danausmc
07-08-2007, 04:49 PM
I wrote this article for my vets in our upcoming newspaper. I thought you
might like to see it too
Larry (PMIM National Chaplain)
STAGES
One news item these days is about how the Baby Boomer generation is entering
their retirement years. I think we know what that’s all about. Personally,
I was born in 1937 which I guess makes me a pre-Boomer? Anyway, the point
of this is that we’re at a stage in life where we have enough years under our
belt so we have a personal history and perspective we just didn’t have when
we were young (OK, younger).
For me, this makes life much richer and fuller than I’ve ever experienced up
to now. I hope you agree for yourself and share this attitude. I’m not
saying all is fine with the world. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have any
regrets. I’m not saying we wouldn’t do some things differently if we could. What
I am saying is we’re at a stage in life where we can look back and have the
knowledge of where we’ve been, what we’ve done, and who we’ve known.
Looking back we have no fear of the unknown and what lies ahead because now we’ve
been there and done it. At the same time we have enough years ahead, God
willing, to know that the adventure isn’t over yet. We still have things to do,
people to meet, new experiences to have, a life to enrich, things to change,
relationships to mend, and a lot of wisdom to pass along to another
generation.
Yesterday I visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center. I knew of a chaplain
that I wanted to meet. He’d been a cavalry officer for nine years before
resigning his commission, going to seminary, and coming back into the Army as a
chaplain. What a great man! What a great soldier! He’s served two combat
tours already - El Salvador and Panama (or the Dominican Republic, I think).
Now he’s going to Fort Carson to be with a cavalry unit that’s deploying to
Iraq in December. What a thrill, yes thrill, for me, an ole retired cav
chaplain, to meet up with a younger one still on active duty. I truly hope and
trust that recognition and honor from a retiree can be an encouragement for
him. The same applies for all vets - especially cav trooper vets like you. The
young troopers at Fort Irwin sure appreciate it when they’re visited and
encouraged by our “Baby Boomer Generation” cav troopers. Back to Walter Reed,
I felt humbled and proud, as a soldier, to be a part of the healing and honor
that the place represented. I feel the same when I go to the Viet Nam Vets
Memorial. I feel the same when I set foot on Fort Irwin, home of the
Blackhorse, or Fort Hood or Fort Knox or any place set aside for our fighting
troops who keep our country free.
Two days ago I visited the Marine Museum at Quantico, Virginia. You heard
me right - the Marine Museum. Hey! [or Hay!]. I was in Virginia - I wasn’t
near the Army Museum. Anyway, the Marine Museum is first class. Marines or
not, I still felt proud of them. Same for all our military. I felt honored
and humbled to be a part of what the uniform is all about. I wore my
Blackhorse T-shirt there (and drew many looks - ha) with pride and was treated well
as part of a sister service. I felt a sense of awe as I remembered some
history of what it has taken to keep this country free. I was overwhelmed with a
sense of humility, pride, and belonging as I realized that I too had earned a
place within the history of what the military is all about. I am still
daily conscious of the privilege of remaining a part of it all, even at this
stage of my life.
Many of you will remember that at our reunion in Colorado Springs our
memorial service was held on the grounds of our 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Colorado monument, the newly painted and refurbished M48 tank. Wasn’t that great?
Several of our troopers, with the civilian owner of the property, had the
passion and the vision to obtain this tank and establish it as a memorial for
all time in tribute to our fallen brothers. It is our property, serving as a
vivid token and reminder of a stage in our lives that will live in our
hearts and memories for all time. It is a healing token as well as a reminder of
that earlier stage of our lives. Above all, it keeps alive the sacrifice of
our heroes, those who gave their own lives on the battlefields of Viet Nam.
We’ve entered the “retirement” stage of our lives. That word takes on very
different meaning for each of us, of course. But it still has a strong
influence because this stage is measured in years for us all. More for some
(me?), less for others (you?). Just the same, more for all of us than for our
grandkids’ generation (the ones in uniform that I saw at Walter Reed and the
Marine Museum). Our hearts are still full and our memories are sharp. This is
why we’ve taken a different course for some of our reunion memorial services
the past few years. Rather than inviting a guest speaker, we’ve been
inviting troopers and family members to speak spontaneously for a few minutes from
their hearts and memories on behalf of buddies, husbands, sons, fathers, or
loved ones KIA in Viet Nam. When we do this, it brings close to our hearts the
fact that, even at this stage of our lives, we remember as yesterday those
to whom we grew so close, those we loved as brothers.
