[Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal chaplain aboard one of four U.S. Navy ships waiting off the coast of Myanmar to deliver aid to the cyclone-ravaged country says "it is so gut wrenching seeing a government turn down help at the expense of people who have so little anyway."

"I have been praying that our powerful ships be instruments of that faithful promise of God that we proclaim in the presence of death and in such desolate moments. As a chaplain and as a community of faith and hope at sea, this, in the last resort, is our true power," the Rev. Frank Munoz, a Navy lieutenant and the command chaplain of the USS Juneau, wrote from the ship in a May 14 interview ENS conducted via email.

Click here for the link to the interview

A Seiler Family Reunion in Iraq
By JOC(SW) Will Borrall
Staff Writer The Big E Shuttle
(Newspaper of the USS Enterprise while underway)

In 1972, Jeffrey Seiler was a ReconMarine, assigned in Viet Nam. He carried a rifle, packed his share of the gear, and experienced all the highs and lows of life as a Marine.

Cmdr. Jeffrey Seiler, Enterprise chaplain (right) and youngest son Lance Cpl. Erik Seiler are reunited during Chaplain Seiler’s visit to Iraq.

Those experiences helped shape him into the man he is today, a commander in the U.S. Navy, and a chaplain of the Episcopal faith. Two of his four sons followed him into the Marines. For Chaplain Seiler, the news that one of his sons, Lance Cpl. Erik Seiler, would be deploying for a second tour inside the combat zone brought mixed emotions. The chaplain understood conditions in the country, having served as a chaplain inside the country himself. While he was proud of his sons’ service, he knew it would come with some measure of risk. “As a former recon Marine, I obviously told my sons too many stories,” Seiler admitted, discussing his sons’ decisions to serve their country in combat. After discovering Erik would be heading back to war, and realizing Enterprise would be in the area at the same time his son’s unit was in country, Chaplain Seiler decided on a unique way to express his love for his boy. “I set my sights on trying to get out to see him,” said Chaplain Seiler. “I realized our carrier air wing would be providing combat air support for his unit, which sort of brought it home to me, what he was doing.” Three months before the ship arrived on station, Seiler spoke briefly with Capt. O.P. Honors, executive officer. After the discussion, the chaplain let it go, and carried on smartly with other tasks while his superiors looked at the idea. “The XO and commanding officer talked about it, and the CO gave his permission for me to try,” said Seiler. Armed with that permission, Seiler began casting about for ways to make it in country. That’s when a remarkable series of events began to unfold. The admiral in charge of the strike group, Rear Adm. Ray Spicer, needed to go ashore for a quick trip, and the chaplain was able to find a seat on the aircraft taking Spicer ashore. A sudden change in the admiral’s plans cancelled the flight, only for Chaplain Seiler to discover one of CVW-1’s aircraft was waiting on the ground, in need of maintenance. After a quick check with 5th Fleet’s chaplain, Seiler was cleared again for a ride out with the repair party. That’s when the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (1MEF) chaplain expressed some misgivings about a Navy chaplain going into the combat zone. It appeared the trip was off yet again, but Seiler decided to give 1MEF a little more background. “I told him about my time in the Marines, my concerns for my son, and my prior time supporting Marines during the war,” Seiler said. “I left it with that. I told them whatever they wanted to do with this trip, they could do.” Trusting in faith to make the trip happen, Seiler waited four long days before the word came back. They approved him. Chaplain Seiler was on the helo, on his way to one of the most unique family reunion she’d ever attended.

Debarking a flight in the town of Alial-Salem, the chaplain’s adventures were just beginning. Grounded by a sandstorm, Seiler spent time in Kuwait waiting for a C-130 flight to the next stop on his trip, and it was there he realized what had started as a father-son visit was becoming something else. In ones and twos, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines of all ranks and duties began approaching him. Sometimes in hushed voices, and sometimes boldly, the young men he passed spoke to him. They spoke of hopes and dreams, of fears and anxieties, and of families and friends they’d left behind. They spoke to the chaplain, and he listened. Chaplain Seiler listened to them as he hitched a flight to al-Asad in the pitch darkness of an Iraqi night. He listened to Airmen at air bases as they transferred him to a Blackhawk helicopter on the way north toward his son’s unit, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Brigade Combat Team of 1MEF, currently conducting security operations in ar-Ramadi. When Special Operations troops boarded the helicopter, he listened to them until they were dropped off in scattered locations along the way. On the ground in ar-Ramadi at three a.m. on his third day of travel, the chaplain listened to Soldiers assigned to the Logistics Center located on the bank of the Euphrates River. He spent only three hours there before he was shifted to a convoy headed across the river to an observation post on the northern part of the city, where Lance Cpl. Erik Seiler and his fire team were assisting Iraqi Army soldiers performing random spot checks of people entering the contested city. By the time the convoy reached his stop, he had listened to more Soldiers and Marines along the route. “I arrived with the relief the convoy brought in,” he said. “I saw my son as he turned over with the Marines I came out with.” The two men were able to spend some time together, and Chaplain Seiler spent the night with his son’s unit at their post. To Chaplain Seiler, whose son had often brought members of his unit home to visit while they were in the States, the Marines were very much like surrogate sons.

“I know a number of the men in Erik’s battalion,” Seiler said. “They treated me like the chaplain, but they also told me about their future plans. I think they were in awe that Erik’s dad was actually out there with them.” After the visit, a few hours long, Seiler’s son got some well-deserved sleep, while Chaplain Seiler moved on continuing his six-day odyssey with a visit to the local chaplains, where, yet again, he spent his time listening and counseling.

“I’m always concerned for the younger chaplains, because I’ve been there myself,” he explained. “They have to be the care-givers, and I wanted to make sure someone was there to care for them.” The visits continued all the way until Chaplain Seiler was ready to catch a flight back. There, the realization of all that he had seen and heard caught up to him. Just as he had counseled and prayed with so many people, now it was time for him to be supported.

“I was sitting under some camouflage netting in Ali-al-Salem, having my morning prayer” he said. “An Army chaplain walked by, and I realized that I really wanted a chance to talk to him. I prayed that he might walk back by, and, when he did, I unloaded to him. We sat and prayed together. I don’t know who he was; I’d never seen him before that morning.” Returning to Enterprise, Chaplain Seiler had time to reflect on the real meaning and impact of what had begun as a simple visit to his son. “It wasn’t just a father-son visit,” he said. “It became so much more than that. There were far greater ramifications than that. I did visit with my son, but that meant I was available to visit with everybody.”

