Chaplain David Waweru, originally of Nairobi, Kenya, now serving as the brigade chaplain for the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas, takes a moment to pray during a religious ceremony at Forward Operating Base Spin Boldak, Afghanistan.

You may have guessed by his accent that Chaplain (Maj.) David Waweru is not native to the United States of America. But, where is he from? How did he find himself serving in the U.S. Army and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom?

“I was born and raised in Kenya, Africa, in a small village about 20 miles west of the capital city of Nairobi,” Waweru, the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade chaplain. “I went to primary school in the village and later went to high school in Nairobi.”

Waweru, now a resident in Harker Heights, Texas, said after graduating high school, he began working for local church organizations. One job in particular, he said, jumps out at him as the most memorable.

“The job that really stands out to me is when I worked for Campus Crusade for Christ,” Waweru said. “This job stands out to me because that is when I had a lot of time with American missionaries, and I believe that is where my interest in coming to the United States began.”

Waweru said he worked there for 2.5 years working with local church workers teaching them how to plan church services and build churches.

It was during his time with Campus Crusade where Waweru said he felt the call to become an ordained minister for his church, the Anglican Church in Kenya. He then left to begin school at the Bishop Kariuki Bible College in Kabete, Kenya, to train for ordained ministry.

While he was attending the college, Waweru said he met his wife, Christine, who was born in the United States, but raised in both the U.S. and Kenya. David and Christine had been attending the college for the same reason, to become ordained ministers.

He said they began getting to know each other and eventually started dating. However, their time together didn’t last as long as they would have liked.

“One year later, Christine was offered a scholarship for a school in the United States,” he said, “so, she took it and returned home to the United States to continue her education toward her bachelor’s degree in Christian ministry.”

Waweru, still in Kenya attending the Bishop Kariuki Bible College, continued his education and kept in touch with Christine through letters and phone calls every once in a while.

Waweru completed his degree at the Bible college and transferred to St. Paul’s University in Limuru, Kenya, to obtain a bachelor’s in divinity. All through this time, David and Christine kept their relationship strong even though they were on opposite sides of the world.

“I think this time apart helped us build trust,” Waweru said, “and I feel this was good training that helped me in becoming a chaplain in the years to come.”

He also said he believes, even though he had no way of knowing at the time, this time apart was preparing him for his three combat deployments with the U.S. Army.

Christine returned to Kenya during David’s second year at St. Paul’s, and they decided they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. On Dec. 3, 1988, David and Christine made their vows to each other and became husband and wife.

“We got ordained at the same time,” he said, “and began ministry together at the Anglican Church of Kenya.”

After a few years, the Waweru family picked up and came to the United States together and David continued to further his education at Princeton University, N.J., to obtain a master’s degree in theology.

“While I was at Princeton, I met a U.S. Army chaplain who was studying the same program. He and I became good friends during our time together, and throughout that friendship,” Waweru said, “I guess he was recruiting me into the chaplain’s corps.”

Upon graduation, Waweru said he faced two choices, to continue his ministries in the church, or to become a chaplain in the United States Army.

“I decided to try a new venture,” he said, “so I decided to become a United States Army chaplain.”

Waweru received his commission as a first lieutenant on July 4, 1994 and is is now a major on his third combat deployment, and his first to Afghanistan.

His first was to Iraq in 2005, followed by his second back to Iraq in 2007.

Today, he is in Afghanistan with the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, serving as the brigade chaplain on FOB Spin Boldak, Afghanistan.

His mission is to keep the soldiers of the brigade strong and help them through their times of trouble.

“It is never easy,” he said. “It is always hard to be away from family. With this being my third deployment, I have been better able to prepare myself and help others through my experiences.”

The chaplain wants soldiers to know if they need anything, he is here to help them.

“I offer encouragement and insight based on my experiences,” he said. “I encourage soldiers to work on their relationships while they are away from their families, and I encourage them to be spiritually fit.”

At the end of the day, Waweru is happy he made the decision to become a chaplain when he could have otherwise made the choice to minister in the church as a civilian.

“I enjoy my ministry in the Army,” he said, “I love soldiers, I love talking to soldiers, interacting with soldiers. I love being part of a bigger family than myself. We will suffer being away from our Families together, and we will pull through it together.”

Story by Spc. Darryl Montgomery
DVIDS

The chaplain's assistant for the 36th Infantry deputy division chaplain, Spc. Kelly L. Lee, grew up in a household of drugs, alcoholism and crime. She was on the brink of suicide when an answered prayer turned her life around. Always an individual, Lee tells the story of her life before and after being saved through body artwork, with a full 'sleeve' on her left arm and plans to complete another 'sleeve' on her right. Photo by Sgt. David Bryant

It was a clear, sunny February day. A breeze was blowing through the open window of her apartment; the closet had finally been cleaned earlier in the week and the small study Bible her best friend had given her when she was 12 was laying on the nightstand.

That was when Spc. Kelly L. Lee sat down on the floor next to her bed, placed the razor against her wrist and said, “God, if you’re there, you better let me know because I’m going to come meet you.”

“I was at such a point of self-loathing; that’s why I got out the razor blade,” the 27-year-old Dallas native said. “I had my own place, a good job and a wonderful fiancé at the time. All the pieces of the puzzle were there, but something was missing. That missing piece was the life I didn’t have.”

