Words from the Station
Padre’s Pen
I am leaving...
Today is a sad day. I am leaving ARRC to move on
to higher things: I have been assigned to work with
airborne troops in 16 Air Assault Brigade in Colchester.
People have been asking if I am going to do my parachute
jumping course. When I answer them, of course I show no
fear, and reply that I am very willing. They then ask how old I
am and when I reply they wince a little and say ‘perhaps not’.
Apparently over a certain age you become less bendy and
hitting the ground hard is not recommended. I then feel a
mixture of insult and relief.
I did do some research on airborne operations. The first thing
I read was this:
Q: How many successful parachute jumps must
a paratrooper make before he graduates?
A: All of them.
Jumping out of a perfectly serviceable airplane with only a
large bedsheet to save you is a good metaphor for military
life. At a certain time, every so often, the army says,
‘your work is done here and you need to
move on to the next assignment.’
And so, we pack up home and family and head off into the
unknown. I think it takes courage to be in the military and
not just for the battlefield. But we don’t just jump into the
unknown without some form of support. Like a parachute,
there are things that help us do this incredibly important but
challenging job:
Welfare staff, admin clerks, Padres, the chain
of command and each other.
When I arrive in my new duty station I will be met with a
number of people helping me with house, security and
situational awareness. I will be hosted by other chaplains
and given help to adjust to the new challenges and
So, the takeaway from this article is twofold: life is an
adventure but you don’t have to experience it on your own,
and secondly, for your own sake, tell everyone your last
opportunities. padre was excellent!
Here is the thing. Parachutes are only of use if they work, It has been a privilege to serve with you and I ask God’s
and when they work they enable us to do our job and do it
well. Relying on each other is not for weak people or those
in need, it is an integral part of military life. It is amazing how
blessing on your future!
Padre Mark
people often go to the padre or to the welfare office when
everything falls apart but actually prevention is better than
cure. I have met some really nice and helpful people ready to
make this particular challenge or moving duty station more
straightforward. Welfare and administration support is one
area I think the military do well and should be celebrated.
My replacement is on a training course at the moment and
will be in post in August. Padre Richard Smith is experienced,
capable and very friendly. To get the best out of him
however, please tell him how good the previous padre was
and then he will work even harder to support you!
Lunchtime Church Service
On the first Thursday of each month there will be a
short service held in the Chaplain’s Centre across
from the Guardroom. The service will commence at
1.00pm, and last no more than a half hour and will
be non-denominational.
theIMJIN SUMMER 2018
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