From Chaplain Dan Leatherman, Landstuhl, Germany, 06 July 2005

Greetings from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center! The Army has tried to take care of this Air Guard Chaplain and with the 4th of July Holiday, it’s taken until today to get it straight. Anyway, I’m pretty well settled in with the hospital routine, if there really is one. The Med-Evac flights and ambulance busses come in at all hours, but on a regular basis. The soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen come in all states of health: some very “banged up” and critical others ambulatory. Often they arrive with battle related injuries, but other times simply the woes of life, like gall bladder surgery, kidney stones, an infection or something other than the war. Many times the wounds go deeper than skin and bone. The psychological issues our troops have to deal with are immense and the level of compassion given by the staff here at the hospital is incredible and exhausting. There is much compassion fatigue among us all and chaplains are as important to the staff and each other as they are to the patients.

Thank you again for your prayers and support.

Dan+

Daniel L. Leatherman, Ch, Capt, USAF (ANG)

ECUSA Chaplain Neal Goldsborough and ELCA Chaplain Ken Schmidt (left in photo) serving communion in the joint ELCA/ECUSA Chapel in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.

“To all God's beloved in Barrington, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world." These are Paul's words of greeting to his church in Rome with my update of the name of our town. Your faith is proclaimed in this desloate part of the world through your ministry to me and I thank God for you every day. I am living in the real life version of MASH. Several times a day the whoop whoop whoop of a medevac helicopter electrifies our casualty receiving department and a highly trained crew of men and women scrambles through the mini sandstorm of the rotor wash to bring another injured service member to the finest military hospital in theatre. Let me tell you about two remarkable young people I met this week. The first was a young infantryman stationed in the Bahgdad area for 11 months. Two years ago he was attending his prom. Now, at the age of 20 he has the 1000-yard stare of a person who has seen far too much of war. He proudly wear the Combat Infantry Badge on his PFC's uniform, and except for the look in his eyes, he might pass for a kid of 16. He tells me the only thing he wants is to get out of our hospital and get back to his platoon. His war has not been for the lofty goals of freedom and peace, but for the survival of his fellow soldiers whom he describes as "my family". He hopes to go to college when he gets out of the army in a few months. What will he study? He's not sure, but he'll find something he likes, he says. I tell him to spend every nickle of his hard-earned GI Bill, and he promises that he will. The second soldier was is specialist in a signal corps unit who rolled her Humvee last week. In trying to avoid potholes, where the insurgents now bury improvised land mines, the vechicle overturned and she was thrown through the driver's door window. The door peeled the skin from her eyebrows to the top of her head. Our fine docs sewed it back in place and I was able to honestly tell her that they did a good job putting her face back together. She hopes to go to college to be a dental hygenist in a few years from now and she says she joined the army to get the money to achieve that dream. She, too, cannot wait to get back to her friends up North. The heroism of these kids humbles me, because they convinced that they have not done anything remarkable—"just doing my job, chaplain". Please remember to thank God for the sacrifices they make for you. Pray for peace with justice for all people. Your brother in Christ, Neal

Notes on the run too
Chaplain Will Hood
03 February 2005

One of the things I have begun to realize how much in a hurry I have lived back in the world. Always in a hurry and probably have thought I have been a little too important to wait in line or be inconvenienced. Out here the only thing I really need to be in a rush about is ducking for cover if a rocket or mortar attack happens. It amazes me some days that events that I think should take a short amount of time end of taking about three times as long. I am having to learn patience and to be a bit more in the present moment.

Today my heart is a bit heavier with the sorrow for that Soldier, but it is also grateful for the moment to remember that we don't carry this stuff by ourselves. If someday I am in the line at the grocery store and you see me with that thousand yard stare I hope you'll stop and whisper a short prayer.

Will Hood

From Chaplain Frank Wismer, 01 February 2005

Dear Friends,
While I was in Iraq, I initiated weekly worship services at St. George's Anglican Church in Baghdad. I was the only non-Arabic speaking member of the congregation. The ongoing pastor there is Maher Dakhil who served as my linguist in the congregation and with whom I shared a family meal each week. This is his note to me regarding the Iraqi elections. It is eloquent in its simplicity.

God bless,
Frank

“Thank you for being always in feelings with us, It was a great day thay many iraqis accepted the challenge, in atmosphere fill with challenge, fear, mortors, gun shootings and sucidal bombings, many iraqis had decided to go and vote whateever the consequences are. I had encouraged my congregation to pray before the decide to go for voting, i had taken my wife and my daughter (she is in her 2nd year of college), i told my daughter that for her this is the first time in her life to go to vote but it is also the first time for her father also, i am 48 and i am voting freely for the first time in my life.We were proud and happy it was a historical day in our life.
maher, baghdad”

I'm pretty much settled in now & my sleep cycle is in sync with Baghdad time. The new staff will take a couple more weeks to jell. Tomorrow will be an exciting day, both because of the elections as well as because I'll be joining Chaplain David Waweru to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. I've already heard of one new troop who will begin attending Sunday; and I just recruited another today.

Election Prayer Service at Victory Chapel

Victory Chapel

CH Mike Williams arrives in Iraq

We just finished an ecumenical "Election Prayer Service" at Victory Chapel. I'd say there were 35-40 in attendance. The Scripture used was from Luke 11:1-4, the Homily focused on the power and essential nature of our prayers, and The Prayers of the People included prayer for Voters and Candidates, Security, Coalition Peacekeepers, Reconstruction, and for our Enemies. It's a faith rekindling experience to beseech the Lord in this environment where the stakes are so high—for the service men and women I'm here to serve as well as for the Iraqi people and potentially for me personally. I give thanks to God for this opportunity and rejoice in the privilege of being here at this historic time.

With all the news media on the scene, by the time you all tune in Sunday morning, there will most certainly be a clear indication of the magnitude of the turnout for voting. I pray that the turnout will be overwhelming, that IPS security—backed by Coalition forces—will prevail over fanatical acts of violence, and that our troops and civilian populace will be protected from harm.

I'm including a pic of me at Al Udeid, Qatar from the trip over. We're waiting on our flight to Baghdad International Airport (BIAP). Someone asked me if I really needed all those bags.

Blessings in Christ,

Mike

Notes on the run, Chaplain Will Hood, 28 December 2004

I have been traveling around the country a bit. I had the opportunity to go to the far western part of the country to visit one of the more isolated forward operating bases. The journey is over vast stretches of desert. It is an expansive sea of reddish desert sand and dunes. It is a dry and thirsty place desolate of much life. As I made my way seemingly in the middle of no where there appeared an outcrop of lush trees and vegetation, an oasis appeared. It seemed so odd, so out of place against the stark landscape. There were all sorts of creatures that gathered around this life ring in the desert; a flock of goats, birds and folks trying to find rest and replenishment.

