Two Years Ago

I wasn't really aware of how long it has been since I posted something here until I got on to post something about that night two years ago in Hawthorne, NV. Guess I need to pay more attention when I am actually in port and not on a government computer and able to post.

Anyway, today was a special day not just because it is a day in which all of the Deadwalkers from 1/9 remember our seven brothers lost in a mortar explosion. Today, one of the Corpsmen from that night was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his bravery and actions that night. This is the highest award for heroism displayed in peacetime.

On that night, Ian was severely injured by the blast. So much so that he is still recovering from his wounds and has endured multiple surgeries to rebuild his face. Despite his significantly more severe injuries, he repeatedly waved off efforts of others to assist him directing them to his injured Marines. If fact, his airway was blocked and he intubated himself to open the airway, thus saving his own life. I can't even imagine enduring his trauma, much less having the clarity of mind to perform a life saving technique on anyone, including myself.

I didn't get to speak with him that night as he was one of eight Marines and Sailors airlifted to Reno, NV for treatment. However, I was able to speak with him a few days later when he was in between a few surgeries. I walked into his room to check on how he was doing and if there was anything he needed from me or anyone else. Before I could finish saying hello, he had written on a sheet of paper. How are you doing? Corpsman to the core of his being.

The next time I visited two days later, he had an iPad and was rapidly communicating via technology and had been contacted by one of his heroes. Ian, like myself, is from the Triangle and WRAL had done a story on him and alluded to his actions and it came up that he was a huge Duke fan (of course this sat well with his Duke graduate chaplain). Well, Coach K got word of this and personally called Ian's hospital room and spoke with him for a few minutes and promised him the game ball from their upcoming NCAA tournament game and I think also provided him a jersey from that game as well. Small tributes for a outsized man.

I am glad I get to know and work with men and women such as this Devil Doc. He is a Deadwalker to the core.

I got to see photos of him receiving his medal today and am proud of him and his progress towards a full recovery.

One Year Later

This is a time of year when many people are recovering from their celebration of St Patrick last night. However, this time of year is one of reflection for me and many other Marines and Sailors who were with the Walking Dead in Hawthorne, NV.

Personally, I am grateful for not having any night vision goggles that night. If I had some I would have been down range following my Marines and would have been close enough to the blast that at a minimum I would have spent some time in the hospital. The individual with whom I ran the two previous day range events was seriously injured and I was always within arms reach of him.

I learned what secondary trauma looks and feels like. I wasn't on the hill, but I can tell you exactly what it looked like, what it smelled like and what happened in all of its tragic detail. I learned just how surreal it is to know the full story and less than 12 hours later seeing CNN leading the news talking about and making some crazy guesses about what happened.

I miss Josh, Billy, Ripp, Mason, Joshua, David and Rog. We all do. They were good men. Their families raised them right and were so gracious and loving towards us as we all grieved together at many funerals over the span of a week.

But, what I didn't expect was to find so much beauty in the midst of all that carnage. I saw bravery and heroism that we don't speak much of in peacetime and training. There are Marines and Sailors that are here who wouldn't have made it without the quick thinking of those on the scene and due to the amazing leadership and training of the Battalion Surgeon.

I saw communities pour out their hearts for their lost sons and welcome their brothers in arms as if we had grown up right alongside them. I saw people lining a highway for 50 miles to honor someone they never met, people pulling over to the side of the road just to nod to those of us in a long processional. I saw a funeral crowd for a Lance Corporal that surprised and briefly overwhelmed the staff at Arlington.

That night and the events that followed impacted me and made me a better chaplain, a better minister and a better person.

I leave you with the memorial remarks at the two memorial services; one at Bridgeport and one at Camp Lejeune.  

Bridgeport Memorial Service

We held a memorial service out at Bridgeport, CA a few days after the accident that took the lives of seven of our Marines. Due to the lack of computer time, I had to write out my comments and as tends to happen Mr. Murphy showed up and the motivated Marines that immediately returned the podium to its rightful place removed my notes with said podium. So I had to wait for the DVD to transcribe what I said that evening and today with NMCI down for the count I had the opportunity to listen and type at the same time. Below is what I said in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy and sets the stage for what I said last week at the public memorial service. I publish these remarks today as the families of 1/9 were not afforded the opportunity to attend this service and may never get their hands on one of the DVDs.

