Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Ben's LiveJournal:

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Monday, November 27th, 2006
9:41 am	Chaplain's Update V ...but first, a few words from... ME! my updates are few and far between for no particular reason except that very few things are "new" to me. i'm in a small holding pattern as far my house is concerned: i was able to get the closing date moved up to as early as december 1st, but my lawyer has not yet, as of today, come through with the last piece necessary to make it happen. thanksgiving was good, with the usual gargantuan, gratuitous gustatory goodness. and that's really all i got... --------- Chaplain’s Update V – We All Have To Answer To ………… Day 144 in Iraq Dear family, friends and readership, Unlike at home when I was growing up, the television is always on here while we are eating in the camp’s dining facility. The satellite dishes pick up the signal broadcasted by the Armed Forces Network so the soldiers, sailors and airmen can either sit on the right side of the dining hall and watch a sports program while they eat or sit on the left side and watch a news program. Since the Armed Forces Network doesn’t run standard commercials, throughout the month of October and early November we were spared having to watch all of those political candidate commercials leading up to election day. The unfortunate part was that with no access to the channel changer, we had to endure the repetitive analysis and speculation about the political parties and their candidates. As we watched our government process work and the votes get counted on Election Day, it could be said that political leaders do have to answer to someone, namely their voting constituents. The news shows likewise informed us that corrupt executives also have to answer to someone, a judge and jury. Having to answer to someone is one operating aspect of the culture that I have been ministering in for the past 7 months. In the military, this accountability relationship is called the chain of command. Privates and specialists have to answer to sergeants. Sergeants have to answer to senior non-commissioned officers and all of them have to answer to one or more officers. The officers, holding various positions and commands, likewise have to answer to their superiors all the way up to the Secretary of Defense and the President. He answers to the congress or the courts occasionally and come Election Day, answers to the citizen voters. If a soldier doesn’t answer to his superiors properly or does something against Army regulations, he is held accountable through the Uniform Code of Military Justice. If found guilty, he may have to do extra duty, forfeit some pay or even lose a rank. When soldiers are in trouble, be it answering to their superiors, military law, their spouses, their parents or even their children, chaplains like myself try to be available as a source of guidance and support. As a battalion chaplain holding the rank of major, I do not have command authority so technically, other than my assistant; no soldiers have to answer directly to me. They show proper military courtesy to me partly due to my rank but also I think partly due to their fear of God which isn’t a bad thing. As for myself, church wise, I answer to my bishop and militarily I would usually only answer to my battalion commander. On this camp though, as the highest ranking chaplain, I also answer to the internment facility commander and the forward operating base commander. Fortunately, no conflicts have yet to arise. Occasionally though, soldiers comment that I really answer to a higher authority in heaven. When I hear them say this, I compliment their theological insight and remind them that I am not alone in answering to that authority. As the Sunday Mass scripture readings for these final weeks of the Catholic liturgical year as well as our recent celebration of the Feast of Christ The King point out, we will all answer to our maker come judgment day. Just like across the United States, the climate has been changing here in Iraq and clouds are now an everyday sight. With the temperature only going up into the 70s each day, many personnel are wearing coats and woolen hats. Having adjusted to those 130 degree temperatures not long ago, it now feels cold in the desert. We seem to be having a fairly dry rainy season with only about three brief showers and two thunderstorms so far. For those who were inside and did not see the really dark clouds gather or lightening in the distance, the boom of the thunder and shaking of the ground had them wondering if our camp was under attack. The arrival of the moisture and cooler temperatures inaugurated the fall fly season and we are outnumbered at least by 100 to 1. Those winged persistent pests follow us everywhere, preferring to land on our ears or crash into our faces. The religious ones who come into the chapel seem to have little respect for the sanctuary, the Mass or me the presider. On several occasions, this priest can be seen making non-liturgical, almost irreverent, hand gestures to shoo them away. To fight this enemy, the Preventive Medicine Team has placed traps that can each hold about 20,000 flies around the camp. Most offices and sleeping trailer are armed with their own fly swatters too. On more than one occasion I’ve even seen guards in the force protection towers with their weapon in one hand and a fly swatter in the other. Still, the winged creatures penetrate our perimeter defenses, enter our camp and totally disregard the pictorial sign outside the dining facility declaring it a No Fly Zone. Another non-human potential threat comes from the wild dogs who besides roaming the desert and nearby village try to sneak into our camp. Until we receive some guidance from PETA – Iraq, our Preventive Med Team is assuming that the four-legged scavengers are insomniacs and thus arrange to have them sleep permanently. Our camp is much friendlier to cats for selfish reasons. We are instructed not to feed them in order that they would be hungry enough to hunt the rodents and they do. Looking at the big picture, the flies and the dogs have to answer to the humans, while the mice have to answer to the cats. And no, the cats are not spared. They have to answer to this big owl that has taken up residence on the roof of a big building. Our camp may be thousands of miles from the American coastline but the soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians here are not far from American traditions and culture. Because we needed to know who the good guys were and who the bad guys might be, we were forbidden from dressing up in costume for Halloween. Thanks to those who sent care packages of candy and decorations, we were able to fill our pockets as moved about the camp. Thanksgiving was a regular work day for everyone but there was the traditional meal, a 6am 5 kilometer run and some movies to watch when one was off duty. The football fans started their marathon in front of the television around 8pm Thanksgiving night and the spectating didn’t finish till after 7am the next day. For those whose duty assignment interfered with expressing their team loyalty, the games were re-broadcasted by the Armed Forces Network later on Friday. Since the chaplain and chapel have prominent roles in the upcoming holiday season, the planning has already begun to make those days special for all in this camp. Observing holiday traditions, having various activities and receiving care packages as well as sending e-mails on the computer and calling loved ones on the phone, does help to the boost the morale of the troops. The length of the deployment as well as the monotony of some of the duty assignments, like standing in a guard tower looking out into the darkened desert for hours each night, definitely take their toll on the troops. Many have made reference to the movie ‘Ground Hogs’ Day’ because they go through the same routine day after day or night after night. Leadership is challenged to deal with the situation and I with the other chaplains watch for which personnel may need some extra attention or assistance. My ministry here expanded several weeks ago when a soldier came to the chapel and expressed a desire to become Catholic. After explaining to him the process of journeying in faith to receive the Sacraments in April during our Easter celebration, I sent him away to think it all over with the invitation to return in two days if he was truly interested. Well, he did return and with another soldier. They said that they, with a third soldier, wanted to begin classes right away to receive the Catholic sacraments. As I meet with them each week, I admire their commitment toward becoming Catholic even while serving their country in a war zone. Although my title of chaplain defines much of what I do, I recently had people wondering if I had a second career when a fire broke out among some sheds in our camp. The camp went into lockdown mode and most personnel were required to stay at their posts. As the emergency equipment responded, I found myself near the scene and noticed the fire crew was short handed so I went to work assisting at the pumper truck to get water on the fire. One impressed officer commented to the brigade commander how while he uses his chaplain to proof read documents, we here at Camp Bucca use our chaplain to put out fires. It was one of those ‘bloom where I was planted’ moments. On a personal note, in August, my younger sister gave birth to twins, Stephen and Jane so now I have another niece and nephew as well as a new goddaughter to answer to. Those are accountability relationships I enjoy. Thank you for your interest in my troops and our experiences. Let us remember each other in prayer and may God bless our nation and its people. I’m Chaplain Jim Krische and I endorse the message above. 310th Military Police Battalion APO AE 09375 (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 25th, 2006
1:30 pm	Update 4 as promised: -------------------------- Chaplain’s Update IV – Remembered By Name Dear family, friends and readership, Long before my Military Police battalion landed here in Iraq, we knew our stay was going to last 12 months. The common military description is “one year boots on ground”. In preparation for that year, I began to gather and pack religious materials for All Saints Day, Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. Another observance that I knew I needed to prepare for was September 11. Once I arrived here and became acquainted with the personnel in the camp, I realized that I would have to take the lead in preparing a 911 memorial service because the other reserve units were from California, Alaska and Florida or were active duty units made up of people from across our nation and none of them were as personally affected as those in my New York unit. Recognizing that people were still mourning the deaths of so many, a theme of ‘Remembered By Name’ was established for the memorial. In preparation, camp personnel were invited to submit the names, relations, (like cousin or coworker) and civilian occupations of people they personally knew who died that tragic day. On the night of September 11, a large crowd quietly filled the chapel and it was particularly moving to watch the 16 firemen of our camp file in and sit side by side. We began with a candle lighting ritual as the song ‘Light A Candle In September …for the heroes we remember’ ….played and focused our thoughts. Then to recall some details of what took place 5 years before, a time line was read of the significant events while 28 slide pictures of New York, Washington, DC and Shanksville Pennsylvania were projected on a screen showing the beautiful morning, a terrorist attach, destruction, rescue attempts and memorials. Having been reminded of the events, we then watched as 32 names with their relation to camp personnel and occupation, appeared one by one on the screen. A September 11 song ‘We Will Remember You’ accompanied the name display, causing many eyes to fill with tears. Included in the display was Ron Bucca who was an Army Reservist and New York Fire Marshall and for whom my military camp is named after. A scripture passage was then read and a closing prayer offered to give us hope and to help us carry on, trusting that God has also remembered each of them by name. It seems that the custom of remembering others by name has been a practice of Camp Bucca almost back to its founding at the start of the war. Some readers of the first series of updates may recall my writing about being disappointed one day in discovering some writing on the altar top when the altar cloth slipped off. A closer look at the writing revealed 21 names, their rank and military branch under the dates of March 21-23. I sadly concluded then that these must have been people who died at the start of the war. Shortly after returning here in July, I discovered that same altar top in the chapel store room. I asked the resident chaplain if he knew what the board was and he said “No”, having hardly even noticed it. I explained what it was and to learn its origin, e-mailed a chaplain who served here when the camp began. He said that at the camp’s first Memorial Day Service in May, people were invited to come forward and write on the altar the names of their buddies who died so they could be remembered by name. In addition to that altar top, there is, in the chapel entrance hallway, a memorial wall showing photographs of 6 soldiers and airmen from this camp who died here during the past 12 months. Roads in my camp have been named after those 6, causing us to remember them by name often. Having an actual chapel building for this tour sure has made it much easier than the last time that I traveled this ancient Biblical land to celebrate the sacraments. The place seats more than 70 people comfortably, is air conditioned, well lighted, has a sound system, free votive candles, a key board, drums and a pulpit. There is of course also the permanent altar which is a nice change from the water boxes, patio tables or gun racks that I used as the itinerant preacher in 2003 making the rounds of several camps. Here, I even have a full 4 color set of liturgical vestments, courtesy of my good friend, Fr. Mark Rowan, an Air Force chaplain, who no longer needed them at his base in South Korea. It all must be working fairly well because Mass attendance has more than tripled since I arrived to assist the military and civilians on this base seeking to practice their faith. For those who can not make either the Thursday night or Sunday morning Masses because of their work schedule, I have made the ‘Jesus Is Present Offer’. Since He said: “Where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20), I have offered to celebrate Mass any hour of the day or night for 3 or more persons. As of today, one trio has taken me up on the offer and we now have Mass on Tuesdays at 2230. A recent highlight at Sunday Mass was being able to administer, with the military archbishop’s permission of course, the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Communion to Sergeant First Class Odilio Pena, who I and the 2 previous Catholic chaplains serving this camp, guided on a journey of faith during the previous 11 months. SFC Pena is a soldier I will remember by name in a faith inspiring way. Besides ministering to the Catholic soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians here, as a military chaplain I am expected to serve personnel of all others faiths too. Even though the Protestant services and Bible studies are lead or coordinated by the 5 Protestant chaplains I serve with, I have had interesting experiences assisting military personnel of other faiths. For the Jewish soldiers, I set up a prayer time on Friday nights and