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.
No comments:
Post a Comment