Today we, as Blackhorse brothers, and now sisters, have a place, a hallowed
ground of remembrance. Many have labored through passion and loyalty to
bring our Blackhorse monument home from Viet Nam. More have labored to renew it
and have studied to make it 100% accurate. These visionaries among us have
added objects of recognition to keep alive the honor of all Blackhorse
troopers who’ve given their lives in the Philippine Insurrection, the Mexican
Expedition, WWII, Desert Storm, and Operation Iraqi Freedom III. Our Monument in
the Memorial Gardens adjacent to the Patton Museum of Armor and Cavalry at
Fort Knox will be a permanent place where we can “bore sight” in on the
profound contributions the Blackhorse has made to our country’s history helping to
provide the liberties exercised by us all.
I’m reminded of another item that was symbolic in it’s own way out in the
jungles of Viet Nam. I’m referring to the altar. Do you remember how the
chaplains, myself included, came out to have church in the bush? We’d set up
wherever we could, usually on a stack of C Ration cases, ammo boxes, a tree
stump, or the ramp of an ACav. We set out whatever “accoutrements” we had in
our kit, including a small cross. I’d pass out some small hymn books, and we’
d have church. Naturally, we had better attendance in the bush than in the
rear. It’s been commented to me in later years that some troopers
appreciated having church even if they didn’t come personally. OK by me. Either way,
for many the altar was symbolic of the presence of God and the love of Jesus
Christ when it was especially needed. For some it gave a little peace of
mind. For some it was a reminder of kinder and gentler times.
Now, I hope you’re appreciating this stage in your life as I am. Are you?
God bless you. God loves you. So do I.
Chaplain Larry Haworth
176 Rainbow Drive, #7627
Livingston, TX 77399
_LEHaworth@aol.com_ (mailto:LEHaworth@aol.com)
might like to see it too
Larry (PMIM National Chaplain)
STAGES
One news item these days is about how the Baby Boomer generation is entering
their retirement years. I think we know what that’s all about. Personally,
I was born in 1937 which I guess makes me a pre-Boomer? Anyway, the point
of this is that we’re at a stage in life where we have enough years under our
belt so we have a personal history and perspective we just didn’t have when
we were young (OK, younger).
For me, this makes life much richer and fuller than I’ve ever experienced up
to now. I hope you agree for yourself and share this attitude. I’m not
saying all is fine with the world. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have any
regrets. I’m not saying we wouldn’t do some things differently if we could. What
I am saying is we’re at a stage in life where we can look back and have the
knowledge of where we’ve been, what we’ve done, and who we’ve known.
Looking back we have no fear of the unknown and what lies ahead because now we’ve
been there and done it. At the same time we have enough years ahead, God
willing, to know that the adventure isn’t over yet. We still have things to do,
people to meet, new experiences to have, a life to enrich, things to change,
relationships to mend, and a lot of wisdom to pass along to another
generation.
Yesterday I visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center. I knew of a chaplain
that I wanted to meet. He’d been a cavalry officer for nine years before
resigning his commission, going to seminary, and coming back into the Army as a
chaplain. What a great man! What a great soldier! He’s served two combat
tours already - El Salvador and Panama (or the Dominican Republic, I think).
Now he’s going to Fort Carson to be with a cavalry unit that’s deploying to
Iraq in December. What a thrill, yes thrill, for me, an ole retired cav
chaplain, to meet up with a younger one still on active duty. I truly hope and
trust that recognition and honor from a retiree can be an encouragement for
him. The same applies for all vets - especially cav trooper vets like you. The
young troopers at Fort Irwin sure appreciate it when they’re visited and
encouraged by our “Baby Boomer Generation” cav troopers. Back to Walter Reed,
I felt humbled and proud, as a soldier, to be a part of the healing and honor
that the place represented. I feel the same when I go to the Viet Nam Vets
Memorial. I feel the same when I set foot on Fort Irwin, home of the
Blackhorse, or Fort Hood or Fort Knox or any place set aside for our fighting
troops who keep our country free.
