Ben... On Point!: Military

New Photo Album

Tue, 01 May 2007 16:28:23 GMT

I created a new photo album to show off some of the pictures I took while on a recent trip. I took several more, but for security reasons... you know the deal.

Enjoy!

Until Later,

Ben

Bagram Update #8

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 05:57:48 GMT

Well.... Yesterday I finished my 3rd month here. My plan was to come on my website and post a blog entry cheerfully noting that I'm now 25% finished with this deployment. However, as I'm sure you're probably aware, Secretary of Defense Gates has just announced that effective immediately active duty Army deployments are now extended from 12 to 15 months. So, now instead of being 25% finished... I'm back to 20%.

I need to think of it in those terms because 5% sounds a lot less than 3 months.

Am I disheartened? Yes. Am I frustrated? Yes. However, I'm not going to go into the nit and gritty of my irritation because Big Brother IS watching...

However, I shouldn't get too upset - nor should you - just yet... there is a distinct possibility that this extension won't apply to us. So things are still somewhat up in the air.

But... regardless of the political powers that be, I believe wholeheartedly in the sovereignty of God. This likely change in plans ultimately comes from His good hand. I will do my best to tell my soul to be still within me and rest in God's goodness. After all, in this context I've been afforded many opportunities to help people and to point them to Christ. In fact, just this day, as I was walking into my office feeling bummed and angry about this news, I was met by a guy I'd counseled a couple months ago. He came to say that he had acted on what we talked about and he was much much better and as a result he wanted to say "thanks." That was a boost. I'm called to serve Christ. I'm called to die to myself. Jesus tells us that in comparison to our love for Him, our love to family should be as hate. So I have a choice: I can be frustrated and bitter and call my endorser to rip up my endorsement (giving me an immediate ticket home and out of the Army), or I can realize that this is an opportunity to serve Christ and truly be with my 1500+ folks who are almost ALL disheartened by this potential change of affairs.

I'll choose, by the grace of God, to serve Him faithfully regardless of my circumstances.

Until later,

Ben

My promotion ceremony!

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 07:14:42 GMT

It's official... I am no longer a First Lieutenant... I am now a Captain!

Yesterday evening we conducted my promotion ceremony in the chapel. I had a large turnout... and the warrant officer who was promoted right after me brought his own group of people, so together we had a rather large crowd of folks.

My Commander lauded me, my buddies pranked me, and good food and conversation was had. It was an enjoyable evening. However, it would have been a lot better had my wife been there to put my rank on me...

Kay has been there with me as my faithful wife through the entire schooling, church ministry, ordination, and accession process. She is, in large part, the reason why I'm a chaplain today. I wish that she could have been able to be the one to promote me.

Numerous pictures have been posted in the new photo album entitled "Promotion Ceremony." Please check them out!

Until later,

Ben

Deploying

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 20:36:58 GMT

Well, the bags are all packed... I deploy tomorrow! Since anyone in the world can potentially view this blog, I won't mention where I'm heading...

Please pray for my family while I'm gone. They'll be heading back to Iowa to stay with my in-laws who are gracious enough to take my wife and our kids into their home.

Please pray for me. Yes, pray for my safety, but more than that I would like you to pray that I would be faithful to make the most of this unique situation to proclaim Christ crucified to the troops in my battalion.

Lord willing, my next post will be from our destination.

Until then,

Ben

2006 Toy Drop

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 00:23:20 GMT

Today I participated in the annual Toys for Tots airborne operation conducted on Ft. Bragg. Here's the deal: bring in a $10 toy and your name gets put in a lottery for one of the available jump slots. If your name is drawn, then you get to jump. Since the annual jump occurs around the same time that most folks begin their Christmas leave (that means vacation for my civilian readers), they go all out to entice folks to stick around to throw themselves out of a perfectly good airplane: They bring in foreign jumpmaster teams so that those who jump earn not just another jump to their credit, but also the right to wear foreign jump wings on their dress uniform.

Like any good event, there were some of the slots that were set aside from the raffle to be given away as a reward for good performance. I was given one of these "hard slots." I was able to jump out of a C-130 with 49 other paratroopers while being supervised by an Australian jump team. As a result, I have now been awarded Australian jump wings.

I had a great jump. We exited the aircraft at a nice high altitude of 1250 feet. I caught good warm air, so I descended slowly (relatively speaking) and I was able to position myself over what looked like sand (using a technique knowing as "slipping")... it turned out that I was right, so I had a pillow soft landing into several inches of good old North Carolina sand.

I've attached several photos from the event as a photo album on this site. Check it out!

Airborne!

Ben