Customer Reviews

For God and Country: The History of a Constitutional Challenge to the Army Chaplaincy

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Wow!" That was all I could say at first when I read how much energy two Harvard Law University Seniors invested in their pursuit of removing our hard won basic religious freedoms after conceiving the idea to do so 31 years ago this week. While the majority of our country took to the task of gathering with their loved ones, neighbors and friends in the season of gratitude so many of us look forward to Thanksgiving week each year, College Seniors, Joel Katcoff and Allen M. Wieder were brainstorming how military clergy might be removed from our Armed Forces.

Last year after returning from my second Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment, I visited the site of the Battle of Concord that took place in April, 1775. I was moved inwardly to hear of the passion of those earlier Soldiers and stand at the open place of their ultimate sacrifice given for all the hard fought freedoms gained along the way to the United States of America becoming a country. Authors and former military chaplains, Israel Drazin and Cecil B. Currey, give us a glimpse of the vital aspects military chaplains have provided by their presence and their ministry to service members both on and off the battlefield. Of Reverend David McClure, Chaplain to the troops at the Battle of Concord, they write this; "...Chaplain McClure talked with a wounded man. 'I conversed with him a short time on the prospect of death, and a preparation for that solemn scene; to which he appeared to pay serious attention.' McClure later 'saw three regulars in beds in a house in Cambridge; one of them mortally wounded. Conversed with them on their melancholy situation.' Such acts furthered morale among soldiers who were glad to have their Chaplain nearby."

The court battle for service members to retain their military chaplains lasted six long years. Of all the things I am most thankful for this Thanksgiving season --other than being able to return to my homeland and to my loved ones once again, is that I could be with our Soldiers while they breathed some of their lasts breaths, pray with them as they passed into eternity, honor their lives and sacrifice to our country as well as to another country, and comfort the comrades they left behind. The one thing I have learned serving God and Country is that no matter how we all think about this war, we all want someone to be there for our own service member if he or she must give the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country --and even chaplains need a chaplain now and then!