And life had not always been great for Lee, she said. A self-proclaimed Army brat, the fiery redhead grew up in an unstable home filled with drug and alcohol abuse. Her parents were divorced by the time she was 12 and her mother had been in and out of jail since Lee was 9 years old.

As she sat with the blade against her wrist, a breeze blew the small Bible onto the floor and opened to Psalm 34. As she began to read, a verse leapt out at her: “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

“I didn’t get saved the ‘traditional’ way by being preached to or talking to a minister or anything like that,” Lee said. “You can’t deny a face-to-face meeting with God like that, though. I cried out and he heard me.”

Like most youth, Lee had been searching for an “identity” before she was saved. It was during her search that she first began to express herself through body art by getting her astrological sign, Leo, tattooed on each of her hands.

“I loved being able to express who I am through body artwork,” she said. “When I came to know Christ and his love for me, that translated into the tattoos I have now.”

The artwork now covers her entire left arm in what is known as a “sleeve,” and Lee uses them as part of her “personal ministry.”

“When people ask what they mean, it gives me a chance to express myself and tell my story,” she said.

From the depths of despair, she looked to a razor blade for salvation and instead found a calling, Lee added. “It was all he said; to be prepared. About a year and a half later, he laid on my heart: ‘Army.’ I prayed about it for about eight months, asking, ‘Is this really what you want me to do?’”

She asked for advice from her father, who had already lived the life of a soldier. She considered the life of her father’s best friend, an Army warrant officer killed in action in Iraq in 2008. She embraced the support of her husband, Josh.

In 2007 she followed her calling and enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard as a chaplain’s assistant, adding another chapter to her life story encompassed by the artwork covering her arm.

“I love having her as my assistant; she’s one of the finest chaplain’s assistants I’ve ever known, and we’re fortunate to have her with us on this deployment,” said Capt. Benjie Bender, 36th Infantry deputy division chaplain. “The quality of a chaplain’s deployment often depends on the quality of the assistant. She and the other chaplain’s assistants are making all the difference on this deployment.”

The story of how Lee was saved is not a common occurrence, said Bender, a 39-year-old native of Evansville, Ind., now a resident of Dallas. “Many times I’ve heard people say that coincidence is God’s way of working anonymously. God has many ways of reaching out to people; for -Lee- it happened to be a breeze.”

In fact, said Bender, reading the Bible is much less painful than getting a tattoo.

“If you’re seeking God, he’s easy to find,” Bender said. “You don’t need to test him the way it happened with Lee; he’s always there to answer if you’re willing to listen.”

The chaplain's assistant for the 36th Infantry deputy division chaplain, Spc. Kelly L. Lee, grew up in a household of drugs, alcoholism and crime. She was on the brink of suicide when an answered prayer turned her life around. The tattoos on her lower arm were completed by Clint Cummings of Sparrows Tattoo, Mansfield, Texas, and those on her upper arm by John Chancy of Fineline Tattoo in Mesquite, Texas. Photo by Sgt. David Bryant

For anyone who has met Lee, it can be difficult to reconcile the cheerful, smiling chaplain’s assistant they know with the darker, suicidal person she once was.

“Her story is amazing,” said Bender. “It show’s God’s interest in all of us; how he can take someone’s life with all the mess it’s in and make something beautiful out of it.”

When not serving on active duty orders with the Guard, Lee manages a Sonic drive-in restaurant and is a full-time student in her junior year at Dallas Baptist University, where she is working on her bachelor’s degree in Christian studies.

“I joined to be an assistant with the goal of becoming a chaplain myself,” Lee said. “I love this country and I love God. The chaplain motto is Latin for ‘God and Country,’ so I couldn’t resist having that for a tattoo.”

“She’s amazing; she’s someone who can’t help but wear her ‘faith on her sleeve’ as it were,” said Bender. Chaplain’s assistants do their jobs “for a variety of reasons. It’s rare to have one who has the calling, the compassion she does for the soldiers.”

Lee’s love of tattoos makes it easy for her to fit in with the rough-and-ready life of soldiers. “I feel really comfortable being here doing what I’m doing. I think God prepared me mentally for what I would be doing here.”

What she does is take care of the spiritual well being of soldiers and reach out to those who need it, regardless of what their faith is or if they claim no religion at all, she said.

“For a civilian, it may be a little difficult to put that ‘evangelist’ away, but the Chaplain Corps prepares us well to understand the ramifications proselytizing could have in a foreign nation,” added Lee. “I feel blessed to be a part of a division staff and I take seriously this opportunity for me in my career to have a pivotal role in the lives of our seven-thousand-plus soldiers in [United States Division-South].”

Her first deployment has been busy, she said, between the long hours at the office and even more long hours keeping up with her college education. Although her work is never done, she said being deployed is easier on her than it is for her husband.

“It’s difficult for him because he has no military experience whatsoever, so [the deployment] has been a world-changer for us,” Lee said. “He supports me, though.”

Military life certainly suits Lee, said Bender. “She can clear a room with the best of them and put the ‘hurt’ on in combatives. And she is an excellent shot with the rifle.”