What now? Other than why, that is probably the most frequent question I hear and the one that is probably the most prominent on the mind of everyone in this hangar. Where do we go from here? What do we do? What do we say to our friends, the families, to each other? This is my take. We get through this and we go on together. But that is easier said than done. So, what now?

First, we remember. We come together tonight and hear stories that remind us of the treasures that we lost. We go to an airport and help our brothers start their long journey home. We laugh and joke about them over a beer. But we must remember that we can never drink Monday night away. It will always be with us so we remember together than to attempt to forget alone. We also need to remember the heroic acts of people sitting with us tonight and people in hospital rooms in Reno. They saved lives.

We heal together. Remembering allows space for our emotions to run. Talking together eases our pain and soothes the wounds. You do not need me or the OSCAR to heal. But if you need to talk with one of us, I am always here for you. As the pain fades, we can acknowledge what happened and then we can see the moments of beauty among the chaos and carnage. I knew this battalion had started to heal at about 1300 on Tuesday. When I saw a crowd gathering and I thought it was the First Sergeants giving a brief about the movement plan to get on the buses. As I walked up I saw it wasn’t a First Sergeant led brief, actually no one was talking. People were walking up and putting stuff on the hillside. As I got closer I saw that the 81’s platoon had started a memorial of rocks they had written on. By the time I got there people were putting their ranks on the memorial. I have told everyone that at that moment, I knew we were going to get through this together. This kind of healing lets us tell the stories of Ripp, Josh, Joshua, Rog, David, Mason and Billy.

And we live. We honor our fallen by living a full and vibrant life. WE let their stories meld into our stories and we carry on their dreams. WE make their families ours and incorporate them into our lives. We don’t let defeat us. We show death that it is not worth being our enemy. Because life is our friend. Death pisses us off, so we fight death by helping others to live it. Live the life those we send off on the angel flight wants us to live. If that guides us the memory of Josh, Joshua, Mason, Rog, David, Billy and Ripp will never be forgotten.

Remembering Seven Fallen Brothers

Yesterday morning we held a memorial service at Camp Lejeune for the seven Marines we lost in a mortar explosion while training in Hawthorne, NV. For all the 1/9 families and friends that were unable to attend, as is my tradition (which I really would like to never have to do), here are my remarks from the service:

Five weeks ago, our lives changed forever. Nothing can change that. Nothing can erase that day. It was a night of chaos and carnage that gave way to a day of beauty and courage. I don’t want to forget that night, I couldn’t even if I wanted to. We owe it to Ripp, Josh, Joshua, Billy, Rog, Mason and David to remember that night. But, we owe it to them to remember not just the tragic but also the good and heroic. And what better way to honor the events of March 18^th and the men of Hawthorne than to reflect on what it means to be a Deadwalker.

Most normal people would recoil at the prospect of joining an organization nicknamed the Walking Dead. That or they would think it’s just a fan club of the TV show where they could hunt zombies. Like many of you, when I received word I was coming to 1/9 I went to the two sources of all information, Google and Wikipedia, to learn the history of my new unit. After reading the history of the unit and discovering the unit called themselves the Walking Dead, I found the name a bit morbid and chalked it and the Grim Reaper logo up to the infantry obsession with skulls. And two years ago, like many outside our unit, I would have thought it odd to call someone a good Deadwalker. But, after March 18^th we know there is honor and deep meaning in wearing the title of Deadwalker.

