USO Canteen FReeper Style....Chaplain Corps We Thank you....June 2,2002

A Special Tribute by SpookBrat and Snow Bunny and FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style

[Snow Bunny]

Military Chaplains serve around the world in each branch of the U.S. Military, and have the rare opportunity to live and work with the men and women they minister to on a daily basis.

CREST: The color blue representing the heavens alludes to the spiritual nature of the mission of the Chaplain Corps. The rays represent universal truth and the surrounding palm branches spiritual victory. The shepherd's crook is emblematic of pastoral ministry and the numerals “1775” commemorate the date of the establishment of the Army Chaplaincy.

MOTTO: The motto is translated “For God and Country.”

Military chaplains serve the personnel and families of the Army, Air Force and Navy. Navy chaplains also serve the Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard.

Photo taken at a firebase on the ridge above Dak To. In the field, chaplains make do with whatever they find handy--in this case, ammo crates.1968

Desert Storm.......CH Dennis Newton baptizes a solider in an onionskin waterpod, February 1991.

Chaplain (CPT) Charles Watters in Vietnam
shortly before his death in November 1967

Chaplain and a soldier both with muddy boots, kneeling down in prayer WW11...." Muddy Boots"

With the end of World War II, almost 8 million persons displaced by the war were in Germany and Austria. They included concentration camp survivors, former prisoners of war, forced laborers and ethnic Germans from Poland and Czechoslovakia.
Chaplain Eli Bohnen with children in displaced persons camp, Bad Gastein, Austria, August 1945.

On July 14, 2000, MELLON's BM3 Barnum and Mrs Heather Barnum presented their daughter, Abigail Rachel Barnum for baptism. The ceremony took place on the foc'sle of the USCGC MELLON, CDR Marshall, CHC, USN officiating

SpookBrat wrote this, it is wonderful, touching and a real blessing for each of us.Thank you SpookBrat for your help with the Military Chaplains thread today for the FReeper USO Canteen.......

...."Researching those who love the Lord and the United States of America has lifted my spirit and blessed me.

When I first began reading on the history of Chaplains, images of every pastor I had known came to mind. Remembering them as the peace preaching, never dirty, never bloody, gentle souls who ne'er turned a needy soul away. Rembering them as those faithful Godly men and women who are trained to always say the right thing at the right time, throwing in a scripture here and there for edification or justification.

A new picture is painted in my mind now. This new picture comes with great admiration and reverence as I learned of those who dedicated their lives to the Lord, mankind, and their country. They were not merely offering spiritual guidance alongside their freedom searching and freedom defending flock. They were (and still are) freedom fighters themselves, dedicated to the liberty, freedom and justice guaranteed in our constitution and dedicate to the freedom written about in our holy books.

Humans are creatures of faith. Since the dawn of human existance, we have searched for something more powerful than ourselves to give us meaning and comfort in a time of great turmoil and suffering. Ancient civilizations always depended on their holy men to bless their wars and entice favors from the gods. Those of Judeo Christian faith adore the old stories of Joshua marching around Jericho and how Elisha knew the strategies of the Syrian army.

Military Chaplaincy has come a long way since the days of animal sacrifice. During our War for Independence, pastors raised militia from their own congregations then led them into battle. They indured great hardship and suffering along with their bretheren and celebrated victory with them in the end.

"Romans 12:15...Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."

During the Civil War, a Chaplains most important duty was the worship services they conducted. Additional duties included opportunities to offer public prayer, weddings, baptisms, funerals, burials, providing guidance, visiting the sick, teaching reading to illiterate soldiers, and writing letters for wounded or dead soldiers.

Woodrow Wilson, the president who led our country in World War I, was the son of a Confederate Army Chaplain. Trench warfare during WWI is notorious for it's bloodshed. After battle, chaplains were charged with recovering bodies and the burial of the dead. They also had grave registration duties, ensuring that each grave was marked with the deceased's full name, unit and date of death. He then made his edification rounds of visitation, sympathy letter writing to families, not to mention counseling and relig ious services.

After WWI, our nation made great effort to never be unprepared for war again. Our expanding military included more openings for Chaplains. The phrase "Tell it to the chaplain" became a common remark during WWII. In 1942, each chaplain conducted an average of 53 personal meetings a day. They dealt mostly with personal and family problems, homesickness, suicidal thoughts, alcohol, but mostly adjusting to military life. Least we forget, the great majority of soldiers fighting for our freedom are young men, away from home for the first time in great need of a nurturing spiritual figure.

During the Korean and Vietnam War, they consoled those dying in the mud and prayed over the wounded. They also never turned down an opportunity to help soldiers deal with ideological conflicts while fighting Communism. They preached the horror and evils of Communism, including sermons on the blessings of being an American.