coordinated arrangements for them to travel to Kuwait to attend the recent High Holy Day Services. For the Latter Day Saints faith group, I assisted with one of their members being designated as a faith group leader so he could lead their study session and weekly service. We also have some personnel who identify themselves as Wiccan and so I introduced them to others who follow the Order of Wicca and provided some resources. Since this has been the holy month of Ramadan, our Muslim believers in residence would break their sunrise to sunset fast with a special meal at night. One evening, I was invited as the military religious leader to dine with a local sheik who hosted a dinner of lamb, rice, dates, fruits and sweets in a tent that was set up in our camp. Even though I wasn’t fasting that day, I still feasted as if I had been. My ministry also extended back to New York City recently as I offered an invocation by telephone and speaker system for a reception being held on board the 121 year old Ship Wavertree which is berthed at the South Street Seaport Museum. It was a reunion celebration of volunteers like me who spent many Saturdays during the 80’s and 90’s restoring the vessel. It was special for me to be connected through technology with the celebration and to be remembered by name. Besides work, rest and worship, we also have had some fun activities meant to distract the troops and boost their morale. There have been karaoke performances, outdoor movie showings, sports competitions, a concert given by a thrown together group of soldiers with musical talent called the Bucca Band, and a Labor Day Block Party with contests, food, dancing and a dunking booth. I didn’t offer to sit on the bench in the booth because I figured that no one would want to risk even accidentally hitting the target and putting me in the desert heated hot tub. The predominant male population was certainly energized by a show put on by the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Cheer Leaders while on another night everyone enjoyed many good laughs when a 5 comedian group, Comics On Active Duty made our camp a stop on their tour of military bases in Iraq. One of the comics, Keith, not only impressed me with his jokes but also with his faith. He sought me out that Sunday night before taking the stage because a priest never showed at the camp he performed in earlier causing him to miss Mass and Holy Communion. Not wanting his being in a war zone to hinder his desire to be close to God, I offered a Communion Service and applauded his dedication to his Catholic faith. It continues to be reveled that I have a definite purpose and ministry at this time here among these troops and so I try not to interfere with God working through me. It is affirming to me when the soldiers, sailors and airmen here remember me not by my family name or first name but by my special role when they call out “Hi Father, or Chaplain can I speak with you”. Thank you for your interest in my troops and experiences. Let us remember each other by name in a prayer and may God bless our nation and its people. CH Jim Krische 310th Military Police Battalion APO AE 09375 P.S: If by chance you received the initial series of e-mailed Chaplain Updates that described my first tour in Iraq and still have them saved on your computer, I would appreciate receiving an e-mailed copy of any of the 14 updates. I only have access to paper copies of them and some new readers are asking for e-mailed copies. Thanks! (Comment on this)
Tuesday, October 24th, 2006
4:13 pm	A Bit Out Of Date... ...but this was only forwarded to me today. as it was, i got part IV before this part III, but i'll post that tomorrow. it's amazing how much camp bucca has changed since i was there. my running track used to be a sandy (or muddy during the january rainy season) road around camp. now, it's like a resort. i wonder if people still climb the radio tower just for the heck of it... in other news, i have signed the contract for my house and i'm feeling better about committing myself. it's all for the good, after all. ------------------------------------ Chaplain’s Update III – Bloom Where You Are Planted Dear Friends, Since my days in the seminary until today, I have on many occasions spoken the words “Bloom where you are planted” to other seminarians and then other priests. It was meant as encouragement for those seminarians and priests who were beginning new parish assignments that didn’t match up with their expectations. Such counsel also suggests that if the assignment is part of God’s will, then it would be worthwhile for them to cooperate and let God use them. As I began to settle into to the religious support mission I am responsible for here in Iraq, following those 11 weeks of training in Texas and 2 others in Kuwait, I found myself speaking those same words on several occasions but this time to myself. Yes, I needed to bloom where I was being planted. As fate would have it, my unit has been assigned to return to the camp we left 29 months ago and once again operate the detainee internment facility there. Knowing that we were going back to Camp Bucca made it easier for many Army Reserve soldiers to say yes a second time to their nation’s request to serve on active duty. The camp was fairly comfortable when we left it in 2004 and there were reports that various improvements had been made since. While the unit flew on helicopters from Kuwait into our camp, I drove because the chapel humvee vehicle needed to be transported and few of the soldiers if any, were familiar with the route; one that I had driven many times during my first tour here. Once everyone arrived, the first-timers explored the camp with curiosity while I and the other Iraq veterans noticed all that was new. In addition to a new dining hall, post office, internet cafe and fitness center, the camp now also boasts a baseball diamond, a football field, a basketball court, a volleyball court, an escape from Camp Bucca obstacle course, a movie tent, a billiards and ping pong tent, a salt water pond, a fire station, a hospital, an outdoor stage, a coffee shop, a Subway sandwich shop, a barber shop, a beauty salon, a library trailer, a Pizza Hut, a souvenir shop, a 70-seat wooden chapel building complete with offices for chaplains and shower trailers that sometimes run out of cold water because the water tanks sit out in the hot sun all day long. Since we are to be stationed here for a prolonged time, air conditioned trailers, called pods, have been set up for our accommodations with soldiers living 2, 4 or 8 to a pod based upon their rank. As a field grade officer, I am assigned my own 8’ by 20’ pod that came with a bed, a locker, a stool, a desk and a night table. A boardwalk had been built along the font of the pods so with the sun and the sand all about, it gives one the feeling of living in a cabana at a beach club but people here wear body armor instead of swim trunks. It is an interesting place to live, work and play not only because of the amenities, the location and our mission but also because of who is here. In what could be described as a small town, there are, besides the detainees, American civilian contractors, workers from Iraq and other countries assisting military personnel from the Army, the Navy, the Air Force as well as one Marine. Meeting the religious support needs of this unique community initially was the responsibility of just an Air Force chaplain, another Army chaplain who works in the hospital and yours truly. In recent weeks though, we have been joined by 2 other Army chaplains and one from the Navy. I am the only Catholic among this ecumenical group of 6 and the only reservist. As the senior ranking chaplain, the responsibility of coordinating this God squad falls to me and I am expected to represent the chapel section to the camp commander as well. From this, one could infer that God and the military definitely