Fear and Trembling: Military

Our Changing Army: Part 2

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:13:59 GMT

One of the narratives that liberals have been pushing on the news programs is that we need to get out of Iraq because our Army has been "decimated." Considering that this is the word that is always used it is obviously a DNC talking point. Where as I agree that this conflict has been hard on troops, families and resources, there is an other side of the story that is not being told on the news programs. The past 6 years has pushed the military to make some serious changes in doctrine, training, solider care, tactics and weapon systems and this is a good thing.

The Army that I joined in 1988 was geared to fight a conventional war on the plains of Europe with the military of the Warsaw pact. When I went through basic training, there were no drill sergeants that had combat experience (before Desert Storm and after Vietnam) and as we trained the training was theoretical with no significant connection (psychologically) with what we would actually be doing in the National Guard. The National Guard in the eighties and early nineties was not exactly the most high speed organization and we seemed to be in a constant holding pattern with little to do of major significance. In fact, I left the National Guard because I was not being used to my potential.

Today's Army is an entirely different Army. My training here at Chaplain school has been conducted by NCO's and Chaplains that have all see combat in Iraq and Afghanistan and the difference is stark. When we do the low crawl in the sand, get smoked at PT or discuss issues such as Just War theory, there is a greater sense of seriousness and urgency to the training. This urgency makes all the difference in the world and leaves me with the sense that my efforts are not wasted. Even the National Guard, with its new role in this war, has changed considerably. The previous Army doctrine relegated the National Guard to support roles in major conflicts with the bulk of combat operations left to the active duty component. The modular concept that the Army is moving to has changed all that and many of the new Brigade Combat teams are based in the Reserves and National Guard.

Another major change is that the Army has finally understood that there is an important civil component to what we are doing in Southwest Asia. During the Vietnam war the Army resisted this role and the consequences were obvious. The shift of doctrinal focus can be seen in the recent improvements in the Iraq security situation. The surge made a difference to be sure, but the surge without a radical shift in mind set from the initial invasion phase would have produced a much different result. The Army values that I spoke of in the last post are an important part of this change in that the American Soldier must separate, no matter how difficult it might be, from the civilian population we are there to help and the insurgents that are set on creating chaos. It is not a simple task in such an ambiguous context (like Vietnam or Iraq), but when our commanders send out combat troops to mix with the general populace on humanitarian missions, it is for the sake of the soldier as much as it is for the Iraqis. These humanitarian mission put a human face to those whom we are committed to helping. Americans have something wonderful to offer to the world, we just need to be remind ourselves of that when times get tough. Otherwise the horrors of war make us into something more like those who we are fighting and not defenders of the values found in our Constitution. Are there "values" in war? Many would disagree, but I have to believe that there are and it is for this reason I serve my country and the men and women who serve in the Armed Forces.

Our Regimental Dining out

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:00:11 GMT

Last January at the State Chaplain conference we discussed the Army tradition of the "dining out" (spouses included) and the "dining in" (soldiers only) and it sounded like a fun event. Last night our chaplain school had our own "dining out" as a training event and I had a really good time. These events are a gathering of "the mess" in which there is a semi-formal dinner with specific rules and regulations that must be followed. There is a the President of the Mess and the Vice-President of the Mess. The officers of the mess can ask permission of Mr. Vice to address the President and call out their fellow officers when they violate one of the many and seemingly random rules of the mess. Officers that violate one of the rules (like elbows on the table before the smoking lamp is lit) must take the punishment of the President. This punishment is usually in the form of paying a fine or drinking from the Grog. In most units the Grog is some sort of nasty alcoholic concoction but for the chaplain corp is was a non-alcoholic mix of tomato juice, iced tea, coffee, molasses, ginseng, vinegar, hot sauce and the Vice Presidents used sock filled with dry ice. All of this was served in a specially prepared toilet bowl. All the ingredients represented the armed conflicts that the Chaplain Corps has served during our long history (1775).

Our event was held at the NCO club and even our Chief of Chaplains, Major General Carver (Southern Alumnus, Hooah!) was in attendance and addressed the Corps at the end of the evening. I had great time and even busted out my friend Hans Ruska. Hans lost a button off his dress blues and made the mistake of telling me about it as we were in the lobby waiting to go through the reception line! Once I was confident about the protocol in addressing the President I gave a mini-speech about the shame that Hans was bring upon the Army, the Chaplain Corp and his country by being out of uniform. Upon inspection he was given an opportunity to explain his missing button and you can avoid punishment if your story is colorful and dramatic enough, but Hans replied that his "Seatbelt pulled it off on the way over. " Not good enough Hans! The President then required him to high step to the grog bowl, salute the President, ask permission to refresh himself from the Grog, spin around as he did the "I'm a little teapot" dance, drink the Grog, curtsy to the Vice President and then move smartly to his seat. This was a training event so the Grog portion of the evening did not last too long, but it was great all the same. Then again, I did not have to drink from the Grog. Hans said he was going to try and bust me out on something, but I promised that I would not go down easy and the accuser can have the tables turned on him pretty quickly!

After the official part of the evening was over, there was a DJ and as the picture will show, there are quite a few chaplains who can do the Electric Slide. A few of the chaplains had their wives there but Tracy has her hands full at home and I will have to wait till she comes out for my graduation to bring her to her first official event. I can see where these events are good at building Esprit de Corps and are a release from them tremendous pressure that modern day Army units face all the time. I am quite sure that one of these events in a regular line unit has a different ending than the non-alcoholic Chaplain event but this certainly gave us the basics. I am impressed that the Chaplain School has done so much to train us in the finer points of life as an Officer and a Chaplain in the Army and not just the technical aspects. As with all organizations, there are many unwritten rules and protocols. Protocol and tradition are important to the Army and as much as things have changed, they still maintain continuity across different eras.