“She’s very thoughtful and a joy to work with,” Bender added. “I hope she pursues her ministry as a chaplain, although I have mixed feelings about that. We will gain her as a chaplain, but we lose her as an assistant.”

Despite all the challenges Lee has faced in her life, she said she has every intention of carrying on full-throttle.

“People ask me, ‘If you could go back and change anything, would you do it?’” she said. “I would have to say no, because all of it happened for a reason. It has made me -who- I am today.”

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Story by Sgt. David Bryant

Pilgrims gather in Karbala, Iraq, at a previous commemoration of the Muslim holiday of Ashoura Jan. 19, 2008. The 10-day event commemorates the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the prophet Mohammad, near the city 1,300 years ago. As many as 4 million people participated in the December 2010 holiday, an event for which Iraqi Security Forces took the lead in the protection of participating pilgrims. Archived U.S. Army photo/Sgt. Nicole Dykstra

As Shiite pilgrims slowly filtered out of religious shrines in Karbala Dec. 17, the quiet passing of the Muslim religious holiday of Ashoura made a loud statement about the capabilities of Iraqi security forces in the area.

As many as 4 million pilgrims took part in the 2010 Ashoura, including 200,000 foreigners from 24 separate countries, according to Iraqi estimates. The security of Ashoura participants and the areas surrounding holy shrines in Karbala was the sole responsibility of Iraqi security forces, who assumed the security lead for the country as part of Operation New Dawn Sept. 1.

The Muslim holiday of Ashoura, translated “the tenth day,” commemorates the death of Imam Al-Hussein, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala in the seventh century. Ashoura is particularly significant to Shia Muslims, who make pilgrimages in order to congregate at holy shrines in Muslim holy cities like Karbala and Najaf. The influx of vast numbers of pilgrims into Iraq presents unique security challenges to the Iraqi security forces, specifically for the crowds of people who gather around the Imam Al-Hussein and Imam Al-Abbas shrines at Karbala.

In previous years the holiday has occasionally been marred by insurgent attempts to disrupt Ashoura gatherings and destabilize the country. In March 2004, two bombs in Baghdad and Karbala killed more than 170 people. Clashes between sectarian groups in January 2008 during Ashoura resulted in the deaths of 263 people in Karbala. No such violence could be seen on the streets of Karbala this year.

U.S. forces assumed a supporting role in the security for Ashoura, advising key ISF leaders and providing humanitarian assistance for participants during the commemorations.

“The 8th Iraqi Army executed a well-crafted plan to distribute food to pilgrims during Ashoura,” said U.S. Army Maj. Tad Gilbert, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment civil affairs officer. “Third ACR supported the ISF with additional food supplies to augment their distribution plan.”

While Ashoura was visibly marked by throngs of people honoring Muslim religious traditions in peace, the Iraqi military and police were busy behind the scenes responding to insurgent threats.

“Ashoura was a very successful operation,” said Lt. Gen. Othman Al Ghanimi, commander of the 8th Iraqi Army and charged as the lead in Karbala during the security operations surrounding the holiday. Eighty suspected insurgents were captured and numerous explosives were dismantled by members of Iraqi security forces in and around Karbala, said Othman.

The strength of Iraqi security forces has become paramount as Jan. 1 marks the last year of U.S. forces involvement under the existing security agreement in Iraq.

“The performance of Iraqi security forces, particularly during Ashoura, has been nothing less than impressive,” said Col. Reginald E. Allen, commander of 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, which has the responsibility of advising and assisting Iraqi military and police in Karbala and four other provinces across southern Iraq. “The ISF ability to secure such a large event with no attacks for the first time in seven years with little assistance from U.S. forces is clear evidence that the ISF is fully capable of securing the Iraqi people.”

As a significant Shiite Muslim religious holiday ended Dec. 18, it was not the tested crisis response of Iraqi security forces that marked its successful passing, but the lack of any crisis at all.

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Story by Jason Billington

Maj. James J. Peak, a chaplain assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 101st Airborne Division, celebrates Mass with soldiers of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division at Combat Outpost Charkh, here, Dec. 10. Peak, a Spokane, Wash., native conducted the first Mass at COP Charkh since August. Photo by U.S. Army Cpl. Cooper T. Cash

Soldiers assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, celebrated Catholic Mass at Combat Outpost Charkh here Dec. 10.

This was the first Mass offered at COP Charkh since August due to the non-availability of a Catholic chaplain.

“In the holy Mass, we receive spiritual strength from God to persevere,” said Spokane, Wash., native U.S. Army Chaplain (Maj.) James J. Peak, a chaplain assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 101st Airborne Division.

Soldiers from COP Charkh make enemy contact nearly every day. Such activity leads some Soldiers to embrace their faith more strongly.

U.S. Army Spc. Angel Diaz, a combat medic assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, celebrates Catholic Mass at Combat Outpost Charkh here, Dec. 10. Diaz, a Dallas native, said, “Mass has helped bring me closer to God, which is good in this environment.” Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. Cooper T. Cash

“This is the first Mass I have celebrated in nearly 15 years,” said Dallas native U.S. Army Spc. Angel Diaz, a combat medic assigned to Co. B. “Mass has helped bring me closer to God, which is good in this environment.”

