UCC Chaplains

UCC Chaplains
Originally uploaded by greek64.

I am pictured here with CH (LTC) Charles Purinton of VTANG 109 INF. It is an amazing coincidence that two UCC chaplains would be in the same brigade. We are so few. The other chaplains in the brigade include a Roman Catholic, 2 Presbyterians (I think) an LDS, and a Methodist.

Iraqi Barbers

Iraqi Barbers
Originally uploaded by greek64.

Most of the Iraqi barbers on post are very careful, gentle and methodical. They take their time and give the client a neck and upper back massage!

Prayers and Pics

These are two prayers that I wrote for the occassions of leaving Camp Buehring, Kuwait and for our Transfer of Authority ceremony. Attached are several photos from recent events and experiences.

Prayer for Sending Forth:

Almighty and Merciful God,
In whom we live and move and have our being.
Your Holy name we glorify, for you are the
Author of Life, source of all strength and wisdom.
You are the lover of justice and bring all peoples
and nations to your reckoning.

We gather as American Soldiers at this place and time
Who are about to depart on a mission in which we
Will face danger from the enemy.

Some of us are anxious and apprehensive.
Focus our minds, strengthen our resolve,
And make our spirits steady and alert.

We lay at your feet all our burdens and cares
Of situations beyond this place and trust in
Your presence among those whom we love
And from whom we are now separated.

Forgive us of our faults and sins, known and unknown.
And help us to know the joy of your salvation in
All times and places.

We are the sons and daughters whom you have created
And ask that you strongly be present with us as we go
Forward from this place to do the work that has been
Placed before us. Shield us by the power of your mighty
Arms.

Remind us that you have won the victory over all things
Including death and hell itself. And you forevermore
Reign in glory. Amen.


Transfer of Authority Ceremony Invocation

Almighty and Merciful God, you have been
Our strength in this time of war and insecurity.
We thank you for your guiding presence among
Our soldiers and leaders.

We ask you that you bless our efforts in bringing
Stability to the Iraqi people who are in crisis and
Are seeking a better future.

As we soldiers meet on this field to change command
May the 2nd Forward Support Battalion look back
Upon the memories of their tour here as being worthy.
Assuage any remembrance of hurtful ties and lead them
According to your will.

As the 228th Forward Support Battalion assumes responsibility here,
Give us perseverance, wisdom and strength. Be with us as a fortress
In the days ahead. Protect us by your mighty arm and grant us success.
Amen.

Benediction

Now go in peace. Serve the Lord secure in the knowledge of
His power to save. May the Lord touch you with a wind
And keep you strong. Godspeed until we meet again. Amen.

Snail Mail 007 style

Due to security purposes, I will send my snail mail address to individuals rather than publish it here on the blog. We all keep a "burn box" and destroy any mail or items with addresses on them. There even have been instances of insurgents and terrorists sending mail to soldiers' families. So we are vigilant in this respect. So, my address information given on "a need to know basis." I admit that I get a kick saying that. I always wanted to be more clandestine. I just didn't think I'd have to go to Iraq to achieve this...

The Cloud of Mosquitoes

Remembering...

After the ten day block leave (including travel time), I flew to Gulfport, MS in order to get back to Camp Shelby. My connecting flight was through Dallas. When I arrived in Gulfport I began to see all the familiar military. I had mixed feelings, but for the most part it was good and within moments I gladly resumed my role as their chaplain. I greeted the soldiers warmly and asked many about their time away. Some shared stories of packed itineraries taking off with their families to various destinations. Others told me how it was good to spend down time just lying around and catching up on rest. After waiting for a while, we were told it would be another hour or so until a van arrived to pick us up. One sergeant apparently met a Navy serviceman who was willing to offer rides in his pickup truck. “Over here, chaplain. We have a seat for you.” So, I schlepped two heavily packed duffle bags, a hand bag, a rucksack, a laptop case, and a “ditty” bag over to where his pickup was parked. I had the most baggage. (As we prepared to leave Shelby we were instructed to “take everything” with us. I left a locked trunk behind, but still carried most of my equipment back to PA. I initially went down with far more than I needed and then the Army kept issuing things that weren’t really needed for the deployment and finally issued some of the things there were.)

When I first arrived at Camp Shelby back in April, I was initially assigned to the Replacement Unit until those of us just reporting in were processed and received “Go’s” on our Common Task Training Stations--CTT (Everything from calling in Medevac to throwing grenades.) Eventually, I was assigned temporary quarters, but when I went to look over the situation what I found was an overcrowded barracks at an even more desolate end of the camp. I decided to go back and squat at the Replacement Unit officer’s barracks until someone decided to kick me out. For a number of days I was being hounded by some SSG to get packed and going. My reply was that I there wasn’t any room for me in my regular unit housing. (This was accurate according to my intelligence!) Eventually, they completely forgot that I was there to the point when I went to check out they couldn’t find any record of me even being there…) So, when block leave was over and it was time to go back to our assigned barracks, I went back to the Replacement Unit where I was very comfortable. Yes, my housing was non-air conditioned and over a half mile away on foot in the sweltering Mississippi heat, but it was pleasant, quiet and comfortable until…

One morning I woke up with what I thought was a pimple on face. I didn’t pay it any heed and just noted that I had a small break out. The next afternoon I decided that it was time for a mid afternoon nap. Naps are hard to avoid when the weather is so oppressive. So I took my shirt off, took book in hand and lie down on the wrinkled and damp sheets to enjoy my down time. Grogginess had its way with me within minutes and I was drifting away until I felt bites on my chest and arm. I made note of the problem and covered myself with a sheet for the rest of the nap. I reported back to the unit in the late afternoon, had dinner and came back to the barracks in the dark. I put some repellent on and hit the sack. The next thing I remember was grabbing my pillow and trekking the half mile back to the chapel and lying on a van bench. I thought I was safe in the air-conditioned chapel, but I made the mistake of lying down right under a window that was cracked open for ventilation. The nasty blood suckers attacked me here too. (Before I left on block leave there hadn’t been one mosquito. I was rather amazed because the lush environment is perfect for mosquitoes. They must have hatched while I was on block leave.)

