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On Faith and War Fall 2013 | Volume I | Issue I
Defense Work and the Christian Faith (2nd
Alan Beuster Year | Alt. Route)
Outside of my family, the majority of my life has been dedicated to two vocations. One is growing in faith and serving my Lord in various positions as a layman; while at the same time the other one being to work for 31 years within the Department of Defense to defend and preserve our nation. In June 2012, I came to Concordia Seminary where I now am more dedicated and focused, God willing, to full-time vocation in the church. But looking back at my “previous life,” I want to reflect on my experiences as well as address reconciliation working simultaneously in the two vocations. I need to begin by briefly telling about what I did. I need to make it very clear that all thirty-one years of my defense career was as a civilian. While I worked very closely with military personnel, I was never in the military and never in direct combat for our nation. Because I have the utmost respect for our men and women who serve in the military, I want to make that point very clear. While I was in some fairly high-level, “serious” meetings, especially during times of conflict, I do not think it compares to carrying a gun and having the constant threat of being attacked. Thank you to the men and women who have and do serve in that capacity. God had blessed me to be in a leadership role and the job of my directorate was to ensure that we had all Page 2
the provisions in place to make any and all ammunition needed for each of the services. This involved ammunition production capabilities on government installations as well as capabilities from private defense contractors who are very dedicated and serve our nation well. So how does one reconcile defense work versus being a Christian, Lutheran? Here is where the left hand and right hand kingdoms became very clear. I have sat in systematics classes where the two kingdoms were discussed, but it becomes very real when you see and hear the end results of ammunition you had a hand in producing versus “loving your neighbor as yourself.” Certainly God has allowed us to govern His temporal kingdom here on earth by working through human beings, that is vocations. So from that perspective there is the importance and honor of preserving our freedoms (including religion) as well as helping those oppressed or in need. That said, the question then becomes what is the intention and purposes for our military actions. Well, I certainly do not know them all and I do not want to get into politics, but I can tell you that one of the most comforting facts to me, and what inpart kept me in defense work, was that all of our doctrine is related to defense and preservation, not aggression. As some of you read this you may say, “Well I sure hope so!” But I can tell you that is the way it is. It was very important to me that the purposes for which we worked were proper ones versus aggression or “empire building.” Provisions were also
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made to minimize the amount of destruction to meet the stated objective. I must also tell you of the dedication of the men and women involved with defense work. As government employees, sometimes they become the brunt of jokes or criticism. But I can tell you these people work very hard and are willing to do whatever is asked of them to defend our country. That includes at times, many extra hours and doing whatever it takes to make sure the job gets done. As an example, the first week Desert Storm broke out, many of the people in my area worked well over 100 hours that week—some of them as many as 120 hours. And of course, it did not stop there. There was also much travel and continued support to the military objectives. I heard no complaints from them. If any of you have ever experienced this, there is not much “goofing off” or excuses to be given when you are sitting in a “war room,” operations have been laid out, and people are counting on you to get the job done. These people recognize the seriousness and importance of what they do. I think it is because of constantly being in this environment that Christmas has special meaning for most defense workers. Most all of the folks I worked with quickly acknowledged Christmas and “angle trees” and Toys-for-Tots boxes were always overflowing. As one sat through the Christmas story in church and heard it said, “Peace on earth and good will to men,” those words had special meaning. Fall 2013
If ever one started “getting lazy” or not ensuring their best work, it was easy to get things back in perspective. Where I worked, there would be units of military processing through with their final papers and checks to head to conflict areas. As these men and women exited the base heading to go overseas, we would consistently line the main street through the installation and cheer for them and show them respect as they left in the buses. It was always interesting to look at the faces of these young warriors. Some were confident; some were unsure. You always hoped all of them would come back home. They may not have known it, but they were counting on the folks around me, who also lined the street, to make sure the ammunition they would use worked. You see, failure is not an option. In a war effort, it is not good enough if something worked “most of the time.” Ammunition has to function properly all of the time. The doctrine followed is that all troops have everything they need. The ammunition has to work so well all the time that it is taken for granted. Imagine if you were in a conflict and you were not sure if your ammunition would function properly or not. Contingency plans had also to be developed for almost anything you could think of going wrong during production. And then there are the humanitarian efforts. I am sure we all have seen soldiers helping civilians in war efforts, or military aircraft flying food and medical aid to depressed areas. Aid also is Page 3
provided by military here in the States. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, one of our ammunition production facilities near New Orleans was used as a staging area for relief to the area. That also is part of the job—a part of the job that is easier to talk about, but just meeting the same objectives as other efforts. They are simply met from a different perspective and means. Defense work and Christian faith. I have many more stories and much more that could be said. But hopefully this has given you a flavor of the world I came from. Reconciliation between that world and Christian faith? Not a problem. I was fulfilling a vocation to help preserve our freedoms, tide aggression and help our neighbors.