have a sense of humor. Having to giving myself the encouragement to bloom where I am planted grew out of the realization that this second tour in Iraq was going to be much different from my first one. As some of you who read the 14 Chaplain Updates from that tour might recall, over those 11 months, I: lived in 5 different camps, ended up traveling to celebrate Mass in more than 14 other places, had my own vehicle, shared a room, usually spent 2 or 3 nights a week at other camps, intermingled with chaplains and personnel from many others countries, celebrated Mass often outdoors or in tents and had many opportunities to mingle with Iraqi people wherever I went. I also didn’t have my own chapel, my own office or other chaplains nearby to work closely with. In contrast, for this mission, in addition to having a chapel, an office, a computer, a phone and a private pod trailer to live in, I work closely with 4 other chaplains and their assistants, serve as the coordinator of those religious support teams, supervise the building maintenance, deal with work orders for repairs, pray and counsel also with civilians, as well as Air Force and Navy personnel, do the protocol thing for visiting high ranking chaplains and don’t expect to be leaving this camp until it is time to go home next July. For my first week here as I recalled my past experiences and future expectations and then compared them to reality I found myself in, I realized that for my own benefit and the benefit of many others, I needed to bloom where I have been planted and respond, with God’s help, to the ministerial challenges that are presented daily. During the first weeks as I made the rounds to visit my soldiers working in the motor pool, the supply buildings, the medical clinic, the orderly room, the dining facility and guard mounts, I became aware that some missed home and being able to use their cell phones, others found the 130 degree heat exhausting and others wanted a mission with a lot more action. To each I offered some insights of the reality of the situation and some words of encouragement for they too needed to bloom where they have been planted so we can complete this mission and safely return home. For those who like the tough details about our time here as straight facts, I share with them a count down computer program called the Donut of Misery. Once you enter into the computer your arrival date in Iraq and your expected departure date, the program displays a donut with the time that has been served here in one color (known as penance paid) and the time still owed in another color (known as penance due). It also lists the time details for each. So as of 6pm September 17, our penance paid is: 10.39 weeks, 72.75 days, 1746 hours, 104,764 minutes and 6,285,811 seconds while our penance due is: 41.46 weeks, 290.25 days, 6,966 hours, 417,956 minutes and 25,077,389 seconds while 20,04% of the donut is shaded. It is assuring to know that not only Catholics are doing penance here. In addition to visiting the soldiers at their work areas and in the common recreation areas, my weekly ministry routine involves: celebrating 3 scheduled Masses, counseling at least a soldier a day, sitting with my commander on Mondays and Thursdays so I can advise him on matters or he can advise me, doing administrative paperwork and e-mailing, giving a class to those going on their 14 day rest and relaxation leave so they won’t get into trouble, attending my battalion’s staff meeting, reporting on religious support news at the mission situation update meeting and being at the camp commanders meeting to represent the chapel, its staff and its programs. I share with those who are worn out by all of the meetings a bit of religious wisdom I once heard: In heaven there are no meetings. In purgatory there are meetings 3 times a week and hell is one continuous meeting. I have also found that the dining facility during meal time is a good place to catch up with soldiers about how they are doing. By talking with them there, I do not distract them from their mission in guard towers, while trying to inventory supplies or at desks in front of computers. Through the religious services, counseling, teaching, meetings, visits and administrative tasks, I do feel that I have a definite ministry here and so work at blooming. Many of you have e-mailed me desiring to send a care package for the troops and I thank you for this. Fortunately though, unlike the first couple of months we were here during the last tour in 2003, we are taken care of quite well and are in need of very little. Soldiers generally request things from their families or order items on line to be delivered. I will see though if some Halloween candy, Christmas decorations or snacks of home would be appropriate and communicate with prospective donors individually. As a nation and a people concerned about others, I would encourage each of you to bloom where you are planted. And let us remember each other and our military personnel in a prayer. Thank you for your prayers and interest and may God bless our nation and its people. CH Jim Krische 310th Military Police Battalion APO AE 09375 (Comment on this)
Thursday, October 5th, 2006
9:45 pm	Periodic News nothing much going on. just buying a house. be thankful you can't hear my internal screaming. then there's that part of me (the wanderlust part) that's yammering at me to run away! don't be anchored down! anyway, i'm pretty much going to committed and my carefree lifestyle will soon be taken over by actually trying to be financially frugal. it's a cute little house. i have the buyer's sheet scanned in so if you want to take a look at it, i'll email it to you. we're up to the contract part of the process (which, i'm told, is unique to long island; everywhere else skips that part). so, in another two months, i'll be a homeowner, assuming all goes well. i've been talking to mortgage brokers all week. do i sound panicky yet? it's a scary process, knowing that this is the largest purchase a blue-collar dude like me will ever make in my life, provided i don't win the lottery. and that a screw-up on my part may mean fouling up everything in my life beyond this point. and i do believe that this is the first time i'm bothering to include my current mood and music. looking forward to crossing the rubicon... Current Mood: determined Current Music: New York Minute - Don Henley (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, September 10th, 2006
1:09 pm	Nothing New Under The Sun. All Is Vanity. Blah Blah Blah... nothing interesting to report that hasn't already been reported. feeling a mite antisocial today; a lot has happened in the past 1825 days, but nothing much has really changed at all. so, here's a fairly accurate personality report of myself: My Personality Neuroticism 19 Extraversion 86 Openness To Experience 75 Agreeableness 23 Conscientiousness 79 Test Yourself Compare Yourself View Full Report MySpace Surveys, Bebo and MySpace Codes by Pulseware Survey Software (Comment on this)
Friday, July 21st, 2006