So what does it mean to lay claim to the name Deadwalker? What sets us apart from other people? Other units? For the guests who aren’t familiar with the unit’s history, our name came from the time those who walked before us spent in Vietnam. After a particularly difficult and brutal battle we had suffered the worst day for the Corps in Vietnam both in sheer numbers and in percentage of casualties. One Viet Cong General reportedly stated that we were never going to win and were essentially walking towards our death and burial and called us the Walking Dead. That nickname was even broadcast over Vietnamese propaganda radio by the infamous Hanoi Hanna encouraging us to go ahead and die. We embraced that name, but not in the way they expected. They had no clue what made up a member of the Walking Dead. Even death itself cannot defeat a Deadwalker.

          

Today we remember seven men who embodied everything it means to be a part of the Walking Dead. As you have heard from many others today, these seven Marines weren’t just great Marines, they were outstanding young men who had much to offer the world. They had already made a positive difference here in the unit as well as their communities back home. These men looked death in the face on the night of March 18^th and just grinned because they knew death wasn’t getting the final say in their lives.

        

Death will always lose when it is up against infantry Marines that are willing to argue with each other that they are the best potential date for Taylor Swift. Death doesn’t stand a chance against the sarcasm of these Marines. Death’s darkness can’t overcome the illuminating smiles and powerful sense of humor of these men. Death can’t bully men who refuse to succumb to peer pressure. Death can’t recover from men who will do anything to save their brothers and put others above their own safety in a time of need. Death’s grip isn’t strong enough to compete against the beauty of a simple memorial of rocks and chevrons created by brothers in arms. The fear of death will always be overwhelmed by lives that inspire thousands of people in communities around this country to come out and pay respects to their fallen sons. 

Men such as these change lives for good and are the shoulders that the Corps stands upon. We take men such as these for granted because we expect great things from them. Men like Ripp, Joshua, Rog, Billy, Josh, David and Mason defeat death because they show us how to live. Their bodies are buried, but their lives will continue on and their impact will multiply as we live lives that honor the way in which they changed our lives for good. 

We call this battalion the Walking Dead and the men Deadwalkers not because they are walking around awaiting death or because of a morbid sense of humor. No, we call ourselves Deadwalkers because we walk through death with no fear. We show death it is nothing in the face of such men. Time and again, death has tried to defeat this battalion. Time and again, death has lost because we live lives inspired by men such as Josh, Billy, Mason, Joshua, Ripp, David and Rog. Lives that inspire others to live well. Lives that death can’t extinguish. So the next time the Battalion Commander ends a formation with his familiar call and response, don’t look at it as cheesy false motivation. Answer his call with pride that you are part of this storied unit and that you are willing to honor the lives of these seven and all those before you who proudly bear the name Deadwalker. 

And here is a photo of the memorial that I alluded to in the remarks:

Arlington

I had the privilege yesterday of performing a burial at Arlington National Cemetery for one of my Marines who was killed in Hawthorne, NV on March 18th. I had hoped to never be called on to perform such a task, but sometimes we don't get exactly what we want. Below are the remarks that I made. I would have posted the memorial service remarks from Bridgeport, but I didn't type those up and lost my notes so I'll post them once I can transcribe from the DVD.

Today we gather on sacred and hallowed ground with heavy hearts to remember the life of a great Marine, but more importantly the life of an outstanding young man. It will take time for us to comprehend that Taylor is gone. But we can find a measure of solace in the fact that Taylor led a good life and embodied the spirit that earned his unit the nickname of the Walking Dead. It may seem odd to call someone a good Deadwalker, but I think after the events of two weeks ago we better understand what it means to claim the title of Deadwalker.

The Vietnamese claimed that our battalion was dead and awaiting burial, so they called us the Walking Dead. Unfortunately they didn’t know what made up a member of the Walking Dead. Even death cannot defeat us or stop us from making a difference in this world. Billy’s life and the way he had a positive effect on all those around him prove that death didn’t get the final say so on the 18^th of March.

Death just can’t defeat an infantryman that is willing to vehemently argue that Taylor Swift would choose him over any other Marine. Death can’t win against someone who begrudgingly accepted being called Billy, a name he couldn’t stand, because his brothers in arms gave him that name. Death has no chance to outlast the legacy of someone who conquered three deployments and three weeks on the mountain at Bridgeport. Death can’t claim victory over someone whose smile and love of life were infectious to all who encountered him. Death has no chance to outlast the legacy of a man like Taylor.