Military Chaplains are everything to everybody. One cannot help but wonder, "Is there anyone to Chaplain the Chaplains"? The atrocities they witnessed are unspeakable, and yet they served with tremendous dedication and faith. Faith in their heavenly Father and faith in our sacred constitution and the freedom it insures. Throughout history, spiritual leaders have brought God's message to men in battle. "Bringing God to men, and men to God" has long been the theme of the Chaplaincy. Of course, a Chaplains "job" is to counsel and support, but his primary goal is to help those who are lost, find their way home. Find their way home alive, to their precious families and perhaps, Lord willing, find their way home to God the Father.

(I also had a very difficult time finding Chaplain history during the Gulf War. I don't want to leave them out, but information was hard for me to find. I'm sorry for that)".....

Army veterans and others are trying to raise $55,000 for the first stained-glass window to honor Army airborne chaplains. The three-section window, which is almost 16 feet high and 12 feet wide, will be placed over the entrance to the George B. Wood Memorial Chapel on Ardennes Street at Fort Bragg.

"I don't know of any window that commemorates airborne chaplains," said Lt.Col. Lawrence Krause, the head chaplain for the 82nd Airborne Division. "I don't think there is anything like it."

Much of the money has come from members in the 82nd Airborne Division Association's 101 chapters across the country.

[Snow Bunny]

Tribute to Vietnam Veterans....Please click on picture

The great intangible of America's wars beyond logistics, beyond strategy, beyond wonder weapons and Generals, is the spiritual force of its fighting men and women - and that is the force that the USO so serves.

Free Republic....Click for Donations

Thank you from all those that frequent the FReeper Canteen to Jim Robinson, Founder of FRee Republic and Navy Veteran.

[Snow Bunny]

When the terrorists attack on September 11th happened. There were Military Chaplains there doing what they do so beautifully.
This wonderful painting of an angel with one of the firemen has the feeling to me of how those in our military must also feel knowing there is a Military Chaplain there for them as well.

God Bless those that serve our country .

This is a specially commissioned painting "Guardians of the Light" is by the artist, Greg High of Southern California.

Renowned sculptor, Dave McGary of Arizona has agreed to bring to life the powerful imagery found in the painting.

Dave McGary studied in Italy under the finest bronze craftsmen in the world and his sculptures are included in many public and private collections around the world, including the U.S. Capitol and V.P. Dick Cheney.

[Snow Bunny]

Thank you SpookB for your help with today's thread.

I love how the Canteen is supported by so many and how it truly is FRiends of the FReeper Canteen in so many ways.

I love what you wrote and help with research.Thank you my friend.

(((( hug )))

[Snow Bunny]

Welcome to the FReeper USO Canteen. Thank you all so much for your wonderful support.

Have a fantastic day today!!

[Snow Bunny]

The USO Canteen FReeper Style has been given permission to have an address where you can write snail mail and or send packages to our Soldiers in TF Rakkasan.We are proud to adopt this Sergeant Major to our FReeper Canteen"I can not say how to get a package to the Ranger Bns, but if you want to send one any way there are some great soldiers right here in TF RAKKASAN that would enjoy the package and most of them have been rangers anyway since that is where they seem to flow to when the get to the 101st. You can use my address if you want and I will pass it out to the grunts on the line for you and damn sure let them know." Address:SGM R A Herman TF Rakkasan HHC 3Bde APO AE 09355

[Vigilantcitizen]

Hey Snow Bunny. Sorry I haven't been around, but I have a dying newborn girl in the family.

Prayers needed here.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Bunny.

[Bad~Rodeo]

BUMP

[Vigilantcitizen]

Bump back at ya.

[Snow Bunny]

Thank you viligantcitizen for the link to your thread.

Prayers for this precious baby.

[Snow Bunny]

Hi Aeronaut. Thank you for your wonderful support and friendship.

[Snow Bunny]

Hi my friend, great to see you. I am off to bed in a few minutes. Thank you for your support of the FReeper Canteen.

[Aeronaut]

It is so sad to hear about vigilantcitizen's family situation. I hope all prayer warriors will hop over to that thread and join in.

[Vigilantcitizen]

And thank you for your prayers, Snow Bunny. You are an angel.

[Bad~Rodeo]

No Miss Bunny, thank YOU and buenas noches...

[Vigilantcitizen]

I hope all prayer warriors will hop over to that thread and join in.

Thanks for your support, Aeronaut. I am sure that there will be more than I can reply to soon.

I will print the thread and give it to them.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Give FallGuy my regards.

[larryjohnson]

Good Sunday mornin from sunrise county(Washington),Maine! The sun is up about 5 degrees peeking red out from under a cloud deck. It is 50 degF on the coast where it got over 70 yesterday, yay!... My father and my dem wife's father were both Lutheran ministers. Neither served as Chaplins but I observed during WWII many happy servicemen and their brides-to-be in our Baltimore parsonage. He married many couples and they would come back over the years to our later homes. He was a great preacher and loved by all. IN Memory of The Rev. Dr.Warren Carl Johnson(1907-1992)

[Bahbah]

Morning Bunny. This is really exceptional.

[Vigilantcitizen]

BTW...beautiful thread, Snow Bunny.

God Bless the Military Chaplains.