me on schedule and also works well with me to keep me from forgetting things I need for worship, etc. He can also hang with my hectic nature in the field of getting out as often and for as long as possible outside the FOB, something we plan to continue while in country.
I had the opportunity to perform a number of services while out there and got some good feedback that those who showed up left filled with God's word and presence. I even had one say he came not expecting anything worth returning for, but found himself looking forward to coming back again. I also worked with a Catholic priest to facilitate services for the Catholics in the battalion. He was well received and held their attention during the services. He really enjoys serving Marines when they come up there and even enjoyed eating a MRE.
The other major thing I was tasked to do while up there was to introduce an "ethical warrior" training program. I basically trained the Non Commissioned Officers on the history of ethics, just war theory, military ethics, how to run case studies and introduced the concept of ethics of care so that they can go back to their squads and start talking ethics on a regular basis with their Marines. The goal being that the Marines discuss ethical issues now before so they know their ethical core before issues come up both here in garrison as well as when they are operating in country. Unknown to me before designing the program, there is high level interest in programs such as this and I was filmed and photographed giving one of the trainings followed by an interview with a public affairs officer who is incorporating the training into an article on innovations the battalion is implementing. I will update that if anything comes of it.
I also got to be a bit of a battalion photographer and PAO as I was tasked with updating the battalion's facebook page each week with photos from the field. I guess that comes with being one of the few guys who gets outside the FOB regularly to visit all the companies. It was fun taking a ton of photos and some videos to give the families a taste of what the guys were going through. Though it blows up my email account with people requesting to tag photos and making comments.
Overall it was a great time and I am fortunate to have a job that allows me such a great way to connect with others in a unique way. I am back here for a little over two weeks and then off again for more training. This time to the Mojave Desert for our final deployment certification. Deployment will be here before I know it. I just need to figure out a way to keep the posts coming from overseas so I can make sure care package requests are available for those few who read this.
Now it is back to the weekly grind of meetings in garrison. At least I get a break from meetings and get to hold an Ash Wednesday service this week that I still need to plan.
I got to see my RP (assistant and bodyguard) shoot for the first time and was quite impressed. 4 shots, 4 kills at 400 yards on the range. I know that I am well protected while in country, which is good news to both myself and my mom. It also gave me a chance to see the RP in action and I have lucked out with a great assistant who does well keeping me on schedule and also works well with me to keep me from forgetting things I need for worship, etc. He can also hang with my hectic nature in the field of getting out as often and for as long as possible outside the FOB, something we plan to continue while in country.
I had the opportunity to perform a number of services while out there and got some good feedback that those who showed up left filled with God's word and presence. I even had one say he came not expecting anything worth returning for, but found himself looking forward to coming back again. I also worked with a Catholic priest to facilitate services for the Catholics in the battalion. He was well received and held their attention during the services. He really enjoys serving Marines when they come up there and even enjoyed eating a MRE.
The other major thing I was tasked to do while up there was to introduce an "ethical warrior" training program. I basically trained the Non Commissioned Officers on the history of ethics, just war theory, military ethics, how to run case studies and introduced the concept of ethics of care so that they can go back to their squads and start talking ethics on a regular basis with their Marines. The goal being that the Marines discuss ethical issues now before so they know their ethical core before issues come up both here in garrison as well as when they are operating in country. Unknown to me before designing the program, there is high level interest in programs such as this and I was filmed and photographed giving one of the trainings followed by an interview with a public affairs officer who is incorporating the training into an article on innovations the battalion is implementing. I will update that if anything comes of it.
I also got to be a bit of a battalion photographer and PAO as I was tasked with updating the battalion's facebook page each week with photos from the field. I guess that comes with being one of the few guys who gets outside the FOB regularly to visit all the companies. It was fun taking a ton of photos and some videos to give the families a taste of what the guys were going through. Though it blows up my email account with people requesting to tag photos and making comments.
Overall it was a great time and I am fortunate to have a job that allows me such a great way to connect with others in a unique way. I am back here for a little over two weeks and then off again for more training. This time to the Mojave Desert for our final deployment certification. Deployment will be here before I know it. I just need to figure out a way to keep the posts coming from overseas so I can make sure care package requests are available for those few who read this.
Now it is back to the weekly grind of meetings in garrison. At least I get a break from meetings and get to hold an Ash Wednesday service this week that I still need to plan.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)