Against the harsh landscape of this deployment our worshiping community is an oasis of sorts. Not too long after the major battle for Fallujah I met a young First Lieutenant who had come back with his unit to re-supply and rest. He had been in the major thick of the fighting with a Light Armored Vehicle platoon. His job was to provide cover and support for the Marines on the ground as they moved forward. It was a very perilous time for him. His unit had come under major indirect and direct attack fire from improvised explosive devices, mortars and gunfire. It was an incredibly intense time. As we talked I discovered he grew up in an Episcopal Church back in Texas not to far from where I have served as an Episcopal Priest. I listened to his stories about his men, about the battle and about home. I invited him to share in worship with us at the Episcopal worship service, to come and renew his heart after all he had been through.

A few days latter on Sunday we gathered and the Lieutenant was there. We read the lessons, shared the Gospel, said the prayers and passed the peace. After the peace as I was preparing the table the Lieutenant, Matt, asked if he could share a story with the gathered community. He began to share about how intense the combat had been. Matt shared how in the midst of the fear, adrenaline and intensity he hung on to things of his faith. He shared that as he traveled through the dangerous roads and combat that he sang a song that he had learned and loved growing up in the church of his youth. He told us that he wanted to share it with us. In the midst of the congregation as we gathered to receive the Lord's Supper he sang "Be Thou My Vision." He sang it from memory and with heart. He sang it as one who knew and trusted. After he finished he said that he did not sing or pray to avoid death, but to remember that Christ was with him and held him no matter what he faced.

We paused as a worshiping community, an oasis, in the midst of a desert to drink from a well of hope and grace. We gathered as a community of hope to share our stories and drink from each others experience, strength and hope. We gather as a community to be that life ring in the midst of what appears sometimes seems to be a sea of desolation.

Will Hood

Dear Members of the Diocese of Maine,

As many of you know, the Rev. David Sivret, rector of Christ Church, Eastport, and St. Anne's, Calais, is current serving as Chaplain in Mosul, Iraq, with the Maine Guard's 133rd Engineering Battalion. This afternoon he sent this note that he would like to share with all of you. He is grateful for your prayers and for the support so many of our congregations have offered to his work with soldiers and the people in nearby Iraqi villages.
Peace and grace to all of you,
Heidi Shott
Communications Officer
Episcopal Diocese of Maine
________________________________

As I take time off from writing a very difficult memorial sermon, I'll share with the people of the Diocese of Maine the events of the day.

On December 21st, at approximately 1200 noon I had just sat down to have lunch with Maj. Nelson, the Battalion's Chief Medical Officer. I had just said grace when I saw a bright flash. I don't know how long it was before I woke up on the floor about ten feet from where I had been sitting down. I looked around, keeping my head down. Then I realized that I couldn't hear.

I got up and started doing what God has give me to do: minister to soldiers and civilians alike. There were many soldiers and civilians hurt, dying and dead. I prayed with the injured as best I could. All the while I was keeping an eye out for Maj Nelson, Doc I call him. I found him in the kitchen area caring for the injured. We teamed up for a time and worked together. We looped back into the hall where Doc collapsed onto a stretcher. As we left the DFAC I turned to go to the expectant area, and Doc was taken to the hospital. I found the area set up for the morgue and began giving Last Rites. CH Barnett, a United Methodist minister, showed up and helped me out. (Side note: I have been given the task of being Camp Marez's Chaplain and CH Barrnett is my deputy. This along with our regular Battalion duties. Enough of side notes.)

I was one of the walking wounded and helped take a SSG from one of the units to the AID Station with me. The medics took a look at me and found that my left ear would be all right in a day or so but my right ear had ruptured. I also found a very very small piece of metal sticking in my pant into my right knee. Everything was going to be fine! My assistant Greg Raychard, LTC Glenn, and I went to the hospital. We had two soldiers missing and I wanted to see if they were in the hospital. We checked all the wards, but they were nowhere to be found. I found numerous other soldiers from my Battalion with various wounds.

The Chaplains LSA Diamondback were doing a great job ministering to all the injured. I continued my looking for my soldiers. I found them where I didn't want to find them. In the morgue. This is always difficult but this was even more so in that I was the Chaplain who officiated at one's wedding and the other soldier was a son of one of my classmates. I have had great support from Chaplains from higher up and my fellow chaplains here at Camp Marez.

May God give us the strength to get through this time. What they have done will not stop us from celebrating the birth of our Savior. We will gather for Lessons and Carols and then a Midnight Service. Christmas will still come ... the hope that is given us in the birth of the Christ Child will strengthen us and will see us through the coming days.

Just one more note: CW 2 Christopher Bean is a great asset. Chris is a member at St. Stephen's in Waterboro. Oh yes, and he is fine. He missed lunch with me on the 21st by minutes, Thank God.

David+

Below is a link to today's Portland Press Herald story about Maj. Nelson and Fr. Sivret written by Bill Nimitz a reporter currently in Iraq covering the 133rd.

"Wounded in blast, chief medic puts other lives first"

Notes on the run November 15, 2004

Today has been a day of mixed blessings. It has been a full day of ministering to the wounded and dying. As I was walking with one of the doctor to smoke a cigar and decompress after hours in the Shock Surgical Trauma area I came across the praise group that sings at the Sunday night service that I work with. They are a wonderful group of about 8 young Sailors and Marines who have a big heart for the Lord. They provide incredible praise music which adds so much to our worship. Most parishes would be grateful to have such talent.

As I walked up on them we exchanged hellos and then they asked me to listen to some of the music that they had been practicing for this Sunday. It was incredible. The words and music washed over me like a warm ocean wave. It was their pure gift to me of their love and praise of God. It was just what the doctor order. As they sang I could feel my spirits lift and my heart renew.

I have learned a lot from the Psalmist out here. I think I am beginning in some small ways to understand their cries to the Lord; their laments, praises and hope. As I anointed a young Marine who was dying today I read the 23rd Psalm and was awe struck at the words.

"He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His Name sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.

Your rod and staff they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Surely the Psalmist sang these words to minister hope just as that small group of praise singers sang tonight.

Peace

Will Hood

Notes on the Run from Chaplain Will Hood (03 November 2004)

I have now been in country for over a month and become part of the regular worship at this base. I am the celebrant at three worship services. One is a traditional Episcopal Eucharistic service; one is a worship service that I do on the flight line that is a service of praise, Word and prayer followed by an Episcopal Eucharist and an evening service that is more of a collage coffee house seeker service. I am blessed with musicians and folks who have a heart for worship and truly give this as there ministry here.

