ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS
By Major Greg Poehlmann
Kandahar, Afghanistan - August 17, 2011

I grew up in St. Claire Gardens (click on the map) (just behind Algonquin College) in Nepean which is in the west end of Ottawa. Mom and dad still live in our family home and when I am in Ottawa I make a point of going to St. Richard’s Church (Anglican) on Sundays with my girlfriend Suzanne and my mom.
I have been in the military for 27 years, with a large number of moves and postings, and the St. Richard’s congregation is the warmest and friendliest I have ever encountered.

I deployed in July 2011 to Kandahar, Afghanistan for the second time. I am a member of the Mission Transition Task Force (MTTF) which must ensure that all Canadian personnel, vehicles, aviation and equipment will be out of Kandahar, Afghanistan by December 31, 2011. My specific job is the Senior Public Affairs Officer which means I have the privilege of assisting in the telling of the story of what our about 1,200 dedicated Canadian military personnel are accomplishing on behalf of Canada here in Afghanistan. We coordinate interviews with Afghan, Canadian and international media, write stories for internal publications. We have made available photos and video of the MTTF in action through our Facebook site at MTTF Facebook site. Additionally, stories on our mission are published on the Canadian Expeditionary Force Command website. Lastly, we have a Flickr site and a You tube channel

Religious services and studies are one aspect of life at Kandahar Airfield. There are only three chapels at Kandahar Airfield, but one chapel in particular accommodates 14 religions and 42 periods of religious activities on a weekly basis. Included in all these religious activities are two services that I attend, namely an Anglican/Episcopal/Lutheran (Church of England) service at 5 p.m. Sundays and a Canadian Protestant service at 6:45 p.m. Sundays run by our own Canadian military ministers. In baseball analogy I have a religious "double-header" every Sunday, which helps me keep my balance for the rest of 6 month, 7 day a week, 14 hour work-days.

The Anglican service is conducted by Reverend Richard, assisted by Father Michael. It is a traditional Anglican service that reminds me a lot of St. Richards, including communion with bread and wine. The wine is especially a reminder of home because while the Canadian military is at Kandahar Airfield we are on 'dry' status less special occasions such as Canada Day, Remembrance Day etc. For Reverend Richard providing religious services to deployed soldiers "is a great privilege, especially the fact that the congregation at this service is so multi-national."

The congregation is a mixture of British, Australian, Canadian and American soldiers of all ranks. Last Sunday the female British captain who, while sitting behind me in the pews, sung with a very high feminine voice reminded me of guilt I feel when Suzanne (who used to sing in the choir) sings beside me vice up in the choir. Upon telling the British captain of this story after the service she remarked, "look at it as a type of speaker system helping the voices of the choir get out to the congregation," which was comforting. I must also tell you that singing the hymn "Onward Christian Soldiers", while wearing my military uniform in a war-zone and a pistol on my person has a certain poignancy that Nepean cannot replicate.

The Canadian Protestant Service is conducted by the Senior Mission Transition Task Force Padre (Major) Harold "Foz" King and Padre (Captain) Ger van Smeerdyk. The attendance at this service is predominately Canadian, but with a smattering of American soldiers too.

If you were seated at this service the biggest thing you would notice is that the "lessons of scripture" have an active engagement with the Mission Transition Task Force mission, chain of command and the Task Force Commander Brigadier-General Chuck Lamarre. As Padre Foz explains it "Part of what we offer to commanders and other personnel, in addition to the spiritual and moral advice, is to assist in making sense of the military mission. At the various rank levels of the Canadian Forces, chaplains help frame the discussion of 'Why are we doing this?' It is important for all folks, especially Canadian Forces personnel to have a sense of being a part of something larger, something important, and something good. As we worship, there is an opportunity to remind and encourage the members there that this is a great work that we are partaking in, and that this engagement is a part of our faith tradition."

Anyways, the old expression, "there are no atheists in the foxhole" takes on new meaning when you are overseas on a deployed operation. While our mission does not have the same danger as the previous combat operations there is always an element of risk in everything we do in a foreign country. Religion definitely provides counsel, grounding and takes your thoughts to a higher plane than just eat, sleep and work. It is absolutely amazing the length and breadth of religious opportunities available at Kandahar Airfield for all denominations.

The golden rule of "treating others like you would like to be treated" is in line with our military priorities of my mission, my troops and then myself or service before self. I believe that Canadian military personnel are that Good Samaritan on the road to Jerricho and in a world of takers and hedonists they are givers and altruists. I am indeed fortunate to serve my country and Canadians in Afghanistan and "though I walk in the valley of death I have no fear for the Lord is my shepherd."

Posted: October 26, 2011