Memorial Sunday

I spoke for five minutes during both services at my Church last Sunday--Wheatland Presbyterian in Lancaster. Most of the people in the Church found out I was going to Iraq by reading the Lancaster Sunday News article, so I thought it might be good for me to give some sort of update about what is going on in my life and with my family, the Army, etc. I also talked about why I joined and about getting deployed what I might be doing after we return. In Presbyterian Churches, we write things out. Here's what I said:

Serving Our Country, Serving Our Lord

For those who know me and know my family, they know without a doubt that the last year has been quite exciting—way too exciting for most people, to say the least. The excitement began on May 9 when I had a very bad bicycle racing accident. Just 54 weeks ago, Pastor Bruce was asking you to pray for me because I was in Lancaster General with a broken neck and many other injuries. The following Sunday and for a dozen Sundays thereafter, I worshipped Our Lord in a neck brace. Then on August 16th, out of the neck brace for a full two weeks, I re-enlisted in the Army National Guard after being a civilian for 23 years. In October my wife Annalisa and I decided to start the process of adopting a brother for our son Nigel—a process that is going on now. Then last month, I found out for sure that next February I will be deployed to Iraq with the 28th Aviation Brigade, Fort Indiantown Gap, PA.

Before I go further, I want you to know that everything that has happened to me in the last year has, according to Our Lord’s faithful promises, worked together for my good.

Some of you right now may be thinking I really must have whacked my head pretty hard in that accident. How can ten broken bones and orders for Iraq be blessings? I’ll admit, it’s not for everybody, but I have had the opportunity in the last year to see the limits of my faith, to test my courage, to test my resolve, and to live in daily dependence on others: on my family and my brothers and sisters here.

Most of us are divorced from the reality that the next life is just a moment away. I live vividly with that knowledge. We can all get used to the blessings we have and take them for granted. Beginning on May 2nd, my 55th birthday, I went through three weeks of Army training and for that three weeks slept in the same room with 40 other guys. Beyond all the other sounds you can imagine 40 guys making, all soldiers now have personal electronics of various kinds. War movies, heavy metal music, wrestling and horror movies played simultaneously until, thank the Lord, lights out. Of all men in this sanctuary this morning, I imagine I most appreciate the comforts of sleeping at home just now.

Because serving in the military means devotion to a greater cause and a willingness to give up freedom, it is easy to confuse patriotism with serving Our Lord. And, of course, on this Memorial weekend we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice of patriotism, those who gave their lives for our country. But there is a great difference. We are told to pray for our leaders, not to worship them. As citizens, we serve our country in various ways, but we are not to idolize it. As in so many other areas of life, the truth is clearest to those who actually do things, and dimmest to those who simply look on.

The forty guys in my training group certainly qualify as patriots, but that is not the first purpose any of them is training to go to Iraq. They need a job, want money for education, want the adventure of going to a combat zone, or just want to try something different. They all know the sacrifice they could be making, but that is almost never a topic of conversation.

I am looking at the time I am spending in the Army as time that will help to make me a better and more willing servant of the Lord. Each one of us, whether in the barracks I just left, or in this sanctuary, is to a very large extent the sum of our habits. Last year when I was in the hospital as soon as I recovered my wits between bouts of pain, I wanted my cell phone and I wanted a latte. The worst pain was in my right arm so the addiction to email actually had three weeks off. In Iraq we will have limited phone and email privileges—no round the clock access. And I think it is safe to say I will not be drinking lattes, racing bicycles, and traveling on an expense account to the world’s greatest cities.

By the time I retire from working full time, I want to be ready and willing to serve the Lord. I want to be able to help in disasters, live in bad climates and not be looking back at the world I frankly love too much. The real service will be then when I am able to live in this world without being of this world. And the Army will help to take the glitter off the world while giving me, among other things, the kind of fellowship most modern men are dying inside without.

CS Lewis says—you didn’t think I was going to go five minutes without quoting CS Lewis did you? Lewis says we are fools to think our lives are our own, even to think our time is our own. I have spent a long time becoming that sort of fool, but with Our Lord’s help I am on the fast track back to seeing my time as not my own.

I'm Back. . .

. . .In two senses of the word. I am back to posting after a week of catching up on work and workouts. May was my low month so far this year for workouts--especially riding. And I am back in the case of being really far back in the pack at today's bike race. It turns out (no surprise) that military training does not help with training for races. I hung in for three of the ten 2.7-mile laps. I rode five more laps then pulled off the road to watch the finish. One of my teammates took the win by about a second--so it was a good result even if I had no real part in it.

On the start line one of the officials called out my name then told the whole pack at the start (40 racers) that I had enlisted and was going to Iraq. It was quite a surprise. Usually only former national champions get introduced.

Done at 11

This morning we took everything out of the barracks at 545 am and cleaned until about 8 am. Then we went to the armory for formations at 845 and 9 am then one final formation at 1045 am. After that we all left. I got home in time to do the 1pm Friday training ride. It was clear early that I had not been training for bicycle racing for the last three weeks. I hung on until the coasting race then won by an inch or so--at least Scott Haverstick said I won and he was right behind me. It is great to be racing down Turkey Hill again just a year after the crash. Mike the Cop had us going 28mph to Columbia. I dropped off before the climb where we turn toward home and called my youngest daughter to come and get me. I was toast, but it felt good to go fast again.
I'll be racing again next Saturday at the Millport Road Race.

Battlemind

Today the best of the many PowerPoint presentations was on Battlemind. How to keep your head on straight in a combat zone. The course was taught by our battalion flight surgeon. He has a black belt, works out five times each week and says fitness is the secret to keeping a cool head in combat. He also said how important nutrition is to good health. Just before his presentation started we got today's box lunch. Instead of MREs, the box lunch is a cellophane wrapped box. We were eating these box lunches while the filght surgeon spoke. There were various ones but mine was typical: 2 Uncrustables peant butter and jelly sandwiches, a small can of Pringles sour cream and onion potato chips, a candy bar, a bottle of water. Oh well. Most everyone seemed to be paying attention while they ate their PBJs.

Army PowerPoint

For the last two full days of training, three hundred men filled the drill hall at the armory that serves as your headquarters and listened to a series of lectures on Rules of Engagement (when we can shoot), Army values, Sexual Harassment, surviving in hot climates and many more. The first lecture was on the culture and history of Iraq. Most everyone was working very hard to stay awake.

Combat Lifesaver Hands-On Training

Today we gave each other IVs. I lucked out. A young guy who calls me Grandpa G and has had this training three times before decided to be my partner. For the training one of us just had to get the IV and http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif and the other got the IV fluid. I went first and set up the line in my IV partner. Then he started and IV in my arm. I think I twisted the IV a couple of times judging by his face, but I got the IV in the vein on the first stick and had not trouble. My IV was done so well I barely felt it. Several other guys got stuck more than once. I think the most was four. The rest of the day was hands-on tests on tourniquets, splints, compress bandages, Heimlich manouver, and CPR.

At the end of the day, the whole company cleaned weapons until almost 9pm. Tomorrow we have a full day "Death by PowerPoint" class on Iraq.

M19 Grenade Launcher

In today's training we assembled, disassembled and worked on a the M19 belt-fed grenade launcher. This crew-served weapon fires at a rate of more than 300 40mm grenades per minute. We also operated the turret on a HUMVEE with an M19 mounted on it. We were finished with training by mid afternoon so I went to the motor pool to do some paperwork. After an hour of paperwork I had time to ride and go to the gym. Tomorrow we give each other IVs in the Combat Lifesaver hands-on training.