Something Worth Remembering Sgt. Andrew L. Cave, USMC (2nd Year | M.Div.) “There's no such thing as a foxhole atheist." I cannot tell you how many times I have heard that. But to be honest, I have a couple problems with that saying. First off, I served in the Marine Corps. We have "fighting holes", not "foxholes". The Army has foxholes, because foxes use their holes to hide in! But in all seriousness, the truth of the matter is that I have known several atheists when I served. Often people assume that being in an environment of continued crisis like a war zone would Page 4
drive one to faith. I wish that were true, but unfortunately it isn't. I've personally witnessed what I believe to be God's hand at work to keep me alive. If you want to see a miracle, just watch me breathe. By rights, I shouldn't be right now. At the same time, there were those every bit as close to the danger as I was, who witnessed the same miracles, and still deny that there is a God. It's amazing what people can convince themselves of. So if being in a war zone doesn't bring about faith, what role does faith have for those serving in the military? I can't speak for everyone, so I will speak only to what it meant for me. You must keep in mind that I didn't join the LCMS until after I was out of the Marines. Before that I was nondenominational with a heavy Calvinistic influence. Like Lutheranism, Calvinism has a doctrine of vocation. I believed at that time that I was "called" to serve. This belief did not waiver, even in the hard times. Even when I felt it was time to leave (or rather, not re-enlist; one does not simply "leave" the military), I believed that I had done what God had wished. In terms of how my faith manifested itself in daily life, I wish I could say that I had done better. Yet even in the midst of all my failings, I was somehow still known in my unit as the religious guy. I remember I would often love to talk "theology" with others, at least for as long as they wished to hear me. It's amazing that when I talk to some of my old Marine brothers, they say that I did model Christianity for them—an assessment I often hesitate to give myself. It truly is amazing how God can work. Around the Tower
One doesn't always know the strength or benefit of faith until it is tested. Without going into too many details, I can say mine was. I remember long nights standing under the desert sky, looking up at the stars, and asking God, "Why?" (By the way, if you've never stood under a desert sky far away from civilization and looked at the stars, put it on your bucket list. You won't be disappointed.) Did I get an answer? Not at that time. But even in the midst of the darkness and God's apparent silence, my faith gave me a conviction to keep going. And while the phrase "there's no such thing as a foxhole atheist" may not be entirely true, the flip-side is that trials can cause those of weak faith to seek out God's providence. There were many times before we left the wire that we would have the chaplain come down and pray for us. When he was unable, the platoon called on me. If you were to ask, I can't remember any of the specific prayers that I gave to the platoon. But I do remember that whoever prayed for the platoon, I would always offer an additional prayer to those in my vehicle before we got rolling. And if I forgot, I was likely to get a quick boot to the Kevlar from the gunner to remind me. Not knowing too many other rote prayers at the time, I typically gave the Aaronic benediction. So what did my faith mean for me? It gave me a certainty, a conviction, that no matter how dark things got, I was where God intended me to be. I knew that whatever happened, He would always remain faithful to His promises. And as far as the question of "why" is concerned, I Fall 2013
did get at least a partial answer later. That's why I'm here at Concordia now (if you want to know more, just ask me over a beer). But perhaps the greatest thing my faith meant to me then, and even more so now, was the knowledge that God can and does continually provide for and forgive such a royal screw-up of a person like me through His Son. And that is something worth remembering. Sergeant Cave, Andrew L. USMC
Military Chaplaincy in the Vietnam Conflict David McCarty Year | Alt. Route)
(2nd
In December of 1961, U.S. Military troops were sent to South Vietnam to stop an attempt by the Communist Party to takeover that country. This intervention by the United States began a fourteenyear, bitter conflict that no one could have Page 5
expected. In February of 1962, the U.S. Armed Services sent the first chaplains into Vietnam to begin ministry in the areas of spiritual care and support.1 These men provided tremendous service to the troops between 1962 and 1973, when the last chaplain flew out of South Vietnam. They also provided a great deal of care to the people of South Vietnam via humanitarian services. The ministries of these clergymen were spread out over a wide variety of duties, and they performed their work under some of the most adverse conditions possible. A list of some of the duties included being a combat soldier, field medic, counselor, officiate of worship services and funerals, loader of the wounded and dead on helicopters, provider of humanitarian service to the Vietnamese, visitor to the wounded and sick, and teacher of confirmation classes.2 The vital spiritual care these chaplains provided during the Vietnam era took place in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and at home to those soldiers returning from the war. Helping war-torn soldiers transition back into a culture that was hostile toward the war was very important for our soldiers, their families, and our nation.3 The U.S. Armed Services chaplains showed a great deal of sacrifice and bravery as they served their God and fellow man through the Vietnam War. This was demonstrated by the fact that fourteen chaplains lost their lives in duty. There were a great number of service medals awarded to one branch of Army chaplains. These honors included two Page 6
Congressional Medals of Honor, 719 Bronze Stars, 586 Army Commendation Medals, 318 Air Medals, eighty-two Purple Hearts, sixty-six Legions of Merit, twenty-six Silver Stars, and numerous other decorations.4 The valor and selfless service shown by these men of God greatly impacted the men and women who served in Vietnam. Our country and its military personnel continued to be ministered to long after the war ended.5 The dynamic that surrounded those who served as chaplains in Vietnam was quite unique. They came from a diversity of religious backgrounds. The first chaplains to serve in the war were Army chaplains William Staudt, a Catholic priest, and Elmore Lester, an Episcopalian priest. As the conflict expanded, so did the number of troops entering the war. This ramping up of troops brought the dire need for an increase in chaplains. That growth sprang from all branches of the service, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard.6 Military ministers began arriving in Vietnam, bringing with them a multitude of denominational affiliations. These chaplains included practicing Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, Southern Baptists, Nazarenes, Assemblies of God, Jewish Rabbis, United Church of Christ, Methodists, and Lutherans.7 Although these men practiced different religious beliefs, they ministered in harmony with one another as they served the troops and the people of South Vietnam.
