TAPS

Wed.
25 Mar 09

Ysterday was an intense day of training. The theme centered on ministering to the families of Soldiers killed in action (KIA). We spend time overviewing grief counseling, then spent the afternoon learning our role in a Casualty Notification Team (which goes to the home of the next of kin and notifies them that their Soldier was KIA). No Chaplain enjoys this role, and yet we all will probably get tasked to accompany the Casualty Notification Officer on numerous occassions throughout our careers.

The day ended with a powerful session from a group called T.A.P.S., which stands for Tradegy Assistance Program for Survivors. (Check out www.TAPS.com). They have a great ministry to the families of Soldiers KIA. They even have special programs for the children who are also affected when their mom or dad does not come home from war. They actually brought in two widows and a mom of Soldiers killed in either Iraq or Afghanistan in the last 5 years. It was powerful to hear their stories about their loved ones and the role the Chaplain played (or did not play) in their grief / memorial / notification, etc. There were definitely lessons to be learned for us rookies on what NOT to do as a Chaplain in that situation. The mom made the point that no one reached out to the parents when her son died, and she needed the Army to do that. Unfortunately, that Chaplain absolutely ignored the rest of the grieving family except the wife. I think that's tragic. But maybe that's the point.

As for today, we started new curriculum from a book called "How to Not Marry a Jerk." (No lie). It's all about teaching relationship skills to single men and women and learning how to recognize the "jerks" out there in the dating world before it's too late. So far it has been good stuff. We continue this tomorrow and then go on a Wellness Retreat this weekend (Fri - Sun) up into the hills of North Carolina. This is our last weekend of the Program, so they want to end it with a bang! Should be a good weekend of training ("Rain, rain, go away. Come again some other day").