2LT Kroencke: Chaplain Candidate

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 03:16:37 GMT

Many of you readers received the email that I was not going to be promoted this weekend, but to my surprise I took the officer oath and started my mission as a Chaplain Candidate in a unit preparing for deployment. I was an officer for less than an hour when I was thrown into the battalion staff's year-long preparation for deployment to a combat zone. I can honestly say that I have not heard so many acronyms used in such a short period of time. There is certainly a learning curve to deal with here.

Before the end of the briefings I was fairly confident in what my role (as a chaplain candidate staying at the home station during deployment) is going to be. I will be spearheading the efforts to build up the civilian staffed (spouses of soldiers, etc) Family Readiness Group. The FRG is the Army's efforts to support the families of deployed soldiers and is a key part of unit readiness. A soldier that is secure in that knowledge that his family will be taken care of in his absence, is a soldier who can focus on his mission.

It also became clear that I will be putting in many more hours that just the normal drill weekends and I am not sure that I will be able to continue my part time job back here in Louisville. Although I think that the Clarksville Olive Garden is probably the best restaurant that I have ever worked at, I enjoy my job and I become fond of my co-workers, I cannot foresee being able to continue there in addition to school and my military duties. Financially, it will be a wash so this is not too much of a problem. This move also lets me stay focused on ministry instead making sure I keep the breadsticks full.

The second day at MEPS

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 02:58:32 GMT

The second day was a bit better than the first. This is mainly because they gave me a little sticker to wear on my shirt that said PS. PS stands for Prior Service and it means that you get to go to the front of all the lines and they treat you a bit better. We had a fairly small group of troops to get processed that day so we moved through the stations quickly. The medical section was the same battery of uncomfortable testing and examination that I experienced in 1988, but some of the more sensitive exams took place one on one with a doctor in a closed room. This was definitely an improvement over the first time I went to MEPS.

To make a long story short, I did not pass my tape testing. I was still one inch away from passing my body composition test. One of the problems is that although my waist has shrunk considerably, so has my neck and the calculation is a relation of neck size to abdomen size. This means that I am locked out of enlistment for 32 days. This is the length of time that the Army calculates that I can safely lose the eight more pounds I need to pass the test. So the last piece of my puzzle is still left unplaced.

Although I am disappointed I am not discouraged. I have lost 33 lbs since December, so I am confident that I will be able to lose these last 8 pounds before I can reenter the National Guard. I am going to stay the course on my diet, but I am going to add a bot more exercise. This will not be easy considering that we are moving to Louisville in just nine more days, but you have to do what you have to do. This 8 lbs is not the last of it after all. There is a difference between just passing and exceeding standards. This time around in the National Guard, I want to do more than just the minimum, I want to serve and minister with distinction.

MEPS: sigh...

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 01:20:23 GMT

What can be said about the Military Entrance Processing Station? Well, the personnel still have utter disdain for the troops, speak in esoteric military form lingo, expect everyone to have an intimate knowledge of the MEPS process, and give you absolutely no information about what to do or where to go. Other than this it is a pleasant and professional environment filled with laughter and joy. Can the reader guess which assessment of MEPS is actually sarcasm? The MS Pac-Man game is right where I left it however. Somehow this brought me some comfort in continuity.

Today was just my retaking of the ASVAB (Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery) since my last one was so long ago and I have changed jobs. In 1988 I received an 89 out of 99 and this time around I got a 98 out of a 99. Not bad considering I have not eaten for two days, have taken a water pill to shed the last inch and gotten hassled by the test taker because I did not have an "envelope." After the test was over I walked out and went to the lounge to wait on the other recruits to finish. I soon noticed that they all had their results with them and were discussing their scores. When i returned to get my results, thinking that I must have missed some instructions, the test taker says, "where is your envelope?" "Envelope? I don't have the envelope" "You have to have the envelope." "But I was not given the envelope" "I am sorry, you need the envelope" he says with disgust. "Ummm, OK" I say as I walk out of the room to go back to the lounge. I sat there for a few more minutes until a desk person took their post and I asked about "the envelope." Apparently, it is not THE envelope, just AN envelope. All of this discourse because I did not have a plain ole' envelope. So I pull on out of my trusty black portfolio (see previous post) and held back down the hall to get my scores.

This is not the end of the story! When I got back to the room a mistake made at MEPS in 1988 continues to haunt me. In 1988 they spelled my name JAY instead of J, as it is on my birth certificate, and I have unsuccessfully tried to get it corrected for 19 years! To get my ASVAB scores I had to produce my Birth Certificate and Social Security card to prove that J was my real name! I was prepared for such a contingency and brought every single personal document I could find. BLAMO! Take that bureaucratic automaton! He made me sit in the chairs and wait a while so that he could express his protest, printed out the results, gave me a double take when he saw the score, and reluctantly gave me the "envelope." Yeah man, its a 98, give me my propers.

I am now back at the Hotel that they put us up in for the night. The hotel has a special lounge for the MEPS people to keep them corralled and pacified with soda pops and Xbox games. It is only a matter of time before these young men and women figure out that they are far away from home and have the potential of raising a little Cain. I expect the shenanigans to begin in about an hour. In the meantime I am getting a kick out of listening to their conversations about their upcoming military experience. They are all so excited about the wonderful opportunities that their recruiter told them about and will be this way until about 2 days into boot camp and they are crying themselves to sleep. From what I see of these kids, a few months in boot camp will do them some good. I find myself wanting to tell them to:

1. Pull up their pants

2. Hold their fork correctly

3. Say please and thank you to the hotel staff

4. Stop dragging their feet

5. and PUT THE CELL PHONE DOWN!

I guess I am showing my age....