Terrible, Rotten, Horrible, No-Good Day

14 Nov 09
Yesterday was a horrible, no-good, terrible, rotten day. I am not a superstitious person, but it was on Friday the 13th that our Unit lost a Soldier -- killed from a road-side bomb. We got the news late morning and it devastated us. We have been here less than a month and we've already exprienced tradegy. Suddenly this war took on new meaning for us all, and it may have been a horrible reminder to our troops of the reality of what we're doing here. I don't pretend to understand it all, and I certainly cannot tell you why God allows war and death, but I can tell you His presence is felt here and is desperately needed here. I knew this Soldier; he asked me to pray with him before we left the United States. I will always have that tender, spiritual memory with him and of him.

Every Soldier who is killed (KIA) is called a Fallen Hero, and they have a special ceremony to honor the Hero while they load the casket into an Air Force cargo plane to be flown back to the USA. (I recommend you watch the movie, Taking Chance, with Kevin Bacon). I went to sleep around midnight Friday night and got up again around 0330 Sat. morning to participate in this ramp ceremony. It was truly an awe-inspiring event to be a part of that. A Senior-ranking Chaplain and myself led the pall bearers into the plane and then shared a prayer and Scripture (Psalms 27:1-4). I stood at attention with tears streaming down my face while many Soldiers from our Unit payed their last respects to their friend with a slow salute to the casket. It was really powerful. We will now hold a Memorial Ceremony in the next few days, where I will deliver the message. This is where the Chaplain has to shine because it will be attended by some big-wigs around here (men with stars on their uniform). I don't mean that I have to preach like Billy Graham, but I do have to coordinate it all and make sure it goes off flawlessly. If not, it looks bad on me and our Command. So we'll rehearse and get it right.

So please pray for our Unit, the family of our fallen hero, and the ceremony we will hold to honor him and his sacrfice. I would appreciate that. And someone tell Jenny that I missed the race this morning. The ramp ceremony took precedent. Oh well, maybe next year.