Krupnik said the prayer breakfast is designed to be a forum for these groups to build relationships, network, acknowledge the importance of faith and provides another great opportunity to partner with them.
Col. Steve Garcia, chief of staff, said we are here to offer blessings and prayers for all who serve.
“Today’s tactics, techniques and procedures teach to go right into the fire or bullet and stop it immediately – no longer waiting for re-enforcements,” Garcia said. “Tell me if that is not the true definition of a hero. We need to pray for them.”
Garcia also said the NMNG needs chaplains in our ranks and when the time does come and we need each other, we will be there for each other, as we have already proven that time and time again, and I am asking God to empower us and make us stronger.
Lt. Col. Nate Carper, the Recruiting and Retention commander, said they were honored to sponsor this event which gives us the opportunity for fellowship, networking and the opportunity to reflect on the Chaplain corps – what they mean to our organizations and what a difference and impact they make in our lives – providing strength, wisdom and guidance as we go through those challenging times. He asked that if there is anyone you know with this calling to please let him know.
Carver said several times in his keynote that we need to pray for courage and wisdom as we face all the stuff that is going on at this moment in which we live and he tied his message to his experiences. He thanked all those who wear the nation’s cloth and serve to bring peace and hope to all people and nations on earth.
“In 2003 at the beginning of the war, a CSM ran up to me and said we have an Iraqi woman who wants to see a Catholic priest,” Carver said. “She said they took her property and her business away, raped her and her daughters, and had several teeth knocked out. She said she was grateful to members of the U.S. Armed Services and I will never forget her words; ‘I have prayed for years for God to send his angels to rescue us and you have come.’”
Carver said we all talk about personal courage, one of our great Army Values. He shared when leadership spoke of how many Soldiers we were taking from Kuwait into Iraq; not taking, 101st, 1st CAV, the 82nd, and the 4th Infantry Division initially to the point of attack to allow for the big enveloping tactic used shortly after. You could hear a pin drop, he said, after the General tried to give words of encouragement as we headed into a shooting war with half the strength and he quickly asked ‘Chaplain, what do you have to say?’ As I was walked up impromptu, Carver said, I remembered a scripture relating to an obstacle that seems very challenging, but reminds us how powerful God is despite anything that is going on in our lives – Joshua 1:1-9. “Have I not commanded you, be strong and courageous, do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord, your God is with you everywhere you go.” Carver said he didn’t know what God’s plan was that day, but he thought he wanted him to give an extra fusion of courage into these Troops going into harm’s way. We throw around the word ‘courage’ and have it on our dog tags as one of our values, but what does courage mean, Carver asked. He defined it with an 1828 Websters definition as “it’s what moves you and makes you tick – the foundation of your life. It is the quality of mind that enables us to encounter difficulty and danger with boldness and with firmness without fear or a depressed spirit. Websters at that time also placed scriptures under the definitions and this one read, “be strong and courageous, do not fear or be endanger of them, for it is the Lord our God who goes with you. God will never leave you or forsake you.”
Carver said we need to pray to God to give us the personal courage we need for this hour in what we are facing in our nation and our world. The retired General explained the three times (of many) that you may need courage. First, when facing difficult assignment like in Joshua 1:1-9, taking the reins from Moses who was a rock star in old testament as he led thousands of people out of the desert with two mountain obstacles on each side of him, a water obstacle in front and the entire Egyptian army with a pharaoh behind him.
Carver said that even there, God says take courage, take a knee, the battle is not yours, it is the Lords. Moses was awesome, but now Joshua was faced with needing courage as he took his turn to lead. You never know when that tough assignment or obstacle is going to knock on your door, Carver said, citing maybe in our military position, a tough law enforcement assignment, a challenging relationship, or a health challenge – we have to look to him in these tough assignments.
“We had our first chaplain assistant and chaplain killed in Afghanistan for the first time in over 40 years and it was my tough assignment to call their widows,” Carver said. “After their initial shock, they realized they had a new assignment from God, as widows, to raise their children. All of us have that unexpected news and that’s when we need to cry out to God for courage, to endure, to be resilient and persevere.”
Carver told us about how Staff Sgt. Travis Mills’ life changed in April 2011 on his third deployment with the 82nd, this time to Iraq. He volunteered to go down range to be with his boys and was in country for a few days when he placed his backpack on an IED. In a moment, his life changed, losing both arms and his legs, becoming a quadruple amputee. When he woke at Walter Reed, he wondered if his wife would leave him now that he was a trunk or if his three year old daughter would look at him as a monster. Mills wrote in his book, “Tough as they Come,” that if he had hands he would have choked himself and committed suicide because who wants to live like this. But somebody had put a scripture reference on his nightstand and after several days he finally read it. His life verse, Joshua 1:1-9 read, “Have I not commanded you… for the Lord our God is with you wherever you may go.”
Travis said at that moment, he realized he had a new assignment. He and his foundation went on to buy the mansion of cosmetic giant Elizabeth Arden where he administers hope, healing, encouragement and courage to fellow amputees who are looking for purpose on how are they going to make their new assignment in their lives.
Carver challenged the audience and said if you are facing the difficult assignment that seems too big for you, cry out to God in that time of need, pray and ask God for courage. Second, we need courage when we are trying to plan for our life, he said while recommending we follow the holy scriptures where there is a plan for your life that will grant success. He believes scriptures are the inspirational words of life, unchanging without error, and they work in guiding you to success and in many cases, the answer is right before you.
“The worst thing that can happen is we don’t read the scriptures,” Carver said. “We have tech and field manuals and could you imagine where we would be if none of us read them. If we read this stuff, it actually works. Think of what God can do for your life. Maybe you’re one verse away from seeing God’s plan unfold before you. I pray that you will take courage to do so.”
Finally, we need courage when we are all alone. He stated the growing concern with isolation, loneliness and the alarming rate of those who take their own lives. You may have 300 friends on Facebook, but who do you call at 2 a.m. when you need someone, he asked, and then said God promises to be with you when no one else understands.
“I pray that you have thought of your own life and regardless of what assignment or struggle you have, God provides you with courses of action, giving you wisdom and courage,” Carver said. “He will never leave you and is always with us now and to the end of the earth.”
Chaplain Maj. Thi Truong on the NM Air National Guard closed the prayer breakfast by honoring Chaplain Francis Duffy of the New York National Guard during World War I. When the call came, he was ready to go and deployed with his fellow Soldiers of the 69th. Most often his ministry was of presence, in front lines with the Soldiers providing them with spiritual care. He was inspirational, always near the heaviest fighting and exposed to constant danger. He was in the front lines providing spiritual care because his Soldiers needed it in that hour. Troung said we can’t wait, we need our chaplains now because when our troops go, they need their spiritual care.]]>