3:44 pm	Chaplain's Update II here's the next greeting from my former chaplain. he likes to talk, but he gets to the nitty-gritty. sometimes, i still wish i were there. as for my life, it goes. it's good. more of the same, nothing new yet. ------------------------------------------- Chaplain’s Update II: Another Type of Creed….'I Am An American Soldier' Dear Family, Friends and Interested Readers, The recent weeks for this Catholic Army chaplain and his unit could be summed up by the words ‘training and traveling’. At the beginning of a recent training class, the instructor asked all of us to recite with him the Soldier's Creed. It goes like this: I Am An American Soldier. I Am A Warrior And A Member Of A Team. I Serve The People Of The United States Of America And Live The Army Values. I Will Always Place The Mission First. I Will Never Accept Defeat. I Will Never Quit. I Will Never Leave A Fallen Comrade. I Am Disciplined, Physically And Mentally Tough, Trained And Proficient In My Warrior Tasks And Drills. I Always Maintain My Arms, My Equipment And Myself. I Am An Expert and I Am A Professional. I Stand Ready To Deploy, Engage And Destroy The Enemies Of The United States of America In Close Combat. I Am A Guardian Of Freedom And The American Way Of Life. I Am An American Soldier. (c)January 2004; Association of the U.S. Army As a Catholic who is use to reciting a creed each Sunday at Mass whereby I express my belief in God focusing on God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, this creed has each soldier focusing on himself, to believe in himself, to understand better who he should be and what his purpose is. To hear each line professed by a chorus of mostly young male and female voices with such commitment was both impressive and assuring as we prepare for the challenges that lie ahead for our unit in Iraq. The second half of our ten weeks of training in the desert of Texas was quite active and we were reminded to approach all of it as a marathon, not a sprint; for the end of the race is fifteen months away. As the soldiers reviewed how to maintain and shoot the 4 types weapons they could be assigned, I attended to chaplain matters. As a non-combatant who is not authorized to carry a weapon, I rely on the skill of my chaplain assistant to protect both of us. On more than one occasion, soldiers have asked if I ever came under attack would I throw ‘the book’ at the enemy. I responded that all options would be considered. There were 2 classes I was most attentive at and tried to develop a proficiency; namely: Combatives, where we learned how to subdue someone using our body instead of a lethal weapon, and Unarmed Self Defense, where we learned how to create distance between ourselves and any attackers until reinforcements could come to our aid. My class partner, a young lieutenant, made sure to warn the others, after I threw him a few times, not to mess with the chaplain nor be fooled by his calm demeanor. It was sort of fun doing the wrestling type of exercises in the gym but the reality of having to win such skirmishes where we were going to be working kept things serious. Other training classes we had involved how to: react to being shot at, recognize explosive devices along the roadside, operate a vehicle checkpoint, search a vehicle or person for weapons or explosives and how to lockdown a village in order to search for weapons and bad guys. For most of these topics, after a day in the classroom, we had a day or two of practical exercises in a makeshift village setup in the desert with its own houses, vehicles, a mosque, police station and local people hired to act as the bad guys and innocent civilians. In the interest of safety, we were regularly reminded to make sure we drank plenty of water, ate 3 full meals a day to replace the electrolytes that are sweated out, wear sunscreen and not molest the snakes, scorpions, tarantulas, coyotes, jack rabbits and fire ants whose turf we were trampling through. Such focused, thorough and realistic training made us war veterans keenly aware that even though only 2 and 1/3 years have passed since we left Iraq, we were returning to a different war. We may be in the same region and involved in the same operation as before but the tactics have changed and for us, the danger is even greater now. As we train in the desert wearing 45 pounds of gear and the temperature reaches 100 degrees, signs in the training areas encourage us to try hard and learn as much as we can with the saying "Sweat Here So You Don't Die There." In mid June, my training focus and location shifted to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas where I completed the final phase of an officer professional development school which I had begun a year ago. Although I missed the final 2 weeks of my unit training and mission specific validation exercise, my soldiers did well. At school, it took some time to adjust from the flat, hot, physically demanding training area, mess hall and barracks of the Texas desert to the fog eclipsed, rolling farmlands of Kansas, passing the days in classrooms hearing lectures, doing projects and taking tests with the evenings set aside for reading and studying at my room at the Hilton Hotel. My recent training and previous tour in Iraq provided me with much material to share during discussions and the other officers seemed to appreciate having a chaplain in the class. After graduation, I returned to Texas to rejoin my unit as they were packing for our flight to the Middle East. The morale was quite high not only because the soldiers had completed their stateside training but also because they had just come back from a 4 day pass and the chance to be reacquainted with adult beverages which were off limits during training. Some spent the time lounging at downtown hotels while others flew home or to Las Vegas for some memorable experiences. We concluded our time in Texas with a 4th of July barbecue where we celebrated our nation’s independence as well as our freedom from this training segment and its environment. Before we flew out I was able to celebrate Mass one final time at the training base and told the soldiers, sailors and airmen in attendance who were in training cycles behind mine that I would see them at Mass ‘across the pond’ which in military jargon refers to the Atlantic Ocean. Although our charter flight to Kuwait followed the marathon theme by taking 23 hours due to 3 stopovers, the seats were comfortable, the crews friendly, the food plentiful and the movies entertaining. The blast of hot air that engulfed us as we exited the plane as well as some familiar landmarks and the required security precautions reminded me that I was back in the Middle East and we were all more a a target than back in Texas. We boarded buses for a several hour ride to a staging camp in the desert where we would complete our final training before traveling the final segment to our mission site. The camp, constructed out in the middle of nowhere, serves military personnel as the land did for nomadic tribes and armies dating back through the Old Testament. To make this patch of desert a little more comfortable and safe for our 21st century troops temporarily camping here, many amenities have been added such as: 80 man framed tents for sleeping and getting out of the 115 degree heat, large tanks for the water that is trucked in daily for regular bathing in shower trailers, generators for light, hot water and air conditioning, port-o-johns, a great dining facility serving an abundance of fresh food 4 times a day, a chapel, volleyball ball courts, a fitness center, basketball courts, a laundry service, internet trailers, a telephone center, a movie tent, a video game center, a PX general store, and 3 food courts with Burger King, Subway, Pizza Inn, KFC, Chinese Food and gifts shops. They all help keep morale up for troops passing through here on their way to a mission in the combat zone. Every so often, I find myself wondering why I am here and soon thereafter am gently reminded. Such was the case recently when I discovered in the chapel a dozen copies of the Catholic ritual book “Sunday Celebration In The Absence of A Priest. For the next 12 months, such rituals will not be needed in the camp I reside in nor the ones nearby. Another reminder of my purpose here came the other day when a soldier who was also with the unit for our first tour in Iraq asked if we were going to remember SGT Puello, who died 3 years ago on July 13 in an accident while guarding our camp. I assured her we would and we did with a memorial prayer for him and his family. If you would be so kind, I ask that you also offer a prayer not only for him and the more than 2500 other military personnel who gave their lives for our nation but also those currently serving in combat zones and my unit as we prepare to cross the border soon. Thank you for following along and sharing in my ministry with you prayers. May God embrace you with his love always. Peace! Chaplain Jim Krische…..‘An American Soldier’ (Comment on this)