DVIDS
By U.S. Army Sgt. Cooper T. Cash

Alaverdi cathedral and monastery, copyright 2010 by Tamari Shermadini, all rights reserved

Georgian Christianity is similar to most of the other nations in the region. It is Orthodox, not aligned with the Latin Rite of Rome, and is a national church. A national church, in this context, is one that is associated with the individual nation, i.e. Greek Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Georgian Orthodox. It survived the Russian conquest and the Communist era.

Among the sites in Georgia that illustrate the long history of Christianity in that nation are the monastery and cathedral of Alaverdi and the monastery of Ikalto. Both sites are located in Eastern Georgia, near the town of Telavi.

Alaverdi monastery. copyright 2010 by Tamari Shermadini, all rights reserved

The province of Kakheti, where these sites are located, was once an independent kingdom. Its natives speak a dialect of Georgian. Its border to the east and south is with the nation of Azerbaijan and is disputed in many areas. It is a popular tourist destination for Georgians and its international appeal is growing.

The monastery and cathedral of Alaverdi are in the village of the same name. The monastery dates to the sixth century in parts and the cathedral to the eleventh. The cathedral is 55 meters tall, over 165 feet, and is the second tallest religious structure in Georgia after the national cathedral.

Alaverdi. copyright 2010 by Tamari Shermadini, all rights reserved

The cathedral is on the tentative list to become a World Heritage Site. It is being so considered for its architecture and design which are uniquely Georgian.

In the same region is the monastery of Ikalto. Burned by Persian invaders in 1616, it had been the site of a renowned Academy for about 500 years. There are three churches among the ruins of the Academy.

Ikalto monastery. copyright 2010 by Tamari Shermadini, all rights reserved

Ikalto monastery. copyright 2010 by Tamari Shermadini, all rights reserved

copyright 2010 by Tamari Shermadini, all rights reserved

copyright 2010 by Tamari Shermadini, all rights reserved

A high ranking Cardinal has announced that the Vatican, the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, has agreed to work with the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine by funding research into the medical uses of adult stem cells. An Associated Press report states the Catholic Church will be making an initial donation to the project in the amount of 2 million euros or $2.7 million.

The University describes the initiative as exploring "the therapeutic potential of intestinal stem cells". Such research is believed to have potential for the treatment of bowel conditions such as celiac disease.

Stem cells exist in every adult’s body. They are cells that that can reproduce themselves throughout a life time. The cells that make up most of the human body cannot reproduce and have a limited life span, according to the University of California, San Francisco’s Science Cafe site.

In 2000, the Vatican issues a document titled "DECLARATION ON THE PRODUCTION AND THE SCIENTIFIC AND THERAPEUTIC USE OF HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS" that recognized the potential efficacy of adult stem cells and the lack of moral and ethical barriers to research and use of these cells. A number of medical treatments currently use adult stem cells and research on those cells is routinely conducted at Catholic Universities such as Notre Dame.

Adult stem cells from bone marrow have been used in transplants for about 40 years and the University of Utah has a website describing those treatments. WSOC-TV reports on research at the Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, MD, that is using the patient’s own stem cells to stimulate bone repair and speed healing in orthopedic injuries. In a December, 2009 story, CNN reported on a study taking place using adult stem cells with a few days of a heart attack that seems to repair at least part of the damage to the heart. The University of Wisconsin, in August, 2009, was engaged in trials testing the use of adult stem cells to treat Type 1 diabetes.

While actual research using the Vatican money is some years away, the decision to fund such research appears to signal the Catholic Church’s desire to make morally and ethically gathered stem cell medical therapies available.

I had to use the original title. Just look at the alliteration!

The Sultan Saqi Shrine, built in the 1960s in a part of the historic Tiseen neighborhood which is now on Kirkuk Regional Air Base, marks the burial place of Imam Sultan Saqi, as well as that of his sister. The Sultan's grave dates from approximately 600 A.D. Photo by Master Sgt. Martie Moore

The 506th Air Expeditionary Group and the Kirkuk Provincial Reconstruction Team of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq assisted approximately 30 members of the predominantly Turkmen Shi’a community of the Tiseen neighborhood of Kirkuk city to visit the Imam Sultan Saqi Shrine and its surrounding cemetery, which are historically and religiously important to the Turkmen Shi’a community, April 17.

Traditionally, the people of the Tiseen community in Kirkuk visit the shrine and the graves of the deceased of their own community buried in the cemetery surrounding the shrine on religious holidays and other special occasions.

Under the regime of Saddam Hussein, the land was confiscated for use as an airport and military base, and visitations and use of the cemetery were forbidden. The U.S. Air Force, who has managed the base since 2003, and the PRT recognized the importance of the site to the Tiseen community and initiated periodic visits for them.

“The U.S. Air Force believes that it’s important to be a good neighbor to the people of Kirkuk, and we are pleased to have been able to meet and assist some of our neighbors today,” said Col. Leonard Dick, 506th AEG commander.

Kirkuk Provincial Council members Tahseen Kahea and Qassim Hamza participated in the visit, along with representatives of the PRT and U.S. Air Force. During the event, Akbar Shokor Bahram gave a blessing and spoke of the importance of the site to the community.

