I need church in the mountains....

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by FMCoug

Anybody else notice that Lingo posted just 4 minutes after Tyronne? Just enough time to logout and back in ... compose a message, etc.

Now that is funny. Both of them have an acerbic wit, although Biggums is a bit more scalding and Lingo's is more paranoiac.

I am going to throw a shout out to Provo on this one. The Rock canyon shot looking east and the Timpanogas view looking north do it for me. Of course, I would go for the old hometown. But I think Ogden is second and then SLC.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Church in the mountains?

Well, as long as we are dreaming: I vote for church on Strawberry Reservoir in my float tube with my G-Loomis fly rod and a wooly bugger. Landing a 28 inch cutthroat is a deeply moving spiritual experience.

[fusnik11]

Originally Posted by homeboy

Church in the mountains?

Well, as long as we are dreaming: I vote for church on Strawberry Reservoir in my float tube with my G-Loomis fly rod and a wooly bugger. Landing a 28 inch cutthroat is a deeply moving spiritual experience.

It is though, isn't it?

Something highly spiritual about enjoying the tabernacle of the Lord in it's unadulterated form.

[DirtyHippieUTE]

Originally Posted by fusnik11

Something highly spiritual about enjoying the tabernacle of the Lord in it's unadulterated form.

When I was in the Chaplain's Corps in the Army we had some pretty cool meetings. If you're in the field you have your LDS group meetings pretty much wherever the soldiers are.

The sacrament was especially peaceful with certain backdrops.

[Tim]

Originally Posted by DirtyHippieUTE

When I was in the Chaplain's Corps in the Army we had some pretty cool meetings. If you're in the field you have your LDS group meetings pretty much wherever the soldiers are.

The sacrament was especially peaceful with certain backdrops.

Were you an actual Chaplain? Were you enlisted? I'm curious to learn about your military career.

Tim

[DirtyHippieUTE]

Originally Posted by Tim

Were you an actual Chaplain? Were you enlisted? I'm curious to learn about your military career.

Tim

Chaplain's Assistant (you have to have a PHD or Masters in something chaplain related to be a Mormon chaplain), enlisted, E-4. I was in for about 8 years as a reservist only did minimal active duty. Never mobilized for a combat operation.

I'd still be in (maybe) if I hadden't gotten sick and then fat. I was sitting in an E-7 slot with every option I could have wanted spread out before me. Unfortunately, I was frozen at E-4 and non-deployable because I didn't meet the height/weight requirements (nevermind that I could spank half of the unit at the PT test). I went from a svelt 180 - 240 and then on to 280 in a very short time. The Army doesn't really have a program for people who have developed a medical condition that makes them fat and lazy so there was nothing they could do for me.

When my favorite chaplain hung up his boots & cross that was the last straw. I finished out my contract and called it quits.

[Tim]

Where were you stationed? Were you assigned to an LDS Chaplain? I've heard great things about the Chaplain Corps.

Tim

Originally Posted by DirtyHippieUTE

Chaplain's Assistant (you have to have a PHD or Masters in something chaplain related to be a Mormon chaplain), enlisted, E-4. I was in for about 8 years as a reservist only did minimal active duty. Never mobilized for a combat operation.

I'd still be in (maybe) if I hadden't gotten sick and then fat. I was sitting in an E-7 slot with every option I could have wanted spread out before me. Unfortunately, I was frozen at E-4 and non-deployable because I didn't meet the height/weight requirements (nevermind that I could spank half of the unit at the PT test). I went from a svelt 180 - 240 and then on to 280 in a very short time. The Army doesn't really have a program for people who have developed a medical condition that makes them fat and lazy so there was nothing they could do for me.

When my favorite chaplain hung up his boots & cross that was the last straw. I finished out my contract and called it quits.

[TyronneBiggums]

[QUOTE=DirtyHippieUTE]Chaplain's Assistant (you have to have a PHD or Masters in something chaplain related to be a Mormon chaplain), enlisted, E-4. I was in for about 8 years as a reservist only did minimal active duty. Never mobilized for a combat operation.
QUOTE]

I didn't know they let homosexual pedophiles be chaplains in the military.

That's just sick and wrong.

[DirtyHippieUTE]

Originally Posted by Tim

Where were you stationed? Were you assigned to an LDS Chaplain? I've heard great things about the Chaplain Corps.

I was with the 328th CSH (hospital like a MASH), and the 117th Chaplain Detachment. The 328th is out of SLC, UT and the 117th is completely mobile so we could be anywhere we wanted (we chose SLC). I spent time at Ft. Jackson, SC, Ft. Riley, KS, Ft. McCoy, WI, and a few other places that I have probably blocked out...

I was assigned to several chaplains while I was in. My favorite was a Missouri Senod Lutheran. There were a couple of Mormons and one Russian Orthodox guy. The Lutheran was just a fun guy to be around. He hated Mormons (our doctrine, not us) and loved to try to climb my tree about things like the temple or Joseph Smith. We got along really well and were able to do a lot of good things for the unit.

The Chaplain Corps are awesome. IMHO the best "support" job in the military. I've never been in a combat MOS so I couldn't compare it to one of those.

Chaplain's and their assistants have the duty of looking after the welfare and morale of the troops. We accomplish this by facilitating religious services, supporting family interactive groups, providing counseling (substance abuse, suicide, domestic issues, etc...) and just generally being the guys who make sure the commander doesn't abuse his troops.

My job was to help all of the different groups set up their worship services on Sunday. By "set up" I mean get them a room, get them excused from duty, and get them any supplies they needed. The chaplain would usually "preside" over many of the worship services but only those which he and the members of that group felt he was qualified/appropriate.

Other groups (like the Mormons) often have a group leadership in place and all I had to do was get them a room. They would bring their own sacrament cups, find their own bread (or MRE crackers in the field) and take care of all their own meetings.

Another job was to just be with the troops. Chaplain's assistants do not have to be on the duty (DA-6) roster which assigns things like KP, guard duty, fire guard, etc... So... We wander around all the time and help out where needed. If I find a guy who for some reason or another just needs a break, I fill in for him. If I find out about a guy with a drinking problem I alert the chaplain or commander and we find a way to approach him and get him help. If I run into a bunch of guys who are behind on a job and need an extra hand, I pitch in.

My favorite job was to be the morale guy. When we were in the field I'd work to set up as many "comfort" things as possible. A telephone bank, a tent for R&R (books, movies, snacks). I'd coordinate with the company commander to get company parties going or to provide transportation for soldiers wishing to go off post when they were given commander's time.

Pretty much my job was to make sure that everybody was in a state of mind where they were capable of doing their job.

Are you thinking about going in or just curious?

[Tim]

Originally Posted by DirtyHippieUTE

Are you thinking about going in or just curious?

Oh, it's way too late for me to go in, and I'm definitely much heavier than you are... But from the way you describe it, it seems like that would be the perfect job for me if I were to be in the military. I'm very into organizing things, helping people feel good about themselves and their situations, just generally being "the friend." It sounds like it's a military job that I would be good at.

I've long said that if ever get into a real war and a draft is required, and I somehow got drafted, that putting a gun into my hand would be a huge mistake. I always say that I'd be much better running the website or getting the general his coffee. I'm just not much of a fighter, I guess. It sounds like being a chaplain's assistant would be right up my alley. Thank you for the info.

Tim