Tuesday, June 20th, 2006
4:14 pm	Security UPDATE: my hints have been rewarded. my fuzzy buddy has acquired a 64 oz. café stewart hot pot for me. i need to build a new cupholder and figure out what to do with the 52 oz. mug i had already bought as a replacement. and so, animenext was great! i had a blast, even though i didn't attend anything that i wasn't working at. a weapons dealer gave me a bokken. that was so cool, and now i have something to practive iaido with when i'm not at the dojo, also a contact on who i can purchase a complete daisho from, forged and folded damascus steel and all... anyway, despite being the con safety (read: security) events manager, i wound up working all the autograph lines, getting acquainted again with my command/sergeant voice, yelling at hordes of people (staff and fans alike) and telling them what to do. the high point of that was that, after an especially long autograph session despite my best efforts (it wound up being running 2 hours over schedule because of all the people), a young fangirl asked me for my autograph after she had fan-favorite, vic mignogna, to sign. how could i turn her down? so, just so she wouldn't forget me, i wrote, "the psycho security guy...-" up at 6:45, breakfast at 7:15, on my feet ALL day, having lunch at 5:30 that evening, down for bed by 2:30 every night, how it could possibly be any better? you gotta love it or it wouldn't be worth doing. many more con stories and pictures will eventually be posted on the official site, but it was so much fun. the staff parties, especially, ROCKED! WOOT! i can't wait for next year and hope the really embarassing snapshots somehow disappear off people's camera memory cards... (Comment on this)
Tuesday, June 6th, 2006
1:06 pm	It Fell, And Now It's Dead my travel mug, 54 ounces of loyal companion for over 2 years and journeys of over 10000 miles, lies dead now in a landfill. twice before it had fallen off the top of a motor vehicle and lived. alas, it could not survive a third plunge. this time, the car it was sitting on top of wasn't even moving at the time, but parked in front of my house. it just... slipped is all. maybe it's my fault (okay, no maybes) that it was precariously perched. someday, i may forgive myself. but it's gone, Gone, GONE! enough mourning. it's time to move on. perhaps it's successor will stick around longer, be better, stronger, faster than before... i hope so. here's hoping you will help me try: somewhere, in myth or 7-11 legend, is an even larger thermos travel mug: 66 ounces or thereabouts... i want it. somewhere, someone i know has one. i don't care if i have to build an even larger cupholder. i don't care if i get carpal tunnel and a sprained wrist from lifting such a vessel at awkward angles. it SHALL BE MINE! so, anyone who can find me one, let me know. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 30th, 2006
12:18 pm	Chaplain's Update I - Duty Calls And We Prepare this is from the chaplain of my old unit, who has left to train for his second tour in the sandpit with the same old unit. he's a good friend, aside from applying gentle persuasion on me to convert to catholicism at any time. any time at all. i still don't get god. :P anyway, he writes pretty well (and more patiently that i do) and this is to share with you and everyone else who might be interested in what happens during a deployment. i don't remember being issued knee and elbow pads, though; i had to buy my own. "No trees were killed in the sending of this message. However, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced." - unknown ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chaplain's Update I - Duty Calls And We Prepare Dear Family, Friends, Parishioners and Interested Readers, I send you greetings from not only myself but also 141 other Army Reserve citizen soldiers who, 5 weeks ago, left home, family, jobs and friends to answer our nation's call to deploy to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Each of them received orders to report for active duty for up to 18 months. 34 of them, like me, although having recently completed a one-year tour of duty in South West Asia have said yes to the Army's request to serve again. For 5 other soldiers, this is their tour to the region. These men and women range in age from 19 to 55 and hold the ranks from Private First Class to Lieutenant Colonel. They are sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews and grandmothers and grandfathers. 74 of these soldiers have been a part of this Army Reserve unit for several months or years while the other 68 were pulled from units located in places such as: upstate New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, California, Chicago and Oklahoma. In their civilians lives, some are students, policemen and emergency medical technicians while others are contractors and correctors officers or between jobs. For this military tour of duty, they will serve as commanders, platoon leaders, compound guards, medics, food service personnel, vehicle mechanics, supply personnel, detainee processing specialists as well as chaplain assistant. I accompany them as their Battalion Chaplain to serve some of their spiritual and emotional needs. We are American soldiers and together we make up the Headquarters Company of the 310th Military Police Battalion who mission is to operate internment or resettlement facilities. This group of citizen soldiers reported for duty on Monday April 17th at battalion headquarters in Uniondale, New York where they spent 3 days packing equipment and making final plans to fly to Fort Bliss, Texas for 10 weeks of pre-deployment training. It was interesting to watch the soldiers prepare physically and emotionally to go to war. The afternoon before we left, our higher headquarters, the 800th Military Police Brigade, hosted a Patriotic Send-off Ceremony for soldiers and their families which included: a musical presentation by 3 beautiful USO ladies, an honoring of the American Flag, a few speeches, a memorial remembrance of military personnel who have given their lives in service to our country and special prayers offered by yours truly. The ceremony was followed a barbecue reception hosted by the unit's Family Readiness Group with decorations and care packages supplied by local Girl Scout Troops. The emotions present throughout it all, like for other deploying military units, spanned from excitement and wonderment, to anxiety and concern, to sadness and fear. As chaplain, I expect to be called upon to assist some of the soldiers in dealing with those emotions. We had our own chartered plane from JFK to El Paso, Texas. The flight went fine and the crew were very attentive to their special passengers. Most soldiers used the time to catch up on the sleep that was lost during the previous hectic days. Unlike our parents' or grandparents' generation, it was interesting to note that the American soldier of today goes off to war with the basic necessities of not only his weapon, knapsack and uniforms but also his cell or satellite phone, laptop computer, DVD player and Ipod music system. I even saw a few of those old-fashioned boom boxes and small televisions packed away. Upon landing, we were bussed 30 miles north of the main camp to a small base camp in the desert of New Mexico where we would live and train for our mission. It was easy to realize that the hot weather and terrain here would help us better acclimate to what we would be experiencing in Iraq. There are 3 types of air-conditioned barracks here for our accommodations. The lower enlisted soldiers are on bunk beds in open-bay dormitories. The senior enlisted and