DVIDS
Story by Master Sgt. Martie Moore

Soldiers at Contingency Operating Base Marez, Iraq celebrate a Catholic Easter vigil mass on April 3 at St. Elijah Monastery. (Photo by: Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika)

Soldiers at Contingency Operating Base Marez, Iraq celebrate a Catholic Easter vigil mass on April 3 at St. Elijah Monastery. (Photo by: Sgt. Shannon R. Gregory)

More than 250 service members and civilians celebrated Easter with a candlelit mass Saturday at St. Elijah Monastery, the oldest Christian monastery in Iraq.

The mass was one of three Christian services scheduled at the monastery for Easter weekend.

“This is the second time we’ve done this,” said Capt. Patrick Van Durme, the battalion chaplain with the 1-19th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division and a Dansville, N.Y., native.

Van Durme said turnout for the event was large and included civilian workers from around the world and from the Mosul area, which has the largest Christian population in Iraq.

“It’s an amazing thing for them,” he said.

First Lt. Geoffrey Whitaker, the garrison chaplain at Contingency Operating Base Marez, Iraq, with the Regimental Fires Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), said he was honored to be part of the services at the 1,700-year-old monastery.

“To get to celebrate Easter in the oldest Christian monastery in Iraq … it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Whitaker, a Murphy, N.C., native.

Whitaker said he expected more than 1,000 Soldiers and civilians to attend the three services.

Van Durme said the monastery has held great historical relevance throughout the ages.

Local traditional suggests the monastery was first built in the year 350 AD and the current structure was probably added 1,000 years later, he said.

In 1743, the monks and orphans at the monastery were killed by a Persian leader for refusing to convert to Islam, and Christians in the area have been persecuted since, said Van Durme.

“If you go back 50 years, you’ll find 1,000′s of Christian families in Mosul. You’ll now find maybe 100,” Van Durme said. “You have to wonder what it’s future will be.”

Whitaker said the chaplains are working with the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Mosul to preserve the monastery and repair structural damage that has occurred in the years since the U.S. came to Iraq.

“The Department of the Army has signed on to do some restoration,” said Whitaker. “The plan is still ongoing.”

DVIDS
Story by Sgt. Keith VanKlompenberg

If you read the New Testament, Jesus rarely talked about anything other than salvation and forgiveness. None of the issues that modern religion struggles with are discussed by Jesus. It is, I suspect, a gentle reminder that this world is but an instant and salvation is for eternity.

If you believe that the Catholic Church is that founded by Christ, and that he appointed the first Pope in Peter, it is a logical conclusion to state that the Pope, when speaking solely on matters of faith and morals can only speak as God wills.

When you have an institution with 100 million members worldwide, a code of law is necessary. In most of the world, Catholics cannot rely on civil authority for any sort of justice and only the laws of the Church are trustworthy.

Jesus was almost dismissive of civil authority. In truth, if salvation is our goal, we should deal with this world only as necessary. Regardless of the claims of very well paid liability attorneys, the Church’s spiritual mission is paramount.

What are the goals of those attacking the Church? As diocese after diocese is bankrupted, with most of the money going to lawyers, it appears that venial goals such as money and revenge are behind the attacks. Were this simply about truth and healing, another path would have been taken.

The stain of a pedophile priest on the fabric of the Church is dramatic. That stain serves to conceal the good work of tens of thousands of faithful priests and religious who did not sin in this way and who deserve far more respect than they are receiving.

Following in the footsteps of Sirhan Sirhan and the Washington Sniper, another American Muslim goes berserk over American policy in the Middle East.

U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan is believed to be the lone shooter of some 43 people on Fort Hood, Texas, and he survived being shot by a civilian police officer, the base commander said.

Lt Gen. Robert Cone in a televised press briefing tonight corrected earlier reports that said Hasan and the officer, who shot him several times, were killed. Rather, he said, both are recovering at a nearby hospital.

All but two of the victims are soldiers, Cone said.

Cone confirmed the identity of Hasan, reportedly a psychiatrist on the base who was scheduled soon to deploy, but would not say more about the suspect last night. Hasan has been in the company of a Criminal Investigative Division officer since the midday shooting, he said.

In answer to a reporter’s question, Cone said of the suspect, “I would say his death is not imminent.” Hasan is not yet talking to investigators, he said.

Three other soldiers were initially detained for questioning, but later released. After interviewing more than 100 people at the scene, Cone said, investigators determined there was only one shooter.

While investigators haven’t ruled out terrorism in the case, Cone said, the evidence doesn’t suggest it.

The shooting began about 1:30 Central Time at Hood’s Soldier Family Readiness Center where Cone said soldiers from multiple units were crowded into the center for a scheduled weekly “make up time” for medical and dental appointments.

Casualties were high due to the enclosed location, but would have been much worse were it not for the training and quick reaction of the soldiers, said Cone, adding that he was on the scene quickly after the shooting began.

“Suffice it to say…the American soldier did a great job,” he said.

From the reports of eyewitnesses, he said, the soldiers – “many of them combat lifesavers” — reacted instantaneously, ripping off parts of their own clothing to treat the wounded.

“I credit the first responders,” he said. “God bless these soldiers and Department of Army civilians. As horrible as this was, it could have been much worse.”