Two days ago I visited the Marine Museum at Quantico, Virginia. You heard
me right - the Marine Museum. Hey! [or Hay!]. I was in Virginia - I wasn’t
near the Army Museum. Anyway, the Marine Museum is first class. Marines or
not, I still felt proud of them. Same for all our military. I felt honored
and humbled to be a part of what the uniform is all about. I wore my
Blackhorse T-shirt there (and drew many looks - ha) with pride and was treated well
as part of a sister service. I felt a sense of awe as I remembered some
history of what it has taken to keep this country free. I was overwhelmed with a
sense of humility, pride, and belonging as I realized that I too had earned a
place within the history of what the military is all about. I am still
daily conscious of the privilege of remaining a part of it all, even at this
stage of my life.
Many of you will remember that at our reunion in Colorado Springs our
memorial service was held on the grounds of our 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Colorado monument, the newly painted and refurbished M48 tank. Wasn’t that great?
Several of our troopers, with the civilian owner of the property, had the
passion and the vision to obtain this tank and establish it as a memorial for
all time in tribute to our fallen brothers. It is our property, serving as a
vivid token and reminder of a stage in our lives that will live in our
hearts and memories for all time. It is a healing token as well as a reminder of
that earlier stage of our lives. Above all, it keeps alive the sacrifice of
our heroes, those who gave their own lives on the battlefields of Viet Nam.
We’ve entered the “retirement” stage of our lives. That word takes on very
different meaning for each of us, of course. But it still has a strong
influence because this stage is measured in years for us all. More for some
(me?), less for others (you?). Just the same, more for all of us than for our
grandkids’ generation (the ones in uniform that I saw at Walter Reed and the
Marine Museum). Our hearts are still full and our memories are sharp. This is
why we’ve taken a different course for some of our reunion memorial services
the past few years. Rather than inviting a guest speaker, we’ve been
inviting troopers and family members to speak spontaneously for a few minutes from
their hearts and memories on behalf of buddies, husbands, sons, fathers, or
loved ones KIA in Viet Nam. When we do this, it brings close to our hearts the
fact that, even at this stage of our lives, we remember as yesterday those
to whom we grew so close, those we loved as brothers.
Today we, as Blackhorse brothers, and now sisters, have a place, a hallowed
ground of remembrance. Many have labored through passion and loyalty to
bring our Blackhorse monument home from Viet Nam. More have labored to renew it
and have studied to make it 100% accurate. These visionaries among us have
added objects of recognition to keep alive the honor of all Blackhorse
troopers who’ve given their lives in the Philippine Insurrection, the Mexican
Expedition, WWII, Desert Storm, and Operation Iraqi Freedom III. Our Monument in
the Memorial Gardens adjacent to the Patton Museum of Armor and Cavalry at
Fort Knox will be a permanent place where we can “bore sight” in on the
profound contributions the Blackhorse has made to our country’s history helping to
provide the liberties exercised by us all.
I’m reminded of another item that was symbolic in it’s own way out in the
jungles of Viet Nam. I’m referring to the altar. Do you remember how the
chaplains, myself included, came out to have church in the bush? We’d set up
wherever we could, usually on a stack of C Ration cases, ammo boxes, a tree
stump, or the ramp of an ACav. We set out whatever “accoutrements” we had in
our kit, including a small cross. I’d pass out some small hymn books, and we’
d have church. Naturally, we had better attendance in the bush than in the
rear. It’s been commented to me in later years that some troopers
appreciated having church even if they didn’t come personally. OK by me. Either way,
for many the altar was symbolic of the presence of God and the love of Jesus
Christ when it was especially needed. For some it gave a little peace of
mind. For some it was a reminder of kinder and gentler times.
Now, I hope you’re appreciating this stage in your life as I am. Are you?
God bless you. God loves you. So do I.
Chaplain Larry Haworth
176 Rainbow Drive, #7627
Livingston, TX 77399
_LEHaworth@aol.com_ (mailto:LEHaworth@aol.com)