Men such as Taylor change lives for the better and are what the legend and lore of the corps are built upon. Marines like Taylor, lead and shape lives in ways they never realize in life. Only upon their death do we begin to see the full impact of their actions on the lives of their brothers and every person they have known. We take men like Taylor for granted because we expect great things from men such as him and in his absence we see the effect he had on our lives. Men like Taylor defeat death because they show us how to live. Today we bury his body, but we will never bury his life because that will continue to live on and multiply in the lives of those he changed for good.

Way to Go USO

So this isn't an update on anything in the last few days but a huge thank you to the men and women volunteers at the USO at John Wayne International Airport in Ontario, CA. They have done some amazing work the last few days. It started on Thursday night when we arrived at 11pm after a 2.5 hour bus ride from Twentynine Palms after EMV. I happened to be on the first bus at the front and was the first one inside the USO on Thursday night, the first of about 650+ Marines and sailors they would host that night alone, not counting the next two nights with the rest of 1/9 and all of 3/6 getting home.

When we got there, they had cold soft drinks in every part of the USO for us to have along some great snacks. Additionally, they had someone on the grill non stop cooking hot dogs for anyone who wanted them. I have been in a few USO locations and this by far was the largest I have ever seen. It looks like they took over an entire terminal that isn't used anymore and just spread all kinds of love and kindness to our servicemembers. The volunteers took time to talk with each person as they walked in the door and were extremely patient dealing with so many Marines cramped in a space designed for about 150 or so. They were there in shifts all through the night and it was amazing to see that kind of dedication to take care of some hungry and exhausted Marines.

I talked with many of the volunteers (the two Navy vets were glad to talk with a non-Marine for a few minutes). One lady had never seen a chaplain come through and had all kinds of questions and enjoyed talking with me about what I did each day. I am so grateful there are dedicated people that will come in and meet servicemembers regardless of the hour they come through.

Thank you and continued blessings to the USO on their ministry to those they serve.

Notes from California-EMV Part 4

This is the last post from California as I am hopping onto a bus in a few hours to make it to the airport and wait 6 hours for our 0500 flight back home. I have really enjoyed my time out here with my Marines and have learned quite a bit more about the USMC and what to expect in Afghanistan. The desert environment has been quite the challenge on me and my equipment and I learned tricks to overcome that. One thing I would improve is to have some dedicated training/mentoring for the Religious Ministry Teams (Chaplain and RP) that come out here for a month. It is a mentality of go figure out how to operate under a schedule and training environment that is nothing like deployment. So, RP and I had to figure out ways to make the training effective for us.

We did five foot patrols with the guys in a mock town in two days this week to get our teamwork and communication down. We have some more work to do, but there has been a good start and we can build on that next week and during our in country training period.

I got to participate in a few key leader engagements with Afghan role players. I was just there to engage with their religious leader if needed. It was great to learn the culture in an intense setting and to eat Afghan food. I did get to say a prayer at one of the meetings. It was odd saying a prayer as a Christian in a room of Muslims. I gather I did a good job as it was well received and I heard a comment of how our prayers are very similar. 

Easter was great, despite preaching in 30+ mph winds. 80 people showed up across all three services throughout the afternoon. We couldn't do a sunrise service due to the training schedule, but I was pleased with the turnout. We'll see how many show up once we get into country. I am predicting a pretty good turnout, but that depends on how things are going.

It was a good experience for RP and I to bond and get a good feel for how we work together and what the stressors are for each of us. We also learned what happens to each of us as we get tired and exhausted. I am really looking forward to heading out in a few weeks and ministering where there is a distinct and great need.