Some 600 people attending a college graduation of 138 soldiers in an adjacent building were unharmed because first responders secured the building, he said.

The suspect is believed to have used two handguns in the shooting, one a semiautomatic, Cone said. And in responding to a question, “As a matter of practice, we do not carry weapons on Fort Hood,” he said. “This is our home.”

However, Cone said, “We will increase our security presence here in the coming days.”

The FBI is working the investigation, along with military and other law enforcement, he said. The base was on lockdown until 7 p.m., a base spokesman said.

For now, Cone said, Fort Hood officials are focused on caring for the wounded, securing the base, notifying victims’ families and providing grief counseling. A family hotline is available to obtain information at 254-288-7570.

Cone, who received a call from President Barack Obama soon after the shooting, said he was grateful for an outpouring of support. “It is truly overwhelming the offers of support we have had from around the nation,” the general said. “Tomorrow at Fort Hood, we return to normalcy, schools will be open.”

The Central Texas base is the military’s largest, covering some 340 square miles and is home to 40,000 soldiers. And, according to its Web site, is known as “The Great Place” for its quality of life for soldiers and their families.

DoD

The spin has started. For Hasan, it means that the stories he heard from soldiers at Walter Reed and the hatred he felt from others as a Muslim became too much to bear. For Fort Hood, it means describing the base as a center for soldier suicides and violence.

The truth is that this is another Muslim man who turned his face from his country and adopted an alien belief that led to violence. The FBI will not dare call this terrorism, but at some point the number of young, Muslim men killing random Americans will be too great for them to ignore.

Students line up to receive school supplies, toys and treats from U.S. Soldiers during an October 2009 supply delivery to the St. Efram Elementary School in Basrah. Photo by Spc. Stephanie Cassinos

U.S. Soldiers here recently visited students in a unique, multi-cultural learning environment to drop off school supplies, treats and even guitars.

The students of St. Efram Elementary School, eager to make the Soldiers feel at home, performed a couple of classics in English, including “Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” and the English alphabet.

Bishop Imad Al Banna, the acting bishop of Basrah, explained that St. Efram is one of two kindergartens in the country sponsored by the Chaldean Church to combine children of mixed religions in one learning environment.

“They are the future and hope of Iraq,” Banna said of the children. “It’s very important that they grow together with peace, love and good ideas.”

By learning together, children of mixed religions and backgrounds set the groundwork for a generation that is more accepting of its own cultural differences, the bishop explained.

“When you teach children together, they learn to become one nation,” he said. “They learn more about their country and culture and become united. They learn to love and serve by love and not war.”

As Iraq continues to develop and progress in spite of decades of oppression, violence and religious conflict, Banna noted, there is more to building a nation than material endeavors.

“We now understand how to build bridges and hospitals,” he said. “Now, we need to understand how to build the human.”

St. Efram accomplishes this by introducing its culturally diverse students to a variety of subjects, including art, math, science, music, English, Arabic and other languages. The mixed-gender classes include children from Muslim, Christian and Sabean families. Many former students have gone on to pursue college-educated careers, such as medicine and engineering, and now their children are following in their footsteps.

“When they get out, they always have higher grades, because they begin their education early,” Banna said.

Although enrollment is high, St. Efram lacks the classrooms and staff to accommodate all who apply. This year, 250 families wanted to register their children, but the school could admit only 165 students. The other school, Albeshera, has 190 students.

Many impoverished families live in the area and cannot afford to pay tuition, but because some families are able to pay more, the community and church can provide needy children with the opportunity for an early education.

“In the future, when these children know someone cared for them, they will care for others,” Banna said. “It will build the love.”

DVIDS
By Army Spc. Stephanie Cassinos, Multi-National Division – South

Navy Lt. Jeanette G. Shin, the only Buddhist chaplain in the Department of the Navy, explains the Buddhist religion to a young Marine at the chaplain's office of 1st Maintenance Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, Oct. 7. Shin, from Midwest City, Okla., has been a chaplain since 2004. She has worked with Marines and sailors to help them spiritually prepare for war and relax their minds through meditation. Photo by Lance Cpl. Khoa Pelczar

Born a prince, he had everything most people ever wanted — wealth, power and prestige. He had it all, yet, still unsatisfied with his life. He left everything behind and set out to find his purpose. About 2,000 years ago, Siddhartha Gautama traveled the world to find the purpose of life. At the age of 29, he established Buddhism, which is still in practice to this day.

Navy Lt. Jeanette G. Shin, the only Buddhist chaplain for the Navy and Marine Corps, is now assigned to 1st Maintenance Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, to share this knowledge and practice the religion with service members.

“Buddhism has been around for a long time,” said Shin, from Midwest City, Okla. “[It wasn't] until the ’50s and ’60s that the American began to be more interested in Buddhism.”

Shin said she was raised a Buddhist, but it wasn’t until her teenage years that she started to practice it. Growing up, she wanted to be a scientist. But being a military brat, she joined the service instead. She enlisted to become a communications operator for the Marine Corps instead of going into the Air Force like her father because she wanted to do something different.

After leaving the service, Shin went to school at George Mason University in Virginia, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies.

