Chaplain Stories

Chaplain Drew Nelson Serving in Afghanistan
Written by John Cantlie, a journalist with FastFeatures.com.
You can find his article at http://www.fastfeatures.com/news/2011/07/05/chaps/

Meet ‘Chaps’, or Drew Nelson as he’s otherwise known. The Chaplain for 3/4 in COP Ouellette. Imagine a rock star crossed with a man of the cloth and that’s Drew; he’s a pretty cool cat.

Somehow he’s managed to piece together the finest chapel in northern Helmand, and the place is an absolute sanctuary. From outside it’s just another tan tent, but inside he’s got industrial-strength air conditioning, 42 neatly arranged chairs in front of a makeshift altar, stacks of magazines, board games and loads of care package goodies to help yourself to. There’s fresh coffee on 24/7 and when he’s not holding services he shows movies. And not, as you might imagine, crushingly dull happy-clappy nonsense but proper films that Marines want to watch with guns, action and swearing. He reads the Bible instead of Nuts, doesn’t carry a rifle or dip tobacco, but he’s all about the guys on the line.

“I wanted to come out here, I think if you’re going to do this job it’s important to be amongst the Marines as often as you can,” he says.

“This chapel is somewhere where anyone can come and relax, hang out. I’m always there to talk, I do a lot of counseling with the guys if they want it, but I don’t ram it down their throat. If they want to talk about anything at all, I’m there.”

It’s Drew’s insistence that he gets out on the line with the Marines that they really appreciate. Lima Company have been having a tough time of late and wherever I went on the line, at some point I’d run into Chaps, always smiling and putting himself in harm’s way just to be amongst them. He operates so passively that half the time you don’t even realize he’s there, just a quiet and positive presence in the background.

I inadvertently attended a Catholic Mass while sheltering from the thudding heat. The division Chaplain flew in and it was Catholic Mass, Marine style. After the sermon the Chaplain finished with “got that? Good to go?” as though completing a tactical briefing, then poured the wine, broke the bread and drank all the wine himself. Well, I guess alcohol’s banned for service members. I’m Protestant (I think, the last time I went into a church was because it was raining outside) so I just mumbled at the complicated bits and looked down.

But if all Chaplains were like Drew, who knows? I might even give this religion thing a try. Drew Nelson, resident Chaplin for the 3/4 Marines and a terribly decent chap.

Chaplain Service at the FBI Academy
By Russ Guppy, Tacoma Police Department

May 2011 I was privileged again to serve for two weeks as the temporary resident chaplain at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Some of you remember that and even prayed for me while I was there. Thank you! I thought I would tell you a little about my time at Quantico.

This is the twentieth anniversary of the FBI ‘s volunteer chaplain program. About 50 experienced police chaplains were chosen in 1991, about half of which are still in place. The total has grown to around 130 throughout the FBI system. Shortly after moving to Tacoma in 2005, I was “recruited” by the Seattle office and Chaplain Bill Tate, a very fine pastor and one of the original FBI chaplains. Part of the privilege is the opportunity to chaplain at the academy as a pastor-counselor in residence for 14 days.

The FBI Academy is the training site for all new agents, intelligence analysts, and for advanced in-service training for all types of FBI personnel. It is also the site of the FBI’s National Academy for chosen senior police officers, usually lieutenants and above, from police agencies across America and throughout the Free World (who are literate in English). Other specialized training is offered for foreign police officers and conducted in their native tongue. In May, there was a large group from Brazil and another group of Arabic-speaking police commanders from the Middle East. As visiting chaplain, I had the opportunity to converse and mingle with many of these during meal times, to sit in on some classes, and even be at the firearms range with new agent classes. This session I had significant conversations with officers and/or agents from Brazil, Kenya, Iraq (!), Michigan, California, New York, and Florida. An officer I’ve known from his rookie days in Oregon was attending the National Academy, a situation which has happened twice in previous year’s visits. This year I also gave prayers for the graduates of a class of new Intelligence Analysts, a highly important FBI role in this age of global terrorism. I was able to encourage a new local FBI chaplain on his first visit to the academy.

