Day Seventeen

Good day! As I have previously explained, as a result of the BRAC base closings, the Navy and the Air Force moved their chaplain training facilities to the Army training center at Fort Jackson. We do not train together - we are just co-located. The Army - by far the biggest branch, and with the significantly more chaplains - has a very large facility, complete with museum. The Navy and Air Force are in a smaller building behind theirs. We have NOTHING to do with the Army folks, except during Sunday services.

This morning (Wednesday), the Army dedicated a memorial to the Chaplains and Chaplains Assistants who died in the line of duty since the beginning of our country. We were invited to participate (which meant standing at the back where we wouldn't be seen!) - let's face it; the Army is Army all the time. They are always in formation, always marching, etc. As one of our chaplains joked (as he told us not to bother with formations), "The Army marches; we fly."

Ch, Major Rabbi Soussan did the opening invocation. Beautiful job!

Preparing to lay the wreath at the memorial

Afterwards, we were addressed by Chief Master Sergeant Al Clemmons, who is Chief of Chaplains Ch, Major General Richardson's Chaplain's Assistant. That makes him the Number One Chaplain's Assistant in the Air Force. He spoke about understanding the mentality of the CA's and understanding that they are not out bodyguards. They are really "Case Managers" (my wife's description).

Afterwards, Chief of Chaplains, Ch, Major General Cecil Richardson came to speak to us. It was great. He couldn't have been more loving and gracious.

Ch Richardson listens as we go around introducing ourselves

Ch Richardson

After his talk, he invited us all to join him at the Officers' Club for lunch (no, he wasn't paying!). I wasn't going to miss this opportunity, so I ran to my room and got a pack of tuna and a pack of chilli. We got to the O Club and I decided to heat up the chilli pack in a plastic cup of hit water - it was very tasty, but BOY did their food look good!

My chilli heating up next to my tuna!! WOOHOO!

 

The General and his chaplains (I was at a different table)

Ch, Major General Cecil Richardson, Chief of Chaplain - and me.

After lunch, we had two classes on military writing - and were dismissed at 1500! I borrowed a car from a friend and drove to a medical facility where I had to give a urine sample as part of my application to the Department of Homeland Security for my clerkship position for the coming year.


I went shopping to fill in some things - and by the time I came home, I was so hot and sweaty that I used that as an excuse for not working out. Shame on me!