I have watched the worship here with some interest. In many ways, except for the rocket attacks and uniforms, it is much like any other worshiping community back home. However, I have noticed something very interesting. Here in the desert amongst all the harshness, stress and long days worship is that one place where people gather to encounter the Holy. They gather out of the business, pace and even struggle to stop as a community of faith and remember who they are; children of God loved and saved by grace.

Last week the Gospel lesson was the story of Zacchaeus. One of the interesting points of that lesson is that Zacchaeus in Hebrew means pure of heart. For whatever reason Zacchaeus had forgotten his name until that day he and Jesus gathered around a meal and grace unfolded. Worship for us here is that place where we gather as a community in the presence of God and remember our real name; "Beloved child of God". It is an oasis of grace where we catch our breath, give thanks and remember we are not alone. It is a place where hearts become open to Christ's love and hope. For me Jesus' words in Matthew 18;20 "that where ever two or three are gathered in my name I am in the midst" are alive with meaning as I watch folks just be for a short time and leave different; encouraged, strengthened and hopefully transformed to face another day.

Know that I appreciate all your support, prayers and care.

Pax

Will Hood

Notes on the Run from Chaplain Will Hood (20 October 2004)

Praying and trusting God.

Part of what I do as a chaplain over here is cover the Shock Surgical Trauma Platoon. It consists of Surgeons, nurses, corpsman and a full staff of medical. When we have a causality medivaced to us the team goes into high gear. It's kind of like MASH on TV, except its real. My role is to bring comfort to the wounded, and dying. Unfortunately we have had too many of both.

Today we had a young Marine brought to us who had been severely wounded by a rocket propelled grenade, RPG, attack. When I got there I entered the surgical tent and saw his mutilated leg and wounded body riddled with shrapnel. There was not much left of his right leg. The surgical team got right to work. These folks are some of the most skilled and compassionate folks I have had the privileged to work with. Indeed, they count me as part of the healing team and I am humbled to be there.

I am given head of the line privileges, so to speak, to stand next to the patient to anoint and pray. As I looked at his ID to get his name I saw that he was one month younger than my oldest son. As I prayed over this young man I thought about him; his father and mother and his family. I prayed the grace of Christ in the midst of the crisis.

These young Marines and Sailors have stories. They are someone's son/daughter, sister/brother, mother/father. This isn't some far away news story it is real and these young Marines and Sailors have names, families and lives that will be forever changed all in the flash of a moment. There is no denying the reality. But it is in the midst of all that I stand and pray. Pray for the doctors, nurses and corpsman. Pray for the wounded and dying. Pray in the families. Pray for our nation and Iraq. Pray and then trust. That perhaps is part of the curious faith walk that we do as Christians that somehow in the midst of these powerless situations we are called to pray and trust. I don't pretend to have answers as to why, but I still trust that somewhere and somehow in the all the call of faith is trusting God can and will redeem and that God's grace and mercy will be sufficient.

It's the little stuff

Well I'm 5 days into it. It's been a interesting transition. There have been 3 rocket attacks on our base, wounded and dying medvaced in and lots to keep me busy. For the last few days I have been limping along with a sore foot from the new boots. Everyday I have tried to moleskin, tape, even bang the boots on the concrete until this morning. As I was yet again fiddling with my boots I thought that perhaps a change in insoles would help. As I put the new ones in I notice that the new ones didn't quite fit on the right side. After further investigation I found the right boot to be about a half size smaller than the left. I just had to laugh. All that effort and feeling crazy thinking I had gotten the wrong size or done something wrong. It's just a matter of taking the time to be mindful in the madness. Here in the midst of the some of the madness of rockets and wounded it's still the little stuff. It's remembering not to get in too big of a hurry and to look at all the possibilities. Sometimes, no most times, it not about us.

As I recounted my story to my Chief and he chuckled as well and then lent me a pair of boots that would fit well enough until he got me to his connection that could get me a pair of boots. Cigars can work magic out here. So we piled in to our Humvee ,jeep, and took of for the exchange. When we got there we all kicked back and smoked a cigar and started sharing about our lives. As I listen to the young man who had acquired the new boots for me he began to share about his life. He talked about his family and about his severely disabled son. I mentioned that I too had been through that. He shared how scared he was, how his hopes and dreams had been crushed and how angry he was at God. So scared that he held back his love for his son and how it had eaten him up in side. I understood. When Sam died my heart ached beyond belief. As we shared more he told me how being out here had begun to reshape his perspective on life and how his Officer in Charge, OIC,had invited him to church. For him it was the beginning of new dialogue with God. Somewhere in this hot, dusty and miserable place Christ and grace showed up in the persons of his OIC, some fellow shipmates, a chapel that was open, over a shared cigar and sore feet.

Grace and hope are funny things they seem to show up unexpectedly with out price or cost. It seems that when I remember to breathe and just be present, to laugh at myself and just listen grace unfolds before me and I get to witness the Glory of God in the everyday. Thank you all for your prayers and love.

Sort of Mindfully

Will Hood

Morning of Day 3, October 03, 2004

Indeed I am here. That stark reality was driven home last evening. Our base at Al Taqaddum is a major logistics base and has a small hospital and trauma center. As I was headed for dinner in my jet lag stupor I was called to the surgical trauma center. We had incoming casualties. Kids who had been ambushed and medivaced to us. There were four in all with one fatality and three who were to be treated, two with shrapnel wounds and one young soldier with serious gunshot and shrapnel wounds. As the doctors, nurses and corpsman responded I met and prayed over the conscious patients and was invited to the OR during the surgery to pray for the young soldier and treatment team. It was a humbling experience to be part of the care team. It was amazing to be in surgery and witness the care that was given.

Last night I witnessed the best of who we are as a nation. As the treatment went forward we also got in an Iraqi terrorist who had was part of the terrorist team who attacked our troops. That man received incredible care from the Marines who treated him in the field to the surgical team who cared for him at the hospital. As I spoke to the young two young Marines who had captured him I was able to stress how what they did in there care for his wounds and humane treatment of the captured man set us apart from the terrorist. I was proud to see the character that these young Marines displayed.

Over hear things get pretty basic and it seems that prayer is appreciated by many. Taking time to pray and be present is and incredible gift that I have been given to give; to offer thanks for a safe return, to offer prayers of support, to offer prayers of hope for those who seem lost. To take that few minutes and remind folks in the midst God is present despite the chaos. Sometimes it's hard to see on this side of eternity, but I suspect that's why Jesus sought to be so present with the folks he cared for.