Because the FBI Academy is in an isolated secure location 35 miles from Washington DC and miles from any town, the “Bureau” allows the visiting chaplain to conduct a chapel worship service on the two Sunday mornings of his/her stay at the academy. Many personnel have vehicles and leave on the weekends, even to attend churches in Northern Virginia. So we usually have only 10 to 20 (50 plus on Easter) who come to the beautiful chapel built into the ground level of one of the high-rise buildings. On the Sunday after Easter my message was “The Hope of the Post-Resurrection Appearances of Jesus;’ and on the other Sunday I gave a sermon on godly leadership from the biblical secular leaders Joseph and Daniel. On May 5th, the National Day of Prayer, I led an outdoor prayer service at noon around the flagpole. Many FBI staff prayed aloud that day for our country, our FBI agents, families, soldiers and other war fighters–this was just after the death of Osama bin Laden.

That’s a quick glimpse, but I thank you for making it possible for me to be there, to represent our Lord, and be His “pastoral agent” among the fine people of the FBI who quietly labor to protect our freedom today … and tomorrow.

Please pray for both of these men!

 

How FAITH COMMUNITIES Can Help VETERANS and Their Families Readjust
(Adapted by VA Chaplain David Lundell from peakingoffaith.org – The Soul of War)

THE ROAD HOME from war can be more challenging than the road to war for both combatants and their families. While the reunion is wonderful, after the reunion there may be a difficult period of transition and readjustment. For those who serve in the military (“soldiers”) and families with faith, their faith community can be a crucial partner in this process.

The June 2004 New England Journal of Medicine reveals that as many as 18% of returning combat vets struggle with significant mental health issues. Department of Defense medical authorities now state that as many as 30% of returning Army Reserve and Guard members struggle with significant mental health issues four to six months after returning from combat. These studies highlight the need for faith communities to partner with returning soldiers, discharged soldiers (“veterans”), their families, and with other community resources in the complex readjustment process

Clergy and faith communities need to understand what the soldier and his/her family face as they reunite. Each has been through their own odyssey: challenged, stretched, pushed to the limits of endurance, even perhaps overwhelmed.

The families filled voids left by the soldier. New roles were assumed; new rules took effect; money was managed by the family without the soldier's direct input; new skills, experiences, and friendships gained. While the soldier’s family is the same family, it is a newer model. The soldier's role in the family has changed, yet neither soldier nor family may realize this … yet.

The soldier returns from a life of danger to a life of uncertainty. In combat training the soldier mastered dependence on combat buddies, vigilance, reactive obedience, and weaponry. In combat the military directed and provided. In civilian life the veteran must live by complex societal codes, and often resume the role of provider. In combat the soldier bonded deeply with a few – survival depended on this. In civilian life the soldier must interact with a myriad of networks of people – family, friends, co-workers, relatives, etc. In combat the soldier felt safe within the confines of the base and his/her team. At home the soldier, now unarmed and away from his/her team, may feel vulnerable, not sure where (or if) he/she is safe and secure.

The veteran may experience alienation because of the unique experiences (both good and bad) of combat, and the inability to adequately share those experiences with those who haven't been there – even loved ones. The veteran may feel that friends and co-workers have "leapt ahead" while he/she was "frozen in time." They have gone to school, married, been promoted, learned new skills and advanced in their careers … leaving the veteran trying to "catch up" in a civilian world he/she now feels out of synch with.

THIS MEANS faith communities have a unique opportunity to help combat veterans and their families. Consider the following steps to help soldiers and combat veterans and their families:

1. Make your community "military-friendly". You don’t need to support U.S. foreign policy or promote war to see members of the military or veterans as you see any other stressed population in your parish. Soldiers have volunteered for a very difficult service, and their families share in that sacrifice. In the Christian tradition, Jesus ministered to soldiers – His church should do the same.

A "military-friendly" faith community publicly acknowledges members who are serving and who have served in the military, and that their service is appreciated. Ideas:  pray for the military, list the names of those serving in the service bulletin, post pictures of those serving on a display board, project their pictures before and/or after services, support events that honor veterans.

