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On 17-18 Sept 09 Baptist Bible Seminary held its annual Chaplaincy Awareness days in order to bring in front of the College, Graduate School and Seminary student bodies the relevancy of chaplaincy ministry. Chaplains participated in dorm devotions, chapel, and an open forum lunch. Representatives from all branches of the military participated, as well as representation from the Regular Baptist Chaplaincy Ministry. Retired chaplains Jim May and Allen Ferry were present along with Chaplain, Major Kevin Browne, USAF, and Chaplain John Murdoch, the Director of Chaplaincy Ministries of the GARBC. Chaplains May and Browne spoke in both the college and seminary chapel services. This annual presentation also highlights the Seminary Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in Military Chaplaincy. It is a joy to participate in this event.

Photo is of Ch, Maj Kevin G. Browne, USAF speaking in Chapel at Baptist Bible College Chaplaincy Emphasis Days.

The annual National Boards and Conference of the United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol was held in San Antonio, Texas 2-5 Sept 09. Twelve of our Regular Baptist pastors participate as chaplains in CAP and three are a part of the Executive and Advisory Councils of the Chaplain Corps. Ch, Col Whit Woodard is the Chief of the Chaplain Corps, Ch, Lt Col Ken Van Loon is the Secretary of the councils, and Ch, Col John Murdoch has served as a special advisor to the Chief since serving as the Chief from 1996-1998. This ministry is an excellent way for pastors and youth pastors to reach into the lives of people who usually do not attend their church. Chaplain, Major General Cecil Richardson, USAF, the Chief of the Air Force Chaplain Corps, was the speaker at the Prayer Breakfast in which Chaplains Woodard and Murdoch participated.

Photo: Chaplain, Colonel John B. Murdoch, CAP and Ch, Maj Gen Cecil Richardson, USAF

The 4^th Brigade, 1^st Armored Division, to which Ch Mark Worrell is assigned, deployed this spring from Ft Bliss, making their way to Iraq. As a means of support and camaraderie, and a focus on a healthy way to deal with the stress of deployment, 4-1AD families are taking part in WISH – Walking Iron Strong for Heroes – a program that is being implemented on posts around the world. 4-1AD officially launched their WISH campaign on 13 March, when brigade soldiers, spouses, and kids lined up and walked the first mile together. Family members who signed up to be part of a WISH team were given pedometers to keep track of how far they walk throughout the deployment time. (Swimming and aerobics also count towards the total.) At Dallas (565 miles) they will be awarded a WISH T-shirt; at Atlanta (785 miles) a water bottle; at Bermuda (1000 miles) a shoe bag; at Casablanca (2275 miles) a cap/visor; at Crete (6858 miles) a sports towel; and at Baghdad (7569 miles) a Finisher’s Medal. The goal is for the teams to “walk to Iraq” by the time the soldiers return next year. Way to go 4-1AD!

On 3 April, four Regular Baptist chaplain candidates graduated from Chaplain Basic Officer Leadership Course in Ft Jackson, SC. Pictured from l-r are Brian Jumche, Randal Croel, (Ch John Murdoch in center), Stanley (Skip) Manus, and Jonathan Court . We congratulate them on this significant step toward achieving their goal of service as a military chaplain! Other requirements include completion of a 72-hr master’s degree, ordination, and two years of vocational ministry experience.

Ch, CPT Randy Curry is nearing the end of his assignment at Ft Polk, LA, the site of the Joint Readiness Training Center. Here troops are brought in for several weeks of specialized training before being deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Iraqi and Afghani “villages” have been set up, and civilians living in the Ft Polk area are hired to come in and act as villagers. The battalion to which Ch Curry is assigned acts as insurgents that must be “flushed out” and neutralized by the soldiers who have come in for the training. Maneuvers are videotaped and critiqued to fine tune tactics. This serious operation causes soldiers to evaluate their readiness for the mission  and can nudge them towards seeking out the chaplain in quiet moments.