Easter Sermon from EMV

I know this is posting things a bit early, but I am not sure I will have time to post this tomorrow due to the crazy schedule and lack of computer access after I finish preaching the three services to all the positions of the companies in the field. While in the field I don't typically use a manuscript instead just relying on notes. But as this is my first major Christian holiday in the field I wanted to post the full text, well minus any ad libbing I do tomorrow, to test out something I want to do in country. I want to post sermon notes and texts so my lay leaders can use them as discussions so when I visit the Marines they are connected with any kind of series or recurring themes while I have been unable to visit. Plus, it gives a small window into how I reach my Marines. Unfortunately, you won't be there with them at the Forward Operating Bases in the desert and haven't been with them the last month, but I hope you get a feel for what they are going through and what they need as I have discerned.

Easter 2011

Psalm 113:1-2, 14-24 (Opening Prayer)

Colossians 3:1-4

Matthew 28:1-10

“Who Jesus Is”

24 April 2011 Field Services

Have you ever experienced a moment that you will never forget. One that is etched in your mind for all eternity. 9/11, for us old folks, the Challenger explosion, your first kiss, when you proposed, the birth of a child, the death of a loved one. This is one of those moments for the two women named Mary in the text. Normally, those moments have significance to just us, but this moment changed history and affected everyone for the last two thousand years.
I have been trying to picture this whole scene at the tomb in my mind the last week. Let’s all put ourselves in the women’s shoes here. What would this whole thing look like?
A man we trusted and followed despite ridicule and banishment from our religion that defined our lives was brutally executed this past Friday. He didn’t go quickly either. He hung there dying for hours undergoing torture at the hands of people who couldn’t care who he was or what he meant to us let alone the world. All his other close friends essentially abandoned the last three years of following him and went back to their old jobs and lives the next day. Who can really blame them though? They needed to live and this Jesus guy wasn’t really who he said he was right? He promised to save Israel and had open arms for everyone. He did heal people, but so did other. So maybe he was just a fad like all the others.
If I’m honest with myself, I’d probably do the same thing. I put most of my chips betting on Jesus, but hold some back in case I’m wrong. The disciples did the same thing, it seems like human nature. But, these women don’t run away from Jesus, they are slower to go back to their old lives. Despite their world crashing down on them and essentially losing everything in his death, they go to the tomb after the Sabbath. They are following their customs when things get back to normal in Israel and want to anoint the body and help keep the stench down. They want Jesus to have respect and dignity in death, even if he did let them down.

When they get there though, the world changes again in a dramatic manner. According to Matthew, the earth shook, the stone rolled away and an angel was sitting on the stone. Imagine that scene for a second. You are grieving the loss of a dear friend and then bam, an angel is sitting on the stone at an open tomb that was sealed last time you looked a second ago. I’d run far and fast. The women pause and the angel says, “Do not be afraid.” Yeah, right! That would make me want to run even more. The angel says that the one we are looking for isn’t here, he is risen. Every scary legend I learned about graveyards is coming true before my eyes. These women know about Lazarus and how he walked out of a tomb, so this scene isn’t exactly new to them, but no one was there to raise Jesus. Did he do this himself? Before they can ask a question, the angel say to go and tell the disciples that Jesus will meet them in Galilee. They leave still afraid but are doing what the angel instructed.

On the way there, they see Jesus who greets them saying, “Hi!” like nothing has happened. Don’t be afraid and tell those scared men to meet me in Galilee. It seems like Jesus expected this and it isn’t all that amazing that he is talking to people a few days after his death. But, Jesus is not exactly like us. He looks like us, talks like us, walks like us, feels like us, but there is something distinctly different and this event has brought that into clear focus. And he needs people to tell the world who he is and what he is here for.

We misunderstand him all the time. We tend to lose focus on what Jesus came for and why he went through all he went through the last week of his life. On Sunday, he entered Jerusalem as a hero and then went and turned over tables at the temple. Monday he curses a tree as an object lesson and tells some parables about what is going to happen. Tuesday he seals his fate with the religious leaders. Wednesday his arrest is arranged. Thursday he has his last meal and is betrayed during his prayer with God. Friday he is beaten and executed after a trumped up trial in a kangaroo court. But, despite all this he came back. For us, each and every one of us here today. For this world so broken that creation moans for renewal. That is the gospel. That is the grace of Christ. That made everything he taught took a different meaning. Everything he said has eternal consequences and shapes how we live out our calling to bless to world.

