Sandstorms

Have you ever seen The Mummy? If so, do you remember the scene where the Mummy creates a sand storm that looks like a wall of sand rolling over the desert? Well that's the experience I had this week. I had heard that these storms could just show up with little warning, but it's hard to fathom it until you've seen it. I had just finished picking up a late meal and got back on the shuttle bus. Visibility was fine. Five minutes later you could hardly see 50 feet out the front of the bus! Headlights and taillights were barely visible. When we arrived at my stop, I debated just staying on the bus til the storm subsided. But a desire to get to bed got the best of me so I exited the bus and braved the elements. With patrol cap pulled down low and sunglasses on at night, I tried to shield my eyes from the sand. I was partially successful but my moist soft drink can was caked with sand. Nothing some baby wipes cant handle!
(The pic is not mine, but one I found on the 'net from Iraq. It gives a good idea of what these storms can do!)

The Wandering Chaplain

Bahrain

After returning from Afghanistan, I had a week to recharge in Kuwait. The following weekend found me in Bahrain for an initial site visit to my Soldiers there. Bahrain is an ever growing island in the Persian Gulf. Yes it's growing! This affluent Kingdom is "reclaiming" land by building sea walls around areas, then pumping out the water and filling it with sand. The hotel we stayed in (yes hotel at this location... NICE!) used to be on the beach. Now you cant even see the coastline partly from reclamation and part due to construction of high rises.
After the ruggedness of Afghanistan, Bahrain was a very nice getaway. My Soldiers work out of the Navy base there. They live in the city and commute to the base. As a result, there's much more freedom here. Bahrain is a more moderate Islamic state. There are clubs, 5 star hotels, and a rather european flare. Some of the Soldiers were commenting on how similar we all are. Sitting in a club, listening to a live Filipino band while having a beer, they can look around and see Arabs doing the exact same thing... having a drink after a long day. Too bad we can't all have such interactions.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there was an article in Stars and Stripes about an incident in Afghanistan that gave me feelings of anger and sorrow at the same time. In an attempt to undermine the government, members of the Taliban had attacked a provincial subgovernor. They forced the man with his three young children (all under the age of 8) back into their car, doused it gasoline and burned them alive. War is hell, but what kind of person brutalizes children like that? Certainly the people of Afghanistan deserve better. Makes you want to pray Psalm 94.

The Wandering Chaplain

Whatcha been reading?

During some of my downtime at the airport(s) waiting to see if we'd get on the plane, I had the chance to read Wild at Heart and The Shack. Both were good books that I recommend. I'm not so sure I buy into everything within Wild at Heart. The author almost plays too much into the male and female stereotypes for me, but he makes some good points. It's a worthwile read if you can get your hands on it. I'll make use of it in future sermons no doubt and apply some of it to parenting 3 boys.
The Shack is a book recommended by my wife. What a thought provoking story! It takes the most tragic thing a parent could ever go through and works its way in story form through issues of suffering, tragedy, good and evil, forgiveness and redemption. I found it very cathartic. I had to stop at times to avoid crying (macho Soldier ya know) and laugh out loud at others.
Some churches have placed The Shack on their blacklist telling church members to stay away from it. Granted the book is anti-institution (but pro-God), anti-religion (but pro-relationship), and arguably anti-scriptue (but pro-revelation). It also raised questions of univeralism and was sprinkled with elements of Buddhism. (I plan to use it in my World Religions course). But as one well versed in orthodox Christianity, it had a sound presentation of the Trinity and did the best job I can recall on dealing with the problem of evil and suffering in the world.
Go ahead and pick it up. Tell the narrow-minded to get their head out of the sand.