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There is no doubt that the Chaplain George O. Taylor recalled circumstances surrounding the war in different times when he was taken into Vietnam created some very challenging jungle areas by chopper (skyhorse) and opportunities for chaplaincy ministry. The dropped off, only to find out that the pilots best-case scenario connected chaplains could not get back to retrieve him from various religions who worked because of enemy danger. For him, it together in a usually turned out to be team ministry a blessing since he was atmosphere. able to spend more time Being on the battlefield amid A plan was caring for those with the wounded and dying filled set up for whom he was the memories of many 9 these teams stranded. The idea of Vietnam chaplains. The duties to cover taking the gospel to the of a military chaplain in a war designated people was never more areas in the exemplified than when zone are not for the weak of South the chaplains headed heart and mind. Vietnam out into the remote landscape. This master plan of a team landscape of South Vietnam to do ministry concept crossed over the ministry. barriers of religion and branches of the Being on the battlefield amid the Armed Services. These chaplains set wounded and dying filled the memories of aside their military and religious many Vietnam chaplains. The duties of a differences, and worked together to care military chaplain in a war zone are not for for those in spiritual, emotional, and the weak of heart and mind. Chaplain physical need. This form of mixed James Shaw recorded in his diary the ministry was the most effective and traumatic effects of war as he visited the efficient means of frequently connecting wounded and dying in battlefield and city with the greatest number of troops over a hospitals. The comfort of the gospel is a large area. Although this strategy worked true blessing when one is ministering to a well, it was still extremely difficult to person who has lost multiple limbs in an implement while performing combat explosion. The gospel brings peace to a 8 ministry. soldier whose life is slipping away while The harsh experience of ministering in lying in the jungle of a foreign country. a hostile and deadly environment was Shaw was thankful for his experiences in something that chaplains in Vietnam Vietnam because they gave him the dealt with on a daily basis. There are opportunity to share the love of God in numerous accounts of chaplains being Christ and bring hope to soldiers who flown into remote areas via helicopter to were living in a virtual hell.10 The reach troops who were secluded, ministers who were Christian had every isolated, and in desperate situations. chance to bring the gift of life in Christ to Fall 2013
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those soldiers who were staring into the face of death and hopelessness. On many occasions, men were baptized in the field of combat, at makeshift chapels, and in hospitals. Many confessed a saving faith before their eyes closed in death.11 By March of 1969, U.S. troops in Vietnam numbered 541,000, the highest level of the war. There were more than 300 Army chaplains alone scattered throughout the country during this peak time of the war effort.12 These numbers were increased as the Marines, Navy, and Air Force also sent more chaplains into the war in Southeast Asia.13 The need for chaplains was certainly great because the war was taking its toll on soldiers abroad and at home. The emotional struggles of the troops escalated, creating difficulties within the structure of the Armed Forces. This was partly due to the anti-war sentiment that had intensified in America and also because of the extensive amount of drug and alcohol abuse going on in the ranks. Counseling became a very important aspect in the ministry that the military chaplains were providing for our soldiers. At the same time these chaplains were administering assistance to those in emotional trauma, many of whom were also undergoing a great deal of emotional stress and illness in their own lives.14 In fact, many war chaplains came under the criticism of their peers who were protesting our involvement in Vietnam. They were subjected to attitudes and acts of disrespect by those who should have been their strongest supporters. Page 8