All else is going well. I am still trying to get the sleep thing figured out and find a rhythm, but that will come. Please continue to pray for our troops and this situation.

Thank for all of your care and support

Blessings

Will Hood

In Baghdad, U.S. Army chaplain sees God at work in war zone

Arkansas priest Reese Hutcheson shares insights with Texas newspaper

[ENS, New York] - It was as hot as 133 degrees in Baghdad the week of July 5 when U.S. Army Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Reese Hutcheson, Episcopal priest from the Diocese of Arkansas, replied by e-mail to newspaper interview questions posed by editor Carol Barnwell for the upcoming September issue of the Texas Episcopalian.

Chaplain Reese Hutcheson

Hutcheson's observations follow here, courtesy of the Houston-based Texas Episcopalian and thanks to Barnwell, who also serves the Diocese of Texas as
communications officer. Hutcheson has been stationed at Fort Hood in Texas.

More about Hutcheson and the ministry of the 129 military chaplains serving with the Episcopal Church's Office of the Bishop Suffragan for Chaplaincies, the Rt. Rev. George Packard, is posted on-line at www.ecusa-chaplain.org.

Packard began on July 19 a 10-day visit to chaplains and family members in Germany where he will meet with personnel just returning from Iraq, and with others en route to bases there. In other activities, the bishop is overseeing preparations for a federal chaplains conference titled "Ministry in Hard and Dangerous Times" set for Sept. 13-17 in Atlanta.

Highlights of Hutcheson's reflections include the following:

-- "Images of the Iraqi children come to mind when I think of Iraqis. They are beautiful, with large eyes that seem to invite you in. They smile, wave and ask about "Arnold" (Schwarzenegger). They are full of questions about America. I have also seen children eating castaway food in garbage piles, and that hurts. How they can run around barefoot on the hot, hot asphalt is beyond me."

-- "Rockets and/or mortars impact around us on a fairly regular basis. They usually are fired by inexperienced, untrained individuals who cannot see what they are firing at. Consequently, they miss a lot of the time. I've gotten to the point that if I hear one, it didn't get me."

-- "We, the viewing public, have for so long demanded sensationalism in our newscasts that we have moved the news media into the entertainment category. As a consequence, you probably are not hearing much of the good news that has been happening over the months. For example, have you seen on the prime-time news that the electrical generation levels are now higher than before the war? Or those 18 hospitals are being either built or renovated? Or how about the nearly 1,100 schools under construction or renovation? Has there been much air/column space given to the fact that every Iraqi will have the right to vote, according to law, in free, fair competitive and periodic elections?"

-- "The people of Iraq are a long way from having an established democracy and we don't know how long it will take, or if, a democracy will be established. Before we get too impatient with them and their efforts to establish a new government, it might be helpful to recall how long it took to establish the United States of America. Our first century as a country is decorated with all sorts of scandalous events: slavery, the whiskey rebellion, and the exploitation of Native Americans, just to begin a list."

-- "I am able to see God at work all around. There have been numerous instances of an explosive projectile hitting a vehicle or building that didn't explode. Frequently, there are people who will do some small, tender act of mercy toward another that makes life easier or more bearable. To witness soldiers fall in to support another who has had a tragedy strike. When a brigade commander tells me it is his discipline to pray for his soldiers three times a day, certainly God is at work among us."

Following is text of the Texas Episcopalian interview:

Carol Barnwell: What is the typical day like for you?

Reese Hutcheson: About the only thing typical for any given day is the get-up time. I usually get up at 5 a.m. It is usually quiet at that hour, and quiet time is a prized commodity. After shower and shave comes Daily Office and entry into my journal. Reading the Daily Office is a key part of my day. If for some reason I don't get it done early, I'll catch up sometime before I go to bed.

Next item involves making a pot of coffee and checking the e-mail traffic, both secure and non-secure. Most of the people in Central Texas are still up at that time of day, and I can usually get in touch with them, perhaps by phone.

After breakfast comes the daily "Battle Update Brief" in which the significant acts of the previous day are reviewed as well as the plans for that day and beyond. This is a key part of the day in that representatives from all sections of the unit are there and we share a common body of information. That is about the last thing that is "routine" for the day. If we are going out to visit one of the subordinate units, then comes the protective vests, Kevlar helmets and protective glasses, climbing aboard an up-armored vehicle and heading "outside the wire" where all sorts of adventure awaits those who dare venture out. We always travel with security details, Soldiers who are specially trained to protect the convoy from hostile attacks. Every passenger has a sector to watch for possible insurgent activity.

Sometimes we visit places where there is combat -- places with names like Fallujah and Sadr City. One experiences what I have labeled "intense alertness" while traveling there, while there and while traveling from those places. It is definitely a unique experience to have rockets and/or mortars exploding closely enough to make the ground quiver under your feet.

CB: Describe your surroundings and the area where you are.

RH: I live and work out of what was once one of Uday' Hussein's recreation palaces on a tract of land that was formerly a game preserve. The building is surrounded on three sides by the water of a lake fed by a canal from the Tigris River. There are a few trees here: date palms, locust, and eucalyptus. It is also now home to what might be the world's largest trailer parks -- life support areas for the soldiers housed here.

CB: Where do you do services? Are they Episcopal? What kind of response do
you get?

RH: I currently celebrate Holy Eucharist, Rite II, twice on Sundays: once at 10 a.m. at Camp Cropper and again at 4 p.m. here on Camp Victory. I have had inquiries about offering a service at Abu Ghraib, but that one hasn't started yet. The service at Cropper is in a conference room; the one on Victory is in a building converted to a chapel that may have as many as seven services per Sunday in it. Since this is an
"Anglican/Episcopal/Lutheran" service, the responses are varied -- pretty much as they are at St. Swithin's in the Swamp. One big difference seems to surface: people here don't seem to take worship for granted and are grateful for the opportunity.

The congregations here are different: there are no children or senior citizens, though most of the Soldiers put me into that latter category. At the age of 58 I am older than most of their parents. Everybody except the chaplain comes to services armed. Chaplains are non-combatants and do not carry firearms.

CB: What are your physical challenges?

RH: This time of the year the most dominant challenge involves the heat! I had experienced 115-degree heat before, but not day after day. They tell us the hot weather is on the way. Add to that stress the additional weight and bother of the protective vest and Kevlar helmet and life can be miserable. Not having a day off has been a new experience, not that there is much to do if a day off came available. One must drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. Duty days seem to stretch beyond the 12 to 15 hours normally thought of as "work days." One feels exhausted at any hour of the day or night. There are three programs to give the soldiers relief from the drive
of operations: 1) 4-day pass to a facility in Qatar, 2) 4-day pass to Freedom Rest here in Baghdad, 3) 15 days of Environmental leave. The Environmental leave is also called Rest and Recreation leave wherein soldiers get 15 days leave to visit family, normally back stateside.