The next day I decided to do some research on the little miscreants. According to the latest science, it is true that mosquitoes prefer some individuals over others. Researchers have found that there are some compounds in our blood that is attractive to mosquitoes. The compound apparently has to do with cholesterol regulation. Also, mosquitoes find humans by the carbon dioxide that we give off during respiration. Some mosquitoes can sense a human target for a blood meal as far as forty miles away!

The next few nights I used the Army’s permetherin spray all over my van bench and applied the standard repellant and made sure the chapel window was closed. Some soldiers were curious why I was sleeping in our make-shift chapel. I told them that it wasn’t because I was trying to become more holy, I was run out of my barracks by the cloud of mosquitoes. As a child I had be terrorized by the little SOB's. In Greece we would buy several coils of "Katol" and burn them around me at nightime as if I were at my own funeral. I would wake up at night or the next morning finding out that no one else in my family was afflicted. I'd walk around with big welts from the reaction that my body had to their feasts. I'd scratch until bleeding. I'd put on salves and creams and ointments. As an adult, I've learned to ignore them and restrain my self as much as possible. At Shelby some soldiers commiserated showing me their itchy bumps and scratches. God even connects us through the sharing of our minor miseries.

Camp Taqaddum

Camp Taqaddum or “TQ” is the eastern most camp in our area of operation. We are at a former Iraqi air base near a lake in the Al Ramadi region. We are actually closer to Al Fallujah than we are to Ramadi. Apparently all the news during the past year about Fallujah was a matter of the military cleaning that city up. According to what I have been told, Fallujah is now quiet and it is actually Ramadi that has more activity. There are daily reports of IED’s and VBIED’s (vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices) every day. As a matter of fact, today when our Quick Response Force was patrolling the area toward Ramadi they had found that an insurgent had blown himself up in the road while trying to set up an IED.

The flight here from Kuwait took place at night. About 50 of us were crammed into the hot cabin of the C-130. It had been a long time since I have sweated so much even in this heat! Between the cramped space and the heat, I think I was a moment or two away from yelling, “Get me the hell out of here!” but I calmed myself with cool thoughts. I thought of Alaska and polar bears in the snow. It actually worked for me. We arrived at TQ at about 4AM. We had to unload our bags from trucks, plus help another group of soldiers with their bags. Some of the other soldiers were continuing with another flight to a post further west. We got on to hot, dusty busses and were dropped off about 15 minutes later in the dark night in what seemed the middle of nowhere.

TQ once had tents. A few have remained standing. The sandstorms have pounded through those, so the Marines and the current Army unit have built small huts that are slightly off the ground. Each hut and most other buildings (including the large chapel) are surrounded by high sand barriers. There have been mortar attacks here, but none has landed in the central areas of our part of the camp.

After being to wait until my housing was assigned, I decided to find the current chaplain to help me settle in. Last time I waited until assigned, I got last dibs on one of the “slums” back at Shelby, MS. I plan not to have others decide my fate in this current situation if there is anything I have to say about it. CH (CPT) Buffington is a younger man with the 2nd FSB. They were in Korea before being assigned to Iraq. It has been a long two years for them and they have been eager to see us. He is a warm Southern Baptist with a mostly counselor persona. His congregation at this morning’s worship was mostly African American. It is apparent that his unit values him. CH Buffington has given me some good advice for survival skills here at TQ. Part of CH Buffington’s duties here included work with the Marine’s Mortuary Affairs unit. Apparently, nearly all of our casualties pass through this camp. He has told me of some very difficult sights and the great care that goes into preparing bodies for shipment back to Dover, DE. He will introduce me to this unit in the next few days. After then they will call on me in the middle of the night to offer prayers over the war dead.

The morning before flying up, I visited with three serials from our unit that were preparing to convoy up to TQ. I went from vehicle to vehicle. Some were gun trucks, others were five tons, and others yet were Humvees loaded with soldiers and equipment set for a three day drive. As I walked about, small groups of soldiers approached me for time of prayer. One asked me to bless his rosary. Even the commanders requested that I offer prayer with them. I made it a point to climb up to any soldier who was posted as a gunner and check in with them. I would shake their hand and make small talk. I would ask how they were doing. Most were solidly ready for the exposure to danger ahead. A couple were a bit nervous, but not shaken. One leader was having a difficult time. She had been having some issues within her unit as it was. At least some of her NCO’s were showing concern. The convoy took nearly three days with very few rest stops to get from Kuwait to TQ. The soldiers including the Commander arrived a bit weary, but certainly glad to make it without incident. Eating with them in the mess hall was like a family reunion.

Now that I am close to being more settled, I will spend some time uploading photographs and recounting some of the experiences of the past couple of weeks.