CDR Bill Gasser, CHC, USNR is part of the Navy Reserve component, and currently deployed to Kuwait, which is known as “The Gateway” because of the steady flow of military personnel that move through Kuwait headed to Iraq and back home again. Ch Gasser works primarily with sailors who are out-processing, participating in the debriefing of troops as part of the effort to assist with re-entry to life back in the U.S. Chaplains are also standing by at home working with the families and preparing to help the returning troops reintegrate. A large number of the sailors Ch Gasser interviews have been under attack, many have lost a buddy in the violence, and some are conflicted about what is waiting for them back home. As opportunities present themselves, as well as in chapel services, Ch Gasser has the joy of sharing Christ with these men and women, and has seen several of them come to a personal relationship with the Savior.

On 31 October the twenty-seven year active duty military career of Chaplain (COL) & Mrs. James E. May concluded as Ch May retired from the United States Army. God has used Jim and Ellen in a powerful way in their varied assignments. Over the years the Mays have represented the Lord and our Fellowship faithfully as they have touched lives through their message, music and hospitality. Their children have also served the Lord in the military, and their sons and son-in-law have all been deployed to Iraq in the Global War on Terror. Jim and Ellen, we thank you for your service to God and Country. May the Lord bless you as you continue to serve Him in your retirement.

31 October also marked the conclusion of the twenty-one year military career of Chaplain (COL) and Mrs. Allen Douglas Ferry as Doug retired from the New York Army National Guard. As a National Guard chaplain, Doug has also had full-time civilian ministry, serving first in the pastorate and now as a full-time chaplain at the Auburn Correctional Facility in Auburn, New York. His duty assignments with the New York Army National Guard have included working at Ground Zero following 9/11/01, a deployment to Bosnia, and two deployments to Iraq in the Global War on Terror. Doug and Theresa’s son is a pastor in our Fellowship, and their daughter is actively involved in the ministries of her local church. The Ferrys have steadfastly represented the Lord and our Fellowship, and we thank them for their service. May the Lord bless you as you continue to serve Him.

ARLINGTON, Va.—Several GARBC chaplains participated in the Veterans Day National Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Nov. 11, an event hosted by the Military Chaplains Association. Following the Presidential Wreath Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, Vice President Cheney addressed the audience in the amphitheater.

“No single military power in history has done greater good, shown greater courage, liberated more people, or upheld higher standards of decency and valor than the armed forces of the United States of America,” Cheney said. “That is a legacy to be proud of, and those who contributed to it must never be taken for granted.” (more…)

Left to right: CH (CPT) Mike Crawford, TSGT Jacob Getzelman, Senator Daryl Beall, MAJ Todd Essign (Battalion XO), CH (COL) John Murdoch, CAP

On 28 September 08 Faith Baptist Church of Fort Dodge, Iowa, held a Military Appreciation Service and welcomed home the Iowa Army National Guard unit and Chaplain, (CAPT) Michael Crawford, who is their pastor. For the past year he and his unit have been in Kosovo as part of the peace keeping mission there. After the service the church hosted a catered dinner for all who attended. Iowa State Senator Daryl Beall was among the dignitaries who attended and spoke. It was a joy to hear the Senator share how a member of Faith Baptist brought him to church there when he was a student and that it was there he placed his faith in the Lord for salvation. Several unit members gave testimony to what God did in their lives through the ministry of Ch Crawford. The Crawford family and unit members are grateful for the prayer and support they received through the year of their deployment.

Commander Tom Webber, CHC, USN is assigned to the 8th District Coast Guard and is stationed in New Orleans, LA. He writes: “Southern LA evacuated during both hurricanes and NOLA (GUSTAV) and Houston and Galveston (IKE) once each. Even though we evacuated our people, they were the first back into the area - even before power. The personal price that many of our fine Americans face is the recovery of their own property, homes, cars, and personal memorabilia lost during the flooding. These USCG patriots drove past their own homes to meet the needs of a community and nation, even leaving their belongings to rot and families elsewhere to answer our nation’s call to duty. They truly are SEMPER PARATUS - Always Ready!”