CB: What is it like to be a chaplain in the middle of a war zone?

RH: Living a life full of uncertainty. For example, rockets and/or mortars impact around us on a fairly regular basis. They usually are fired by inexperienced, untrained individuals who cannot see what they are firing at. Consequently, they miss a lot of the time. I've gotten to the point that if I hear one, it didn't get me. But there is that chance that one could come through the window of the room where I sleep, for example. Or an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) could explode at any time I'm out on the roads, or a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) could come head-on to us and blow us up. Someone could launch a rocket-propelled grenade at us. There's not much defense against such things. Small arms fire is common, but
they have little effect on the armored vehicles.

CB: How do you help service men and women deal with separation from their
families and familiar surroundings?

RH: First off, I let them know that no one is exempt from homesickness and that it is one of the most difficult of maladies to treat. And that the hurt they feel is very real. Next I try to teach them techniques on how to look down that long, dark tunnel towards redeployment and reunion. Many make phone calls back home. Some very generous people have provided us with phone cards to help ease that expense. We have an Internet café they can use to communicate with family members as well.

CB: What kinds of things do you deal with as chaplain most often?

RH: Typically, soldier problems fall into three categories: administrative, personal, and family. That's an oversimplification, but for explanation it works better. The Army is a big bureaucracy -- not quite as large as the Episcopal Church in the United States, but large. Paperwork keeps a lot of people very busy. Sometimes that paperwork gets lost, misfiled, mislaid, or otherwise does not get to the person it was intended for in the time appointed. Perhaps a family member did not get enrolled in one of the family member support agencies that s/he needs. These are just some of the administrative sorts of problems that come down the pike. They are not necessarily "chaplain issues" but we get a lot of them. After a while, chaplains learn where to direct the soldier to get those administrative problems resolved.

Personal and family problems are much more complicated because they
involve a much more diverse range of persons and personalities. Some are
interpersonal in nature; some are adjustment problems while others fall into
the category of "combat stress". The Army has Combat Stress Control teams
scattered throughout the country and they are a Godsend. Then there are the heart-wrenching tragedies. One soldier's son was born with a defective heart. We got him out on Emergency Leave, but a donor wasn't found in time and his infant son died. Another Soldier's mother was attacked as she was loading groceries into her car. The assailant struck her 11 times in the head. She has come out of the coma once, but had no recognition or memory. Her living will names him, the youngest of seven
children, as the one to make the decision to discontinue life support should she become incapacitated. Another soldier's 13-year-old daughter was molested by the next-door-neighbor. That's one week's tragedies. There are no easy, pat, canned answers for these situations. I pray for grace and strength to help them cope.

CB: What kind of interaction do you have with Iraqi people? What are some of
the responses you have experienced from local people? What are their most
immediate needs, hopes?

RH: Images of the Iraqi children come to mind when I think of Iraqis. They are beautiful, with large eyes that seem to invite you in. They smile, wave and ask about "Arnold." They are full of questions about America. I have also seen children eating castaway food in garbage piles, and that hurts. How they can run around barefoot on the hot, hot asphalt is beyond me. Being assigned to a Military police Brigade, I also come in contact with Iraqi Police. They seem fascinated that I do not carry a firearm, that my margin of safety is the security team. It is difficult for them to comprehend a member of the clergy in the uniformed services. Most of the rest of the local national population I have come in contact with are the contractors who come onto the installation to work. They are very friendly, hospitable and generous even in their poverty. Families are their main source of pride and concern. They want their children to grow up, marry and raise their families and have it better than they have had it. Many want to come to the USA and marry a blonde. As for their hopes, how can they have a concept of a democratic government that gives them an opportunity to have a say in a government that operates of, by and for them? It is a new thing for them and it will take time for them to become accustomed to the liberties and responsibilities
that come with such a government. They are very upset at their fellow countrymen who continue to set off bombs against them. We have an idea that they may have begun to take some initiative, singularly and in small groups, against those insurgents. Only time will tell.

CB: What have you learned about Islam?

RH: Basically, there are five "pillars of Islam":

1. Shahadah. "There is no God but God, and Mohammed is the Prophet of God."

2. Salat -- Daily prayers. Moslems pray five times a day, facing toward Mecca. The Friday noonday prayers are a weekly worship service - usually with a sermon.

3. Sawm -- fasting. During Ramadan, the ninth month of their lunar calendar, able-bodied Moslems fast during the daylight hours.

4. Zakat -- charity on behalf of the needy -- supposedly voluntary; in some cultures it is not. There is a minimum of 2.5%.

5. Hajj -- the pilgrimage to Mecca during the twelfth lunar month. It is expected that everyone will make at least one Hajj during a lifetime.

CB: What are your hopes for the people of Iraq?

RH: I hope they are given a fair opportunity to establish a government of their choice, one that will afford them an opportunity to enjoy the blessings of liberty.

CB: As a priest, how do you respond to the casualties of our people, local
people?

RH: When we have Soldiers hospitalized because of combat-related injuries, I will normally go, with our brigade commander, to the hospital to visit them. The commander presents them with the Purple Heart medal, and I pray for them and anoint them with laying on of hands. I have very little contact with the casualties of the Iraqis.

Every combat team and every security team has at least one Combat Life Saver (CLS) who is trained and equipped to deal with a wide variety of injuries. Teams are also equipped with radios and while the CLS is dealing with the trauma, someone is normally on the radio calling for a medivac helicopter, if the injury is life-threatening. The chopper will fly the victim to a Combat Support Hospital (CSH). If necessary, the CSH will stabilize the patient for evacuation to Landstuhl, Germany, and from there
to either Walter Reed hospital in Washington, D.C. or to Brooke Army hospital in San Antonio. The emotional states of the soldiers in the hospital are varied. For example, one soldier who had been hurt when a mortar hit the dining facility where he was eating ran the risk of losing an eye. He told the brigade commander, "Sir, if they try to take my eye out, they're gonna have to run fast because I'm gonna run!" Another refused the use of a cell phone to call his mother saying, "My God! She'd have a coronary!" Others are concerned about their battle buddies who were in the same attack.

CB: We are so overwhelmed with news, what are we not seeing?

