http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/emailalerts/2011/0216.htm

http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/emailalerts/2011/0216.htm

This is just part of our summer Unit Ministry Team for Warrior Forge 2010. The scope of the ministry prevented everyone from being together at the same time. The others are in another photo taken the next day. We had six chaplains, 14 chaplain candidates and three chaplain assistants. It has been a wonderful summer with over 170 worship services conducted with a total attendance of over 1700.

There were multiple professions of faith and everyone has worked so hard to care for the cadets and cadre. It has been a privilege to serve with these men! We have four regiments left to graduate then we begin to draw down. After next week it will be only me and Chaplain Johnston left of the UMT. Then we take a break. Suzanne and I will be taking leave and heading out on a life long dream of a cruise to Alaska. We then begin the process of planning for next summer.

Working with ROTC Cadets

Wow, I really should keep this blog up better. So much has happened since my last entry. I graduated from the Chaplain's Captain Career Course in December. I was in school there at Fort Jackson, SC for six months. I've been promoted to Major and I'm now working out of Fort Lewis, WA. My new job entails me doing a lot of traveling. I'm the Chaplain for all the ROTC programs west of the Mississippi River. I have a Brigade here in Washington, one in San Antonio, and one in Chicago.

This summer I will be working with the third year Cadets as they go through a rigorous training program here at Fort Lewis. It is the Leadership Development and Assessment Course. Also known as "Warrior Forge." We will have thousands of Cadets going through the training and we will be assigning Chaplain's who are in training to be their acting chaplains. I get to help mentor and train these Chaplain Candidates as they perform and provide ministry to our Cadets. I'm really excited about this summer. It's going to be great.

So far this year I've been on temporary duty visiting schools in Texas, Arizona, California, Nevada and Colorado as well as here in Washington. I also preach in the Chapel Next service on post here at Fort Lewis. I'll try to be better about keeping up my blog, especially this summer. Thanks for all your prayers.

In-processing a new post

We are moved into our new home. It is a nice house with plenty of bedrooms (and especially bathrooms), and a small lake out back of the house. We got moved in, in a couple of days. We now have all of our stuff from Ft. Lee, Pennsylvania, and Germany all in one house again. There were several things damaged from the move, or storage, and we have 90 days to report on the damage in order to get reimbursed. All of the bedrooms are full and we still have half the garage full of boxes that have to be gone through.

I in-processed the post this week. In-processing went well. The folks at Fort Jackson are very nice and "customer friendly." It is not always like that. The last post I in-processed a lot of the folks there acted like we were bothering them and weren't friendly at all. That wasn't all of them, but it seems like the bad experiences make a bigger impression. I start classes next week. The folks at the Chaplain school have been such an encouragement. Most of the Chaplain's in my C4 class have been in the Army for awhile so they are gearing our class toward the more experienced. They are endeavoring to make it more of a Major's course than a Captain's course. Many of us will be promoted to Major while we are here and there are several that are already Major.

We find out this coming week where our next assignments are going to be. That will be a big day for all of us in the course.

The Permanent Change of Station, Oh my!

The PCS is a dreaded part of Army life. The Army can move you at any time. Deploy you at any time, but for the most part these moves do have some advanced warning. It is never easy picking up everything and moving across the state, country or sometimes overseas. I was deployed to Central America and was informed that I was to PCS to Germany within 30 days of returning to Pennsylvania from my deployment. That was something.

We have five children and although we only have three of them home for this summer, we still have all their "stuff." So moving all that stuff is a big job. We packed up last week and moved to Columbia, SC on Wednesday. We've been busy looking for a house to live in while I'm stationed at Fort Jackson. We're living in a motel in the mean time, but our allowance for staying in the motel is up on Tuesday. So we have to have a house to move into by Monday or we will have to start paying for the motel out of our own pocket.

We've found two houses that are a possibility. They are both the same size but one is 10 minutes from post while the other is 25 minutes from post. Obviously I would like to live closer to post rather than farther away since I will have to be commuting every day. We're waiting to see what happens with the properties on Monday.

Fort Jackson is a lot closer to our family in Florida. We're looking forward to being able to spend more time with our kids, especially our grand daughter Kylie. Well, once we get a house then I can call the movers and have our household goods delivered. The boys and I will unload about half the stuff and the Army movers will deliver and unload the other half. Should be done in a couple of days, but it may be months before we're settled.

Memorial Ceremony

We had another Memorial Ceremony this week.  One of my Soldiers pass away while playing basketball in the post gym.  He was a young man and left a young wife and daughter.  The family flew in from CA to attend the ceremony.  My Soldiers did a wonderful job of honoring their fallen comrade even though most hardly knew him.  He had only been with us for a few weeks.  He was a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and loved being a Soldier as testified by his cousin who was a Non-Commissioned Officer also stationed here in VA.  The post chapel was packed, standing room only with many Soldiers and guests not even being able to get into the chapel.  It is very important for us to honor our Soldiers in this way.  I always counsel the participants in the ceremony that they are to remain strong.  Their time to mourn will come after the ceremony for we must all do our very best to minister to the Soldiers who are coming to the service.  Rest in peace SSG Kerry Bell.

I also had to send off some more of our Soldiers downrange.  Many were my very close friends and I miss them very much already.  We read from Psalm 91 and prayed for God's blessing and safety for them as they travel to the battle space.  We pray that they will all come home safe.

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