After college, Shin attended the Buddhist Seminary in California, where she took her education to the next level and received a master’s degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies. Her goal was to become a minister, but the plan changed when America went to war in Iraq.

“I’ve been a chaplain since 2004,” Shin said. “Since we’re at war, I thought I should go back to the military. With my background and knowledge, I thought I should become a chaplain. That way I can help our service members prepare for the war, not just physically, but spiritually.”

Buddhism can be practiced in many different ways, Shin explained. “Some people find their peace of mind and gain calmness by studying scriptures; some practice Buddhism by simply showing respect to their elders. Most, however, find their way through meditation.”

A public service is usually set up in a room with incense, some prayer beads and a service book, Shin said. “Meditation is a time to reflect on the things you’ve done.”

Practicing Buddhism helps service members to relax, let go of their stresses and aspire to spiritual enlightenment.

“Buddhism is about knowing who you are,” Shin said. “It emphasizes ethical behavior, something every Marine knows and aspires.”

Working with service members, Shin helps them to relax, meditate and enlighten them with the history of the religion. One can find out more information about Buddhism and its services by contacting the chaplain’s office at 1st Maintenance Battalion at 760-725-4001.

DVIDS
Story by Lance Cpl. Khoa Pelczar

Sgt. Lindsay A. Canterbury, photo by Elisebet Freeburg

The role of the U. S. Army chaplain assistant can be traced back to the American Civil War. Officially, the military occupational specialty now identified as 56M began in 1909 when the Chief of Staff of the Army authorized that each chaplain have one enlisted Soldier assigned to him as an aid. One hundred years later, chaplain assistants still fill a crucial need by supporting their assigned chaplain in a broad range of areas, from secretarial work to physical protection.

Chaplain assistants for the Joint Sustainment Command-Afghanistan, Sgt. Lindsay A. Canterbury and Spc. Joshua A. Sennett, fill a time honored role in the Army while deployed to Kandahar Airfield.

“Chaplain assistants do a myriad of things that multiply the time the chaplain has to give to Soldiers,” said Chaplain (Col.) Stanley Puckett, the JSC-A command chaplain.

Canterbury, a reservist from Tampa, Fla. on her second deployment, serves with the 143d Expeditionary Sustainment Command, which leads the JSC-A. She enlisted for a challenge and decided to pursue being a chaplain assistant when an Army recruiter showed her a video of the MOS.

“I saw a weapon, body guard and someone that was able to work with Soldiers on a day to day basis,” said Canterbury. “It sounded like a pretty good job description, and has [proven] to be.”

The seven week training at the U.S. Army Chaplain School and Center at Fort Jackson, S. C., is broken down into five stages: religious support and operations, support in a unit setting, preparing for deployment, support during deployment and support during troop transition stages.

“It is a challenge,” said Canterbury. “But it’s a very rewarding challenge.”

Sennett, a guardsman from Linneus, Maine, enlisted after 9/11 and was willing to serve in any role. Now on his first deployment, he works for the 286th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion, a JSC-A element.

“In the home environment, a 56M will usually work at the skill level for their rank,” said Canterbury. “In an overseas environment, more is expected of you and just providing religious support is not enough for this MOS.”

Besides providing clerical and administrative support for his chaplain, Sennett regularly supports two to five church services every Sunday. He has even facilitiated services for coalition forces. Sennett counsels troops in emergency situations until the chaplain arrives.

“If someone comes and knocks on the door, I keep him in a calm frame of mind,” said Sennett.

As part of religious support teams, both Canterbury and Sennett travel with chaplains to forward operating bases throughout Southern Afghanistan, where the chaplains hold services and counsel troops who do not receive religious support on a regular basis. Since chaplains do not carry a weapon, Canterbury and Sennett act as bodyguards.

“I try to keep a positive outlook on life, so that it will show as my expression for others to see,” said Canterbury. “It’s not so easy to do when you have to go through your own life situations.”

While deployed, Canterbury and the rest of her RST produces, coordinates and executes standard operating procedures for new teams arriving at KAF.

“[Canterbury] was very welcoming,” said Chaplain (Maj.) Martine Bellanger, a Canadian pastoral associate. “She’s very responsible and wanted to make sure we had everything we needed.”

Canterbury supports a weekly coalition chaplains’ meeting and Canadian prayer service, and helps provide anything the Canadian RST needs regarding mass. She supplies the coalition team with everything from prayer books to microphones.

“I enjoy working with the opportunity to serve in a multifaceted role,” said Sennett. “One day I’ll be doing office administration. The second day, I’ll be briefing a command, and the third day in the field with a bunch of infantry guys.”

Sennett and Chaplain (Capt.) Earl Weigelt, personally contribute to the overall mission here by meeting and praying with JSC-A troops before they leave on convoy missions, said Sennett.

“They know we are praying for them while they are on the road traveling,” said Sennett. “I think it gives them a sense of security.”

As RST’s continue to travel throughout Afghanistan providing spiritual and emotional support to troops during Operation Enduring Freedom, Canterbury and Sennett maintain their essential roles in a longstanding, vital MOS.

DVIDS
Story by Spc. Elisebet Freeburg

Do you believe that people are basically good, or are they bad and in need of salvation? Curiously, that philosophical debate is at the crux of the political struggle in this country and the world today.