RH: We, the viewing public, have for so long demanded sensationalism in our newscasts that we have moved the news media into the entertainment category. As a consequence, you probably are not hearing much of the good news that has been happening over the months. For example, have you seen on the prime-time news that the electrical generation levels are now higher than before the war? Or those 18 hospitals are being either built or renovated? Or how about the nearly 1,100 schools under construction or renovation? Has there been much air/column space given to the fact that every Iraqi will have the right to vote, according to law, in free, fair competitive and periodic elections?

The people of Iraq are a long way from having an established democracy and we don't know how long it will take, or if, a democracy will be established. Before we get too impatient with them and their efforts to establish a new government, it might be helpful to recall how long it took to establish the United States of America. Our first century as a country is decorated with all sorts of scandalous events: slavery, the whiskey rebellion, and the exploitation of Native Americans, just to begin a list.

CB: Are you able to see God in any of this? In whom do you see the face of
Christ?

RH: Of course, I am able to see God at work all around. There have been numerous instances of an explosive projectile hitting a vehicle or building that didn't explode. Frequently, there are people who will do some small, tender act of mercy toward another that makes life easier or more bearable. To witness soldiers fall in to support another who has had a tragedy strike. When a brigade commander tells me it is his discipline to pray for his soldiers three times a day, certainly God is at work among us. When the term "face of Christ" is mentioned, the images that come to mind first are the faces of the children. OK, I'm a grandfather six times over so I am a bit sensitive to them, but I am also frequently reminded of that Galilee moment when Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs .... and he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them and blessed them." Or look into the eyes of a Soldier who has been out in the "bad lands" scratching for his life telling of how he could very easily have
breathed his last, if only. I remind them that there is no such thing as coincidence in the kingdom of God.

CB: Where is the most unlikely place you have met Jesus?

RH: Actually, two places come to mind and both involved elderly Iraqis. The first was in Samara while on a dismounted patrol with Military Police and Iraqi Police. The Mosque of the Golden Dome is located there. As we walked down the street a white-bearded man was sitting in the gate to a house. As I passed him, he saluted me and placed his hand over his heart. The other was at a graduation at the Iraqi Police Academy. I was seated next to an elderly Imam, who was very gracious. After the graduation, he shook hands with me and said, "Salaam" (peace). These two instances came as surprises to me and reaffirmed the presence of the Holy Spirit among us at all times. Another instance happened when an Iraqi contractor offered to take me to the Anglican Church [St George's] in downtown Baghdad. I was unable to
take him up on this generous offer -- generous because it could well have been very dangerous to him and his family. Such is the hospitality of the Iraqi people. I shouldn't have been surprised at it since basically it is the same hospitality we see presented in the Books of Moses. We may try to keep those laws; for them it is a way of life.

CEB: What can we do to help make life a little easier for our soldiers? Is there something you wish you had to give soldiers you counseled?

RH: The one "thing" I would give all our soldiers is the gift of returning to families and friends in one piece. Don't know how I would do that, but that's what I really want for them. I don't know how your readers could furnish that, but if you have a lead on such a feat, please let me know. I have passed out a large number of "Episcopal Service Crosses" - a lot larger number than the number of Episcopalians I have met. There is a custom at memorial ceremonies for commanders to lay a "Coin of Excellence" from his/her unit on the memorial stand as we pay our last respects, for example. My "coin" is the Episcopal Service Cross. The coins, along with all the deceased soldier's personal items, are forwarded to the soldier's primary next of kin. Somewhere, back home, relatives will know that an Episcopalian has honored their hero.

The interview published this summer by Episcopal News Service was also picked up by the Pentagon, West Point and Diocese of Arkansas (Hutcheson's home diocese) websites.

Anglican prayer beads made by parishioners of the Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City and blessed by their rector, The Rev. Thomas N. Synan, were recently sent to Chaplain Rich Schweinsburg in Iraq. Here is his response:

“Grace and Peace in Our Lord Jesus Christ to the family at Heavenly Rest! On Wednesday I received a package of Prayer Beads from you, and I must tell you how blessed I feel ! Your wonderful gift, a labor of love and care for our service members overseas, is greatly appreciated, and received with heartfelt thanks.

Already, people have been coming into my office and making their selection, even before I have advertised that I have received them! I have placed your letter and picture on the bulletin board outside my office, as the enclosed picture shows.

Tom, you are truly blessed to have such a loving family, and they are blessed by your shepherding. Please let me share a little about myself.

I have served as a parish priest for over 27 years, having served parishes in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, and Rhode Island. I have served as a chaplain in the Army Reserve all that time, and have truly loved the opportunities given me by this special ministry. My wife Jane is a librarian, and is home in RI with our cat Luzy.

I was mobilized in December, and will serve on active duty until at least February of 05. I serve as the Command Staff Chaplain for the Army Material Command, which has the mission of supplying all the “stuff” the soldier needs. In my ministry, I make trips throughout the theatre wherever AMC people are, including areas north of my present location. I have sort of a “parish” ministry, with counseling and visiting ongoing, and I celebrate Eucharist once on Saturday and once on Sunday at 2 different locations, for the Episcopalians and Lutherans. At one location, I am joined by 2 Lutheran pastors. We have small but faithful congregations at both locations, and I am sure they will love the Prayer Beads!

I hope you will keep all of us over here in your prayers; I will remember you all especially this weekend at my Eucharists. Pray for a just peace, and the safe return of those now in harm's way.

Thank you again for your thoughtfulness, and I hope when I return, I can come visit you in church! Peace and love, Fr Rich +

Editor's note: The following message is in response to boxes sent to Chaplain Gian-Stefano Martin from a Girl Scout troop that led a drive at their elementary school to collect school supplies for Iraqi children.

Dear Clara and Brook,

I want to let you know that several of the boxes that you sent have arrived here in Iraq. I read the nice note that you wrote on the outside of the box. Lieutenant Heiser, who will be in charge of the program after I leave, is already making plans to lead a convoy out to the school and distribute the supplies and clothing to the kids. It is actually quite cold here and they will really appreciate the warm clothes. Although only 60 days ago it was 118 degrees, at night it now dips down into the low 30s. I will send some more pictures as well. Please thank all your buddies at the Milton School and let them know that they have made a difference.

God bless you and your ministry,

Fr. Gianni

Dear St. George Family,

As I write this email it is monday morning the last day of June, so far today we have had no sand storms. (of course it's only 0820) The temp is already in the high 90's so this day will probably be like yesterday, hot and windy with sand storms, except yesterday I was out and about doing my chaplain duties. Things are, as I'm sure you've seen in the news, not very safe here right now. We have snipers in our area and so on my trip yesterday to the port of Um Qasar I was surrounded by 11 other soldiers instead of my normal 3. You'd of thought someone important was in the convoy. Oh yeh, that would be God's man of the seen, me. After the service with the soldiers at the port, the patrol I was with needed to check on the Brits at the police station. Since the attack on the Brits that killed six was at a police station just like this one, we have made it a point to check in with them much more frequently.