In the passage from Colossians, Paul says we must seek things of Christ because he is part of us and we part of him. Christ has participated in everything we undergo in life and rose above it all. So doing the things of Christ are what brings his glory here on earth. So what exactly are the things we, those of us called Christians who proclaim the glory of the day we remember today, are called to do?

We have to go back to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry to see what today means. Jesus laid out the kingdom and what he was here for in the Sermon on the Mount. It also defined who Jesus is. The sermons in Lent have revolved around “Who is Jesus?” Today the answer is proven. We heard it from Jesus’ mouth earlier in Matthew so lets look again at how wide, wonderful and glorious this kingdom is.

It is humble, full of broken people doing what they can to help others as much or more than they help themselves. It is people who are looking to make peace with the world and others. People who care for creation as gardeners and not just consumers. People who love even their enemies as much as friends. People just like us who know they need Jesus to live into that kingdom. It is inclusive and waiting for anyone to come into the kingdom at any time.

The kingdom is Christ’s death, our sins, forgiveness, thankfulness, community, hospitality, inspiration, equality and our calling to be a blessing to the world. The kingdom is here for those of us who are broken and know the world is broken and know that is not what the world should be.

This kingdom turns our culture and what we value on its head. It doesn’t matter why you are here today, this kingdom is for you. You may only worship today and Christmas, you may only come when you need strength, you may come every Sunday because it is the only way you make it through the week. Jesus is alive and on the move for you.

This kingdom is for losers like me, where the least of these become the greatest in the kingdom and are the focus of Jesus’ ministry and who we losers are called to minister to as well. And what is amazing is that the king of this heavenly kingdom loves losers like me so much that he defeated death for me.

And this king is more than just someone who died to save us. I have to admit that sometimes I cannot adequately put into words who Jesus is and what it means to have him as my king. Those raised in an African-American faith can articulate that better than I ever will so I will take excerpts from a description of King Jesus by the Rev S.M. Lockridge from 35 years ago that is still powerful and relevant on a day like today.

"My King is: The king of the Jews-that’s a racial king. The King of Israel-that’s a national king; the King of glory; the king of kings and the Lord of Lords.

My king is a sovereign king. No means of measure can define his limitless love! No barrier can hinder him from pouring out his blessing!

He’s enduringly strong! He’s entirely sincere! He’s imperially powerful! He’s impartially merciful! He’s the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world!

He’s God’s son! The sinner’s savior! The centerpiece of civilization! He stands in the solitude of Himself! He’s the fundamental doctrine of true theology!

He sympathizes and saves. He strengthens and sustains. He guards and guides. He heals the sick. He cleansed the lepers. He forgives sinners. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate.

I wish I could describe him for you, but he’s indescribable! He’s incomprehensible. He’s invincible! He’s irresistible!

You can’t get him out of your mind or off your hands! You can’t outlive him and you can’t live without him! The Pharisees couldn’t stand him, but they found out they couldn’t stop him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in him. Death couldn’t handle him and the tomb couldn’t hold him.

That’s my King, that’s my king, that my king and he’s the kingdom and the power and the glory Forever. AMEN!"

Notes from California-EMV Part 3

It has been a good two weeks out here. The battalion seems to be performing well. I'm not a ground combat tactician so I'm basing that on what I am hearing, etc. The Marines are in good spirits and are eager to get this last week done and get back to NC. I can say I am there with them.

I have had a good time out there watching artillery do their job in the combined arms portion of this long training. It is weird being out in the field with weapons flying overhead. You definitely hear them coming before you see them land about a mile away. My RP and I have yet to spend more than two nights in any one location. We are getting tired by all the traveling, but it is rewarding and I am there to serve my Marines so that is what we get to do. We did get the last two nights back at Camp Wilson for some rest and refit. We are heading back out in two hours for the last event here that will last until Thursday and then on Friday we are off to the airport for the flight back to NC.