Such discrimination also happened on the racial front, where chaplains came into play. During the 1970s, racial problems existed in the United States. This racial situation carried over to the troops in Vietnam. To assist in caring for the needs of all soldiers, black chaplains filled the gap. In 1971 there were fifty-five black chaplains assigned to the Fifth Transportation Command to help calm the racial problems that had surfaced. These men and their ministry played a huge part in addressing, and then minimizing, the tension that had been building at this time.15 There were other programs the Army put in place through the use of chaplains to battle the discriminatory practices that waged on during the war. As briefly stated earlier in this paper, the chaplains in Vietnam performed their ministry in a variety of unique locations and surroundings. They often held worship services in a mess hall tent that was converted over to be used as a chapel. Their services also may have been under an open air canopy, where the furnishings were sandbags for seats and wooden crates stacked up for an altar area. The chapel could have been something a little more permanent, such as a wooden framed structure that was built by soldiers on a military base using redirected resources and materials.16 In remote locations, the service or mass was often conducted in a dried out flat area in the middle of the jungle that used to be a rice paddy. These clergymen took their work to heart and they journeyed where they had to for the sake of serving Around the Tower
their fellow warriors. No site was deemed too dangerous or inaccessible when it came to ministry opportunities.17 A huge contribution that was made by Armed Forces chaplains came out of their involvement in humanitarian services. Programs of disaster relief were set up to assist the people of Vietnam who were greatly impacted by the war. These projects were usually joint efforts by various denominations and organizations that pooled their resources to accomplish a common goal of providing for the needy.18 Military chaplains spearheaded a multitude of relief-based activities that included setting up school facilities for Vietnamese children, assisting in establishing and funding several orphanages, and promoting food and other needed supplies to care for those devastated by the war. These men of faith played a large role in collecting funds for hospitals, purchasing medical supplies, and even caring for patients in a leprosy community. To paint a small picture of how significant the efforts of the military chaplains in Vietnam were, we can look at a report from the Chief of Chaplains for the second half of 1967. This report included twenty-one pages of description centered on the civic activities and projects carried out by military clergy in a six month period.19 We cannot even begin to imagine the blessings that these chaplains were as they selflessly sacrificed to show love and concern for our American and Allied troops and the population of South Vietnam. The ministry that was carried out by Armed Forces chaplains over the eleven years Fall 2013
they served in Vietnam, and for the many years of service to our Vietnam vets afterwards, will be forever remembered by the soldiers, the Vietnamese people, and a grateful nation.20 Endnotes: 1
Rodger R. Venzke, Confidence in Battle, Inspiration in Peace: The United States Army Chaplaincy 1945-1975, Vol. V (Washington, D. C.: Office of the Chief of Chaplains Department of the Army, 1977), 139. 2 Henry F. Ackermann, He Was Always There: U. S. Army Chaplain Ministry in the Vietnam Conflict (Washington, D. C.: Office of the Chief of Chaplains Department of the Army, 1989), 97. 3 Venzke, Confidence in Battle, Inspiration in Peace, 172. 4 Venzke, Confidence in Battle, Inspiration in Peace, 166. 5 Ackermann, He Was Always There, 1. 6 Venzke, Confidence in Battle, Inspiration in Peace, 142. 7 Ackermann, He Was Always There, 5. 8 Ackermann, He Was Always There, 43. 9 Chaplain M. S. Ernstmeyer, U. S. Navy, (Ret), ed, They Shall Not March Alone: Glimpses into the Life and History of the Cahplaincy of The Lutheran Church – Misssouri Synod (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1990), 168. 10 Ernstmeyer, They Shall Not March Alone, 174. 11 Ernstmeyer, They Shall Not March Alone, 177. 12 Venzke, Confidence in Battle, Inspiration in Peace, 153. 13 Venzke, Confidence in Battle, Inspiration in Peace, 141. 14 Ackermann, He Was Always There, 208. 15 Ackermann, He Was Always There, 206. 16 Chaplain Martin H. Scharlemann, USAF, Reserve (Ret.), Air Force Chaplains 1961-1970, Vol. III (Washington, D. C.: Office, Chief of Air Force Chaplains, 1972), 185. 17 Venzke, Confidence in Battle, Inspiration in Peace, 152. 18 Scharlemann, Air Force Chaplains 1961-1970, 143. 19 Scharlemann, Air Force Chaplains 1961-1970, 145. 20 Scharlemann, Air Force Chaplains 1961-1970, 147.
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Editor’s Note: The articles found in this edition of “Around the Tower” were submitted by students and accepted throughout the Autumn season of 2013. Please read them with care as they address particular events and themes that are relevant to the church and world today. My hope is that they are instrumental in increasing the joy of your day, and are received as both edifying and entertaining. I want to sincerely thank the students who offered their own personal reflections and research to make this journal possible. Please be on the lookout for the next edition of “Around the Tower,” which will find publication sometime in February. Peace in Christ, J. Kuehne