Auf Wiedersehen, Deutschland... Blogged by N8

This post is very bittersweet for me. My time here in Germany is coming to an end. In fact, when this post is published, I will be on a plane headed back to the States to do my out-processing.

I have learned so much here. I have learned that you can't take for granted the freedom that you have. Supporting your troops doesn't mean that you buy a $2.00 yellow ribbon bumper sticker and pray to God that your kid doesn't join the military. Our freedom is the most precious gift we have as Americans and if we can't support those who are willing to lay down their lives for it, then what's the point?

My mind is filled with images of those I've had the privilege to come into contact with. I pray that they will never leave me. Especially those of the ones I was in contact with when I was the On-Call Chaplain Assistant and was helping to unload the wounded from the buses. It is a sacred experience to see a Chaplain blessing a young man or woman who has literally just seen Hell and is fortunate enough to make it to us. Thousands of gallons of blood have been shed by our troops. It's always been said that America's finest generation was the one that won World War II. While I will always honor those who laid down their lives and saved millions, if not billions of people from opression, I believe that today's generation is the finest. Every single person who has served in this conflict has done so voluntarily. Not one single body being laid to rest during this war was drafted. That is honorable.

So, I just wanted to post a couple of pictures of my going-away ceremonies that I've had the last few days. The first was a lunch that we had for our department. I was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation and a special Challenge Coin from Colonel G.



It was a small and intimate gathering of just our department. I really enjoyed it. I have worked with the finest Chaplains and Assistants of my career here.

We had our Navy awards ceremony this week as well. Here's our Deputy Director Captain C addressing us in the beginning.



She has been an amazing leader. It's hard to keep all of your Navy traditions intact on an Army base, but she has enabled us to do so. I know she worked some really long hours, but still found time to get to know each of her sailors personally. As some of you know, we've had a hard time determining if they are keeping me here for another year or sending me home and she was in the mix of it. So, when she was congratulating me at the ceremony she asked, "Are you staying here or going home?" It was pretty funny.

I was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for my work here. It is a HUGE honor to be awarded a medal with such high precedence. It will take the place of number one on my ribbon rack.




These are pictures of the acting CO, Colonel C, presenting me with the medal and the certificate that go with it.




I was also given a coin by Captain C and Master Chief A from the Navy team as well.




They gave everyone an opportunity to say a few words. I just briefly said that my father once told me that if you absolutley love what you do for a living, you will NEVER work a day in your life. I said that I haven't worked a single day since I got here.

God bless our Troops. God bless America. I'm coming home...