I would have some great photos from the last week or so, but the cell phone literally cooked in the heat and isn't working at all. And my camera didn't make it past the first week.

Next up is getting ready for the Easter preaching extravaganza tomorrow as I plan to do 4 services so I can be at every company position for Easter. That is why the rest over the last few days has been well timed. Last week I got to do something pretty special and participated in a Passover Seder out in the field. I had to order the meals for everyone three months ago due to the special order nature of the event, but it was great to participate in such a setting for a special meal. I even got a thank you email from one of the moms for making sure to think about the Jewish Marines out here. That was one of the emails that makes the job worthwhile.

Notes from California-EMV Part 2

So I just got back to the main base out here, Camp Wilson, sort of unexpectedly due to some training I have to give to all the companies before we leave here and two of them are back here for the next two days so I get to give them the training tomorrow. It will be nice to get a shower and do some laundry. The soda I just finished was amazing after not having anything cold to drink for the last two weeks. What a great time out in the field though. I was able to get out with each of the companies for a few nights over that time and held some field services with good attendance numbers of about 10% of the companies. I also got to get out and walk alongside the Marines as they performed on some live fire ranges, one of which I have heard them talk about since the day I arrived 6 months ago. Range 400 out here is a sort of coming of age type experience for the infantry types and I must say it was quite impressive. I walked along with the Battalion Commander who provided some great insight into what I was seeing. There were times where machine guns were firing overhead and I was 100 yds from explosions of all kinds. Pretty surreal to say the least.

We have endured all kinds of weather out here in the desert. From 100 degree days to 30 degree nights to even some rain and 50 mph winds. It is truly looking like a great place to get that final training in before we head out and deploy. I'll leave now so I can go and finish some other work, relax and get some sleep before getting up late tomorrow (6 am instead of 4am like the past few days.)

Notes from California-EMV Part 1

So I am now out at Twentynine Palms, CA for Enhanced Mojave Viper training, our last hurdle before deployment. We have been at the main training camp called Camp Wilson all week and will push out to the remote training areas today. It has been an interesting week out here. It all started with a charter flight from Cherry Point on Sunday afternoon/evening to Ontario, CA. We had to arrive on base 10 hours before the flight to draw weapons and pack up, etc. We loaded the buses and headed down the road to Cherry Point and the bus I was on got lost twice on the way there. Not to worry because we were at the terminal for hours before the flight left. For military flights they weigh you in before you get on which was a new experience for me. The flight left about 90 minutes late for various reasons so we didn't land until about 11pm California time, got on buses for another two hours and finally had our gear here in the desert at about 4am. Back up at 8am for the normal day to begin.

Most of the week was training for the Marines so RP and I got some good PT in and basically worked out of the chapel on Camp Wilson. Many classes and meetings throughout the week. I also got the honor of getting my smallpox vaccine on Wednesday. Man it is itching right now. The other infantry battalion chaplain and I got to do some visioning of our plans for deployment as he will be in an area close to ours on deployment and it was nice to have deep theological discussions like in seminary again. We are both from different backgrounds and had some great discussions on a wide range of topics and how we do worship, etc. One of my Chaplain School classmates is stationed out here and he stopped by for a few hours on Thursday to catch up and offer some tips on deployment, etc. All in all a good and productive week with some good counseling and lay leader training as well.

We held a Bible study on Wednesday night and had a movie night on Thursday for anyone interested. Not much turnout, but the guys have typically been exhausted each night after training. Other than yesterday the temperatures have been quite comfortable and makes me glad we are here training because it is dry and there is usually a breeze to cool you off. I'll get one final run in and hopefully have time for a shower before we push out for 4 weeks. I have decided that if I were to deploy to a place like this, I'd probably go crazy. I'm too much of a personality that needs to get out and do stuff to be stuck at an established base with restaurants and such for a long period of time. This week has been long enough and I am ready to get out there with the Marines and get this show on the road.

Hopefully I'll be able to get some updates as we are out there training. If not, I'll provide the select few of you who read this an update when I get back to this bastion of civilization in a few weeks.