lower ranking officers are on bunk beds with 4 soldiers to a hotel size room with the bathrooms and showers down the hall. The senior officers, the group to which I belong for having been in the military over 18 years, are also on bunk bends with 4 to a room but have a private bathroom to share. Such sleeping arrangements bring back childhood memories but we have yet to have a pillow fight. In addition to the barracks, the camp has a dining facility, a gym, a general store, a game room, a barber shop, classrooms, motor pool (This is the vehicle parking lot for you non-military types.), shooting ranges and an internet cafe with only 7 computers for the more than 1400 military personnel training here. Such a computer-to-soldier ratio has many soldiers praying for a wireless computer zone to be set up here soon as they make the long trek to the main camp at least once a week during their free time to use the computers there. It is a fact that even though the scene in Iraq will be more dangerous than here in Texas, the living conditions and pace of the workday will be much better. As a result of so many of our active and reserve soldiers currently being deployed to many areas of the world, it has been necessary for our Defense Department to also assign Air Force and Navy units to assist with ground missions in Iraq. The reality of joint operations is also experienced here in the desert as we live and train alongside Air Force and Navy personnel. Based upon some of our mission assignments, some of these units will be working alongside each other over there. As a Major, I outrank more than 95% of the military personnel here, which means they have to salute me when they pass. My right arm is getting quite the workout as I return a salute dozens of times each day. During our first week here, we had to be issued identification cards and equipment. In addition to desert camouflage uniforms, boots, hats and t-shirts, we also received our gas masks, knee pads, elbow pads, combat helmets, the protective vests with the heavy bullet proof front and back plates, goggles, gloves, camel pack canteens you wear on your back with a hose to connect to your mouth, rain gear and a duffle bag to carry the 60 pounds of gear worth over $2600. Some were surprised to get cold weather gear so we veterans in the group explained how cold 75 degrees feels at night after enduring a 130-degree day. We also had to get inoculations, see the dentist and have our medical records and legal reviewed. Next, we attended classes on 'Rules of Engagement', Iraqi culture and the Arabic language learning to speak words, like "hello", "thank you" and "drop the weapon". A Red Cross representative spoke to us about the role that organization plays in helping our families contact us in the event of a family emergency. Another class we had which I do not recall receiving the last time I went to Iraq, was what to do when taken prisoner. The seriousness of this was then somewhat balanced out by the class of what to do when the rescuers come to free you. The next phase of training we entered into here focused on basic soldier skills, which included: land navigation with a compass and global positioning system, operating a field radio along with first aid techniques for bandaging and transporting the wounded. Another segment dealt with chemical warfare so we were tested on being able to: put on our gas masks in 9 seconds, don our full chemical protective suit in 9 minutes, identify poisonous gases as well as treat ourselves or another person for exposure to weapons of mass destruction. The day ended with a trip to the chamber filled with tear gas to see if the seal on our masks worked. Fortunately mine did. Although I am here as a trainee, I am expected to do my real world chaplain's duties as well. These include celebrating Mass, offering the Catholic sacraments, leading or arranging other worship services, being available for counseling, helping to improve the morale as well as advising the commander on various matters. Since he has the bunk right next to mine, we have daily conversations as well as a staff meeting each evening. There had not been Catholic Mass in this base camp for over a month, so my arrival was celebrated by the authorities here and they had no hesitation in providing me with a key to the base chapel. I have also made myself available to the personnel of the other Army, Navy and Air Force units here and several have sought me out desiring to speak with a chaplain for problems have already surfaced here and at home. The details of salary, health care, combat pay, family separation and housing allowances given to deploying military personnel are all public knowledge. As I have spent time with and gotten to know my own soldiers as well as the other military personnel, I have come to learn of the great sacrifices many of them are making for our nation and so they have my admiration and support. I hope they also have yours and perhaps you can remember them and their families in a prayer. Well, duty calls and there is more to prepare so it is back to training for this citizen-soldier-priest. Thank you for reading this first update and your interest in your nation's soldiers. Feel free to pass it on to others and I look forward to sharing more of my experiences and insights with you through the months ahead. May God bless and guide our nation and its people. CH Jim Krische 310th Military Police Battalion (Comment on this)
Monday, April 17th, 2006
8:23 pm	Second Go-Around my old unit deployed today to ft. bliss, texas to train up and mobilize for their second rotation in iraq. only 15 members of the unit are left over from the original bunch of us. 3 members died during deployment (one before leaving, one there, one after we had come back but before we got off active duty), and the rest have transferred out, finished out their contracts and left the reserves (like me), or have a really good excuse why they shouldn't go back. most of the rest are n00bs, except for those who transferred in who had already been in the zone. among those going again are the chaplain, big mack(lowe), and perrier. get back safe again, guys. as of april 8th, it marks 2 years of leaving active duty and the end of VA hospital benefits, not that i took advantage of it. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, April 2nd, 2006
6:02 pm	Just A Few Words About Love borrowed and watched "love actually" last night. an enjoyable film, offers something to just about everyone, and touted as The ULTIMATE Romantic Comedy, which definition i don't happen to completely agree with. however, i did also notice the mock/not-so-mock jabs at america. quite a lot to say about the office of the president and american society (in a skewed, stereotyped way). also yesterday, i spend half the day with my niece celebrating her 11th birthday. that's love too. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, March 15th, 2006
3:41 pm	Why Not? maybe i shouldn't have answered "Yes" to the question "Do You Feel Stupid?" but, y'know, i do feel stupid because there are so many more things out there that i don't know. anyway, i took it again with the expected results: (Comment on this)
Saturday, March 4th, 2006
11:07 pm	Anniversary 2 years ago to the day (and pretty close to the hour also), i landed back at mcguire afb from the persian gulf. and so, i can lay another (small) inner demon to rest 'cause i ain't got visceral leishmaniasis (sand fly fever; major internal hemorrhaging, death, no known vaccination, no known effective treatment). see, the longest known incubation period is 2 years and, with all the bug bites i'd gotten over there ('cause they love my sweet blood), it's been hard to be sure. i had my suspicions that i didn't, but i don't go to the doctor to get examined often enough to have it detected. plus, what could they have done if i did have it? so, plans for the future are being executed: getting cisco/microsoft/comptia certified for my job (i suspect that i'll eventually be made manager despite my protests anyway), training for a marathon, training for a black belt in jujutsu... buying a house, settling down with a significant other, having children, obtaining an air force reserve commission, etc. are still in the planning stages. one life to live; trying to make it a life less ordinary... (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, March 3rd, 2006