Humans can be amazingly generous, selfless, and willing to sacrifice for a greater good. They can also tolerate dictators, mind numbing regulation and the loss of even the most basic freedoms.

Glenn Beck is devoting a great deal of air time on his radio and television shows to the proposition that there is a conspiracy to take the freedoms that Americans enjoy away from them. Call the plotters Communists, Socialists or Liberals, they have formed a multitude of groups for the sole purpose of enslaving Americans and destroying our way of life.

The politicians of the Democratic and the Republican Parties in the United States are guilty of acting in their own self interest. American voters are, as well. Politicians use their power to bribe the voters and the people who give money to campaigns. voters re-elect politicians based upon what they can bring to their districts.

It’s all very venial and not anything to be proud of. By electing politicians, the voters are saying that they prefer that others take care of them and provide governance and direction.

Let’s talk about speed limits on the highway. Speed limits, the laws that enforce them and the police who enforce the laws exist because SOME PEOPLE cannot be trusted to do the right thing and drive at a safe speed. You and I always drive safely. We may speed just a little, but that is because we are very busy and have important things to do. SOME PEOPLE need to be controlled because they interfere with that. SOME PEOPLE also think that they’re special and act like it, so they ought to be punished.

Replace speed control with any other legal issue and you see the problem. Self-centered thinking. It drives everything in politics.

Are their groups that are actively promoting the destruction of the United States? There are. However, most of what Glenn Beck and others see as a Communist plot is merely people acting as is their nature, to ensure their own comfort and lack of responsibility and self importance.

Ideology and theology have little real say in American politics. Sorry, Glenn, but the driving forces behind the people and groups you see as a threat is selfishness. They need speed limits so that they can speed. They need limits on speech so they can be heard. The threat is not from an overarching conspiracy but from human nature and a wish to never have responsibility.

Local Iraqi leaders and military officials of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) came together in a small ceremony aboard Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq, Aug. 19, to commemorate the completedrenovations of a mosque located on base. The work done included a new paint job, light fixtures, new windows and improvements to the overall infrastructure. Photo by 1st Lt. Michele Perez

As U.S. bases and posts in Iraq continue to consolidate or are transferred back to the government of Iraq, military leaders across the country face the challenges of leaving their locations better than when they initially arrived. Whether it’s through the stabilized security we see today in Iraq or the civil affairs projects that have sprouted throughout the country, there are tangible improvements to many of the areas that continue to be or were once occupied by U.S. forces.

One of these improvements was the recent completion of a $50,000 renovation project of a mosque located aboard Camp Al Taqaddum. The religious structure has actually been closed to the public since 1987, when the area was taken over by the Iraqi Army. But its new face-lift gives hope to local Iraqis that their place of worship will soon be available for use.

Military officials with the 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) and local Iraqi leaders met at TQ in a small ceremony to commemorate the improvements to the mosque. The completion of the project comes only a few days before the beginning of Ramadan, the month-long Muslim observance that focuses on spiritual character building through fasting, prayers and acts of charity.

One of the local leaders who came on base for the event was Ishmaiel Mahmoud Hammad Al-Khelefowi, a religious leader of Al Kabani, a small village neighboring Al Taqaddum. His grandfather actually helped build the first mud structure back in 1945 that served as the mosque for more than 40 years until the area was restricted to Iraqi military personnel. Although the new mosque will remain closed to the public until all U.S. forces depart TQ, Al-Khelefowi knows the local people will appreciate the efforts of the Marines who helped coordinate these improvements.

“They will be very grateful,” Al-Khelefowi says. “I want to show the people how coalition forces have helped us . show their good side.”

The project was designed and led by a local Iraqi contractor and facilitated by the civil affairs section of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, serving as the security force for the camp. It took 12 days to complete the renovations with a team of 10 local workers who traveled on and off base every day in support of the project. The work consisted of an entirely new paint job, new windows, light fixtures, electrical work and overall improvements to the infrastructure.

The civil-military operations officer for the battalion, 1st Lt. Christopher J. O’Melia, has worked closely with the local Iraqi villages since his unit arrived to the area in early March. In that time, he has coordinated 52 different projects, coming to a grand total of $1.5 million. The funds for the project came from the Commander’s Emergency Response funds, which are funds available to a commander to help respond to local needs in his area of operations.

O’Melia, who is on his second tour to Iraq, sees a lot of significance in all of the projects he has helped facilitate over the past six months in the 2nd MLG (Fwd)’s area of operations.

“We want the Iraqi people to understand that we’re not occupiers, we’re facilitators,” he explained. “I think as coalition forces contract and we prepare to turn back pieces of terrain to the Iraqis, we want to make sure the area is better than when we arrived . we want to show them we have been good custodians of their property.”

Marines who have been deployed to Camp Al Taqaddum on previous deployments can testify to overall improvements they’ve seen in the area. Debris has been cleaned up around the camp and there is less and less military gear and equipment, which has increased tenfold since the recent uptick of drawdown operations. All efforts have brought the Marines stationed aboard TQ one step closer to getting the area ready for the eventual transfer to the government of Iraq.

DVIDS
Story by 1st Lt. Michele Perez