Any way I had a bunch of the St. Michael's medals you have been sending me through my requests of Janet in the office. My MP's love to wear them and one was showing his medal off to one of the newly trained Iraqi Police officers. He asked it I had one he could keep and I said sure. The next thing I knew was that the entire police force wanted one. Thanks to you at St. George's the entire police force of Um Qasar, Iraq now wears the patron saint of the police, both military and civilian. I tried to explain that by wearing this medal they might put themselves is danger from religious fundemantalists, but if the American were wearing them they wanted to wear them also. I'm sending a picture of those guys with this email.
I still don't know when I will be home. That is the main question on every one mind but so far the powers at be have either chosen not to tell us or more likely don't know themselves when we are coming home. Yesterday the gospel story was about Jaris going to Jesus and asking him to come and heal his daughter who was about to die. The part the you might not have read was the healing that took place in the middle of that story. The woman who had suffered from a hemorage for 12 years. We've asked Jesus to come and get us home to our loved ones and He has agreed to come, but maybe it is taking awhile because he is tied up healing someone else's illness. Maybe that is the illness of this country, where when given the opportunity for freedom they still choose to fight for power instead of sharing it.
Yesterday while at the police station I heard an explosion that didn't sound that far away. The Brits said that they had to go and blow up a grenade that had been thrown into the yard of a rival group trying to gain power. We hear shots at night and occasional explosions but they all seem to be at each other and not at the coalition forces. I am safe and God is good and we will all be home soon I pray. Thank you all for your continuing support of "Our" ministry here. May God bless us all in this mission. Fr. Chris

Dear Bishop Packard,

We recently made a transition here in Baghdad from ORHA (Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance) to OCPA (Office of the Coalition Provisional Authority). This name change captures the transition from a more or less military led organization under the leadership of Jay Garner to a civilian authority under the direction of Ambassador Bremer.

Baghdad is located about an hour's drive North of the ancient city of Babylon. I have been fortunate to have visited the sight and stood on the spot where Daniel was fed to the lions and seen the wall where he interpreted the writing that appeared. I have also been permitted to coordinate a trip to Babylon for the entire staff. Visiting Babylon creates a wonderful opportunity to discuss the bible with military personnel, to explore the Babylonian Captivity, and to study many of the prophets. We have a Wednesday morning men's group that is studying the book of Daniel.

Finally, let me share with you a little bit about the weather. Beside the fact that it is hot continually, I have also been introducted to dust storms. Last evening we had a thunderstorm and a dust storm at the same time. The dust is still hanging in the air inside the palace. One can taste it. The desert here is not like the sand at the beach on the East or West coasts of the United States. The desert is more like brown talcum powder. It gets in and on everything. For example, we have discovered that our computers lose their "A" drives because of the dirt. Our floopy discs only last a week before they stop working.

I am beginning to see that the weather here, the heat and the dust, profoundly influence the culture, architecture, and theology of the people.

God bless,

CH (COL) Frank E. Wismer III

Dear Bishop Packard

I have arrived in Kuwait City and have been assigned to ORHA-The Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance. In the next day or two we will be traveling to Baghdad to begin our work. I will be working as the Chaplain to ORHA and also providing input on the religious landscape in Iraq. It is a complex picture with many Islamic groups and a variety of Christian groups. There are Nestorian “Christians” and Gnostic “Christians” and there is a Christian community that still speaks Aramic. I have also discovered in the past few days that there is an Episcopal Church in Baghdad. I hope to make contact with them and have a place to worship on a regular basis.
God bless,

CH (COL) Frank Wismer

Dear Bishop,

Today, at 5:30 P.M., I celebrated our mid-week Eucharist that
included prayers for our military, for humanity and for our enemies. And a healing service at the end of the HE. We celebrated this HE as a holy day for Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He confronted the same dilemma that you describe in your Quicknote. He felt he must, as a Christian, take the
great risk of being involved in an assassination attempt to eliminate a great evil. It is a difficult place to find oneself. It forces one to depend solely upon God to resolve the dilemma and sort out the truths of such action.

William L. Graham
CH(LTC) USA (Ret)

Dear Bishop Packard,

As a chaplain in the health care theater, large acute-care setting, I appreciate your disciplined efforts to share with others of us your experience in responding to the demands this war is placing on people on the front lines. We've had six associates called up from our facility. At a couple of sites around our hospital, we maintain a "prayer board" listing family and friends, as well as the associates called to active duty. These boards also invite prayers for the people and land of Iraq currently beseiged by the chaos this war has brought. We hold community prayer twice weekly for all who place prayer intentions on other boards thoughout the hospital. We regularly are praying for you and all deployed. I trust it is okay with you that I share with my chaplain colleagues the stories you send in your Notebook. You help keep a human face and perspective in faith on this war. I'm grateful for all your efforts. If there is any specific way I can be of assistance to you, please let me know.

Blessings on you and your continued ministry.

Sincerely,
Chaplain Joseph Tamborini Czolgosz
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
Park Ridge, IL

George,

The emails that I have received from your office have been balm to a wounded soul —simply because this war has resonated with my 9 months down at Ground Zero— the smoke, debris, bodies, smells —and the expressions on faces.

At least the Gospel goes forth in compassion and concrete help and hope, in the midst of such a difficult time.

I have been praying for the chaplains, and continue to do so. May they be blessed - and may you be blessed in your leadership,

your brother in Christ,

Andrew Osmun

20 years rector in VT, CAP chaplain for 3 years, and 1 day a week
volunteer at Ground Zero, from St. Peter's, Milford, CT

Dear Bishop Packard,

The training CD that your office sent to us Chaplains in the field is powerful and very moving. I have found it extremely clinically helpful as well. Thank you for such a fine tool.

I also wanted to comment on your Chaplain Quicknote for April 01, 03. For some time I have been struggling with the concept of separating the doer from the deed, thinking that I could support the troops but disagree with what they were doing. Your note has provided me with insights that have been very helpful. I used your letter as a reflection for our parish staff meeting last week, and they, too, found it very helpful in working our way through whether you can separate the doer from the deed.

As you know, I am a VA Hospital Chaplain. Many of our Vets are very upset at this deployment of our men and women and make their agitation known in a variety of ways. Ministering to them has taken on a sudden urgency. I am so grateful for the privilege of serving them. Thank you for the support your office provides us.

Chaplain William T. Schooler
VA Palo Health Care System
Palo Alto, CA