2:30 pm	You Have A Type A- Personality A- You are one of the most balanced people around Motivated and focused, you are good at getting what you want You rule at success, but success doesn't rule you. When it's playtime, you really know how to kick back Whether it's hanging out with friends or doing something you love! You live life to the fullest - encorporating the best of both worlds Do You Have a Type A Personality? (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, February 11th, 2006
11:54 pm	Unexpected Trip #1 memphis, TN. it last snowed there 3 or 4 years ago. naturally, i landed there to make my connection in the middle of their first blizzard since then. Because of the blizzard, all the gates were full, including the one we were slated to dock at in the first place. Planes are being de-iced as fast as possible, but delays keep accumulating. they've run out of de-icing fluid for departing planes and have to acquire more! and memphis, like many southern towns, shuts down when there's a couple of inches on the ground. it had long passed the several-inches mark. after sitting on the tarmac for a half-hour, we were assigned a new gate and taxied there! and the jetway there jams as it's moving to hook up with us. it can't be raised to the level of our door. we wait while a supervisor and crew are dispatched and repairs are attempted. we are reassigned to a new gate eventually and finally disembarked an hour late, so i could be informed that my connecting flight had already left. i nearly put myself on a flight to austin which hadn't left yet, but decided against it, resigned to spend the night at the airport and wait for the morning flight to san antonio. at that moment, my fortunes did a 180°! standing on line to be booked for the morning flight, along with all the other transfer detainees, or detained transferees, whichever you deem more appropriate, someone pointed out our original was still docked at the gate! it also had been delayed! i would like to say we stormed the plane and forced our way onboard, taking no prisoners, as it befitted my mood: 3 hours of sleep, up for nearly 24 by that point, an argument at work, and now delays. but, all it took was for the airline rep to talk to the crew and we were let onboard. only to wait for another hour while the plane was queued for de-icing in turn. and so, i finally made it. anticlimactic, as it were, especially in light that i'm in san antonio for a funeral. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, February 8th, 2006
12:43 pm	Be You Cheap, Or Be You Afraid... http://www.whitecastle.com/valentinesday/ scary. (Comment on this)
Friday, February 3rd, 2006
1:02 pm	this year's trips i think i'll be taking a week off this summer to drive up to nova scotia and prince edward island. aside from wanting to see what it's like firsthand, it'll be cooler than new york. something about wanting to walk on the beach, hike the trails and wait for the sunrise. plus, it's a nice drive through maine to get some fresh lobsters. ROAD TRIP! right before my birthday, i gotta head to vancouver for a wedding, assuming the invitation is in the mail... (HINT!) and, new zealand is still on the november horizon unless someone comes up to drain my savings, such as the starter house i plan to buy. wanderlust is kicking me in the ass again. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, January 30th, 2006
7:55 pm	Self Pity I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself. -D.H. Lawrence (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, January 15th, 2006
10:27 pm	Puzzling... two things on my mind: i watched two episodes of '24' tonight: the premiere. my very first two. perhaps it was not the best sampling that the show has to offer, but i wasn't impressed. it seemed to me like any other action/suspense/whatever drama (i'm not that good at categorizing tv shows, 'cause i don't normally watch tv; i just happened to be sitting in my friends' house), except that you are constantly reminded that each episode is SUPPOSED to take place, in real time, over the course of an hour. except that, in my humble opinion and experience, that things don't take the amount of time that the show's writers think it takes. for example, the ex-president is assassinated and prounounced dead 10 minutes after it happens. yet, over an hour later, his body is still lying where it fell, federal agents swarming all around, and paramedics and first responders are still in the area, as if there was something they could do. they certainly were in more of hurry to try to save JFK's life back then, IIRC the footage of that incident. and plot holes you could fly the battlestar galactica through... but, i've expounded way too much on the show already, and some of you readers might be fans. 0:) i suppose it's too late to post a spoiler alert, eh? :) the second thing is that i scrutinized my new laptop keyboard today, while watching the show. bear in mind that i didn't examine every inch of it when i got it, since, y'know, it's a computer. i load up software, customize the settings, blah blah blah. done it a MILLION times, 'cause, y'know, i'm a professional. so, i'm looking at my laptop and it's got the usual keys, along with the embedded keypad, and a bunch of other useful functions. most every key has at least 2 purposes, even if it's just lower-case and capital letters, or commonly-used keys like SHIFT, CTRL, ALT, BACKSPACE, etc. no problem. what i can't understand is WHY the engineers of this laptop felt it necessary to include TWO dedicated keys for the DOLLAR SYMBOL ('$')and the EURO SYMBOL ('€'). see, i don't even have to hunt for them if i ever felt it necessary to use them. it makes the key combination of SHIFT-7 nearly extraneous. i'll probably go to my grave wondering about it. goodbye, boring nights with nothing to do. :P thirdly, pam, i apologize when i scoffed at your suggestion that i should just start a blog, even if you don't remember the specifics of when you suggested it. apparently, i enjoy spewing my thoughts periodically too much. 'nuff said. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, January 12th, 2006
3:34 pm	Trouble i need to have someone accompany me any time i go to ikea. i meant to buy a $20 drop-leaf table, and i did. and also another $70 of impulse stuff. cloudberry, black currant, and lingonberry preserves. frozen swedish meatballs. stuffed dragon toy. there's just so much in there and it's all pretty inexpensive. except that 10 x inexpensive = pretty damn hefty on wallet. so, i need either a keeper or a set of blinders. secondly, i donated blood today after 3 years, because i finally can. i'd forgotten how i get when i'm hopped up on endorphins (the kind naturally produced by one's brain). my impulsiveness increases four- or fivefold. my speech censor goes out the window, and, OY! i have a mouth on me you wouldn't believe. or maybe you would, but be warned should you catch me on those rare 1-in-56 days. i also bounce from the chemical high. what i don't feel is lightheaded or faint. on the plus side, my blood pressure was a little on the high side but it's now lower 'cause there's not so much blood anymore. a-yup! and, my getting larger shoes by accident means that my feet are now more comfortable. apparently, they've been growing without my consciously being aware of it, so buying shoes while a pint low on fluids was actually a good thing. (1 Comment |Comment on this)