The Wandering Chaplain

Afghanistan Revisited

Wow! I just flew in from Afghanistan and boy are my arms tired (ta dum dum)! I know it sounds weird, but it's good to be back in Kuwait (where it's always sunny... today's high was only 109). The rest of my trip in Afghanistan was very rewarding. My chaplain assistant and I wound up taking 7 flights in 7 days as we FOB hopped around the country to Bagram, Kabul, Kandahar and Jalalabad. We only failed to make it to Salerno. This was a very rewarding and exhausting trip usually with about 3-4 hours sleep on a cot (but at least we had a cot!)
I had the chance to visit with numerous Soldiers. Some were part of my unit; some were not. Though I always enjoy that part of the mission, it does not come natural to me as an introvert. I've been told that extraverts feed off social interaction, while introverts are drained by it. That's certainly true in my case, but I wouldn't trade the time with the Soldiers.
I've already told you about Bagram. Our Kabul team was actually located at one of the area camps so once we got off the plane (instead of taking a helicopter directly to the camp), we now had to arrange ground transportation to the camp (this we did not plan on and somehow someone failed to inform us!) We were fortunate to hitch a ride with a security detachment though the streets of Kabul. Our return trip to the airport was with a regular convoy. It was impressive to see the professionalism of the convoy commander and the preparation taken before going "outside the wire." This is certainly an increased level of apprehension at this location.
The NCOIC of our Kabul team reminded me of The Rock in both appearance and charisma. He was very outgoing, definite extravert, and seemed to talk my ears off for 3 hours straight! It's humbling and amazing to me how quickly my Soldiers open up to "their Chaplain." These guys are regularly pulling a 70 hour work week. Maybe that's why they're so happy to see me? Chappy comes and they get some down time!
Next stop Kandahar. Instead of getting a good night's rest, there was a flight heading out that night to Kandahar so we hopped on it. Arriving at 2:00 am without first making contact probably wasnt the best idea. Instead of waking our team up, we navigated our way to the transient tents. If you're ever there, just follow your nose. Kandahar apparently has a lagoon for its sewage and this night the wind was blowing the wrong direction. Nasty! It reminded me of the pig farms by the church I pastored in Spring Hope. Or of the smell of the paper companies in Mobile.
While here, I was able to confirm a rumor that the Taliban had placed bounties on the religious leaders in the area to include Chaplains. Several Imams who had been working with the Chaplains on humanitarian missions had been murdered. One of the chapels here is named after a chaplain assistant who had been killed by an IED. I met his chaplain back in Kuwait. The bounties were advertised in the local papers and some were as high as $50,000. Next time someone tells me I'm good for nothing, I'll tell 'em I'm worth 50 G's baby!!! (can you tell I'm tired with such a sick sense of humor?)
From Kandahar we traveled back to Bagram before heading to Jalalabad. The C-130 load masters briefed us on the possible need for barf bags citing they usually take fire entering Jalalabad and the evasive maneuvres can be pretty "moving". I sat next to the bucket just in case. Sure enough the evasive maneuvres came, but fortunately no one barfed. I never heard if we actually received fire or not, but either way thank God we weren't hit.
Our team in J-bad actually had a representative meet us on the runway. They were especially happy to see us because we were the "first visitors they've had" since arriving in country. To be sure there were other hundreds of other people at this base, but we were the first from their unit to visit them. As part of the Commander's personal staff, they greatly appreciated my visit and made me feel very welcome. I got a mini-tour of the base and had a chance to meet the base Chaplains and talk extensively to my Soldiers. These guys are also pulling the long hours.
While in Afghanistan I received some sour news I wont go into here, but I was really ticked off. Had me steaming! Fortunately, when I started interacting with the Soldiers I completely forgot about my "problems." Isn't is amazing how small our world gets when we focus on our problems, but how small our problems get when we focus on others? I know I had requested prayer support from some of you during this time. I can tell you that God answered your prayers. I could almost literally feel the burden being lifted and my spirits renewed. Thanks.

CH (CPT) Paul Tolbert
595th Trans Term Grp
APO, AE 09366

Fallen Comrade Ceremonies

03 June 2009

Afghanistan Part Deux

Reality. That's how my second trip to Afghanistan started. After a cramped ride on a C-17, we departed onto the runway at Bagram Air Field. There wasn't as much snow on the mountains as there was a few weeks ago. The air wasn't quite as cool either. Summer was approaching. It was still better than the furnace that is Kuwait. We have 5 destinations scattered throughout Afghanistan on this visit. A small room in what was called a B-Hut was offered for accommodations, but the transient tent was closer to the air terminal and we would be traveling quite a bit on this trip so we opted for the more Spartan accommodations. It was just a simple cot, but got the job done.

Our first day here started and ended with a Fallen Comrade Ceremony. As the 150+ of us left the plane, we were instructed to form a single file line along the runway. After about 20-25 minutes, the procession of vehicles reached our location. As one of the humvees passed, I noticed the flag draped coffin it was carrying. Fellow Soldiers were seated alongside like pall bearers, their expressionless countenance staring staight ahead. As the vehicle approached, we came to the position of attention and slowly saluted our Fallen Comrades. The vehice eventually pulled out of sight and we resumed the arrival in-processing. Just before exiting the runway, I could vaguely here the playing of "Taps."

Later that evening, after I was already in my sleeping bag, the announcement came over the loud speaker for all available personnel to report in uniform to the main drive in half an hour for another Fallen Comrade Ceremony. I confess I was tempted momentarily to just stay in bed. After all it had been a long day and I had only cat naps on the plane the night before. However I remembered the Chaplain motto.

Nurture the living. Care for the wounded. Honor the dead.

I don't know if the deceased was a Soldier, Marine or Airman, but he/she had made the final sacrifice and it was my duty, my honor, to pay homage to my Fallen Comrade. Besides, sleep is overrated :-) The service members in the cots on either side of me just rolled over. One was Army. One was Air Force. I debated saying something to them, but didn't. In hindsite I probably should have. Instead I threw back the covers and slowly but deliberately got dressed. I was pleased to see the majority of the other service members were doing the same.

Upon exiting the tent, I saw a gaggle of Soldiers, two E-8's and two E-3's. We waited together and made small talk before heading out to Disney Drive. When I first heard that name a few weeks ago, I thought they had named it after Disney World in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere of war. Then I learned it had been named after a young Soldier who had been killed in action. I was reminded at that time, "you don't want anything named after you here."

Finally the time came. It was quite a sight. Both sides of the road were lined with Soldiers, Marines and Airmen all at the position of parade rest. As the vehicle approached, both sides of the road came to the position of attention. Slowly saluted and held the salute until the flag-draped coffin with the surviving squad members passed. Once the vehicle was out of sight, we quietly exited and went back to bed.

For some I'm sure this was business as usual in a war zone. For me it was a first, solemn experience. Someone back in the States had lost a son or daughter; a husband or wife; a father or mother; a brother or sister; a friend. I said a prayer for them knowing that their loved one was honored as they left country. It is my understanding that these coffins will never be alone, but be accompanied by Service Members all the way back to the USA where they will be received by an Officer, usually a Chaplain. Eventually the body will make its way to their final resting place; their soul having already arrived.

Nurture the living. Care for the wounded. Honor the dead.