2. Reach out to military families. They may be in a crisis. Demonstrate your desire to walk with them through the separation. A periodic phone call offering support and a listening ear is helpful.

There are many practical ways to encourage families while their soldier is gone such as offering an oil change on the family car and doing yard work.

Youth pastors and children's ministers can especially touch the children of service members who struggle with the trauma of separation stress. A caring, consistent outreach to them will be a great source of comfort not only to the child and family, but to their soldier.

3. Reach out to the deployed soldier. Encouraging snail mail from home can include the weekly service bulletin, even a handwritten pastoral note. Education classes, men’s and women’s and other groups can take turns sending care packages and notes – helping their soldiers feel loved, valued, and not forgotten.

4. Welcome the soldier home. With consent, publicly acknowledge the soldier’s return throughout the congregation. Doing this will acknowledge the family’s sacrifice as well as affirm the soldier’s service. Then, offers of child care during several weeks after the soldier’s return would be of great practical help, and encouragement.

5. Support beyond the homecoming. If the congregation thinks of the service member and his/her family as people who just survived a fire, this will guide efforts to help over the long haul. After all, a soldier who has been in combat, and his/her family, have endured a fire – the fire of war. It may well take a long time for them to rebuild their lives. In reality, they never will be the same; nothing will be quite as it was. Yet, with the help of their faith community throughout the long process of reintegration, the veteran family with his/ her family can grow into a new normal.
Don't overwhelm the soldier or new veteran and his/her family with attention … but don't ignore them. Give the pastoral care you'd give any victims: your presence and meeting practical needs such as providing a favorite meal once a week for several weeks after the soldier returns, or offering day care so the couple can rebuild their marriage, or paying for the couple to attend a marriage retreat. Be agents of grace and healing – especially sensitive for spiritual needs, and available to provide counsel or referral if the family needs help.

6. Listen, support, absolve – without condemning. One of the tragic legacies of Viet Nam is that our society either ignored or condemned military service members who fought in that war. Sadly, many faith communities shared in this. Societal shame is a powerful tool; church ignorance smacks of shame and is even more powerful – it broke the spirits of countless Viet Nam veterans.

During and after this war, faith communities must do better, and can – without compromising their moral standards. Soldiers need a place where they can share troubling war experiences and do theological inquiry – which is often necessary for anyone who has experienced and suffered traumatic evil. The veterans’ own faith group should be the place where they can question openly – then, through compassion and perhaps answers, grow and gain the strength needed to become the persons God is calling them to be. Veterans need a listening ear, a place for confession, a heart of compassion – a pastor willing to engage. America’s faith communities can be a healing haven for soldiers, veterans, and their families.

7. Be alert for signs of distress. Just because a soldier and his or her family show up regularly for weekly worship doesn't mean everything is going well with their reintegration. Faith communities are unique from other helping agencies in that their pastor has inherent permission to check in with the veteran and family periodically … and can note signs of distress. Depression, hyper-vigilance, withdrawal, inability to hold a job, anger issues, and discomfort with being in crowds are common signs of stress in combat veterans.

Children are often the first to reflect stress at home – pay attention to what they are saying and doing. Through demonstrated pastoral concern, faith communities are perhaps best able to offer a veteran a real opportunity to receive help, healing, and hope. Non-combat-experience clergy can still engage pastorally.

Soldiers are continually returning home from combat. The local congregation that effectively ministers to this growing population can anticipate receiving God’s blessing as they extend God’s blessing. Yellow ribbons and patriotism are nice and much appreciated – but the true incarnational gift most appreciated by the combat veteran and his/her family is applied love (respect and care) and the growth of their own faith.

8. Offer wise referrals. Your local VA offers your Veterans many specialized services, including spiritual care in concert with upholding the Veteran’s own faith-orientation.  Feel free to phone your local VA’s chaplain; s/he will be more than willing to offer you personalized guidance in caring for your Veterans!

Click here for a printable .pdf version of this document.

For more information on CBAmerica Chaplaincy contact Al Russell at 218-776-2813 or at chapruss@cbamerica.org. We would  love to share in your church service or missions conference what God is doing in chaplaincy.