JANUARY 2015 VOL 55 Chapter 16 Newsleer Organizaon and Responsibilies: President’s Message Editor: Glen Craig Secons: Message from the President: Dave Shell Treasurers Report: Kevin Paon Sec. Rpt (Staff Meeng Minutes): Paul Bagshaw Sick Call/Obituary: Chaplain Butch Hall Blast from the Past: Glen Craig Special Recognion: Paul Bagshaw Upcoming Events: Paul Bagshaw Calendar: Dave Shell Human Interest Story: Chapter at large SFA Naonal HQ Update: Dave Shell Aer Acon Report: Jim Lessler Membership Info: Roy Sayer Adversements: Glen Craig New Year’s Eve 2004 Suspense: “Dressed to Kill” Newsleer published (Web): 1st of each Happy New Year! As always, New Year’s is a me of reflecon, and this odd numbered month New Year’s Eve my thoughts are of a day 10‐years past when my ODA was th Input due to editor: 20 of each working out of Firebase Gardez in eastern Afghanistan. Gardez is a even numbered month mid‐sized Afghan city of approximately 70,000 residents, located in a river Dra due to President: 27th of each valley standing at nearly 7,600 . above sea level. I’m sure it hasn’t even numbered month changed since, but the roads were unpaved and poed, the buildings Final Dra due 29th of each constructed mostly of cob (mud), basic plumbing and wastewater management was non existent, and the popula on at the me is best even numbered month ‐ described as contrary. They were a people for whom daily life was a constant struggle due to poverty, bier cold, hunger, illness, and oppressive overlords, major and minor. In those days the provincial office for the United Naons High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was located in the heart of the city. The UNHCR consisted of a mul‐naonal staff manned by cizens of Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. I don’t recall that there were any Americans on the UNHCR staff, but such was the nature of the coalion; we did the fighng, and most everyone else did the infrastructure development. I do recall that shortly aer arriving in Gardez the UNHCR was quick to reach out to us, which surprised me, because of a common delusion among both official and non‐official enes abroad (to include the US State Department) that close associaon with the US military somehow put them at greater risk of violence. In any event, I quickly learned why the warm welcome. Gardez, as described above, was less hospitable to the UNHCR than it was even to us. For starters, they had no Page 1 security, neither plans nor trained personnel; they had no means of logiscal support, save for a budget that was by design intended to boost the local economy; and they were oen viewed by the indigenous populaon with suspicion, because they were an intrusive element of power operang in the midst of a very rigid tradional power structure. The reality was that the UNHCR needed us. They needed us to run to their aid in the event of aack, either at their compound or while they were moving around the province. They also needed plugged into our weekly threat assessments, which they especially valued as they had no other reliable means of knowing when and where they might be at risk. Lastly, they needed food, because Gardez had very lile available, and what they did have was usually not to the liking of foreigners. Inially, I invited them to our Firebase for Christmas dinner where we dined on lobster and steak with all the trimmings, and laid out a dessert bar that was exceponal given the austere environment. There were quite a few notables in aendance, to include the provincial governor, Hakim Taniwal, who was murdered by the Taliban in September 2006 at his official residence in Gardez. The UNHCR folks were greatly impressed, some even noceably moved by the feast, having had not much more than muon for some me. Of course, no good deed goes unpunished, and aerwards they insisted that we join them for a New Year’s Eve party at their compound. Aer accepng, they begged us to provide the groceries. Out of pity we agreed. Most would think that popping over to a lile celebraon just a few miles away would be the simplest of tasks, but they know nothing of the military bureaucracy involved in moving from Point A to Point B. Our slice of the event had to be managed like any other operaon outside the wire, to include security while at the UNHCR compound, QRF, coms plan, bale drills, etc. We took half the team, leaving he other half to secure the Firebase, and set out aer dark. For a New Year’s Eve the city was eerily quiet, with not a reveler anywhere, and mostly dark. The main thoroughfare was trafficked with commercial lories we called “jingle trucks”, because of their intricate and elaborately colored facades sporng chains dangling in a manner that caused them to chime as they moved. The temperature was a balmy minus 10°F, but was nowhere near the coldest we experienced that winter. We arrived at the compound to a very warm welcome by the UNHCR Deputy Director, and proceeded to liven up the evening in a manner that was in keeping with the best tradions of SF A‐Teams operang downrange. In the process, we were able to co‐opt several important key leaders, extending our reach throughout the province. It would have been nice to really cut loose that night, but given the circumstances it was an unacceptable risk, so we departed about 0130 and headed back to the Firebase. The movement was unevenul and upon return we conducted the post‐mission on the vehicles and went to bed knowing that we could sleep in a bit. While not the most raunchous New Year’s Eve I ever spent, it stands out in my mind for its extremes: 1) it was the best armed I ever was at New Year’s Eve party; 2) it was the farthest from home; 3) it was aended by folks from more than a dozen naons and offices, local and internaonal, and they all spoke English; 4) there was an alcohol prohibion for US military personnel per General Order #1 (no so for civilians); 5) aer lile more than one month on the ground we were able to establish ourselves as important and relevant players in the security of the province; and lastly, 6) I was there, sharing that experience with my ODA. Need I say more? De Oppresso Liber! Dave Aurburn Veteran’s Day Parade November 8, 2014 Page 2 Menton Days and Menton Ball Page 3 Pastor Butch’s Corner Was Jesus Born on December 25 Speculaon as to the date of Jesus’ birth; dates back to the 3rd century, it was Hyppolytus (170‐236) who first claimed that Jesus was born on December 25. The earliest menon of an observance on December 25; was in the year of 336 highlighted in the Philoclian Calendar, represenng Roman pracces. Later, John Chrysostom of Anoch; born in 348 favored December 25 as well as the same date of birth of Jesus. Bishop Cyril of Jerusalem was also born in Jerusalem (315) and he had access to the original Roman birth census, which also documented that Jesus was born on the 25th of December. So the date eventually became the officially recognized date for Christmas in part because it coincided with the pagan fesvals celebrang Saturnalia and the winter solsce. The church offered people a Chrisan alternave; to the pagan fesvies and eventually reinterpreted many of their symbols and acons in ways acceptable to Chrisan faith and pracce. December 25 has become more and more acceptable; as the birth date of Jesus. However, some argue that the birth occurred in some other season, such as in the fall. Followers of this theory claim that the Judean winters were too cold for shepherds to be watching their flocks by night. History proves otherwise; however, and we have historical evidence that unblemished lambs for the Temple sacrifice were in fact kept in the fields near Bethlehem and guarded by shepherds during the winter months. With that said; it is impossible to prove whether or not Jesus was born on December 25. And, ulmately and truthfully, it does not maer. The truth is we simply don’t know; the exact date of our Savior’s birth. In fact, we don’t even know for sure the year in which He was born. Scholars believe it was somewhere between 6 B.C. and 4 B.C. One thing is clear: if God felt it was important for us to know the exact date of the Savior’s birth, He certainly would have told us in His Word. Aer all the Gospel of Luke; gives very specific details about the event, even down to what the baby was wearing – “swaddling clothes”—and where he slept—“in a manger” (Luke 2:12). These details are important because they speak of His nature and character, meek and lowly. But the exact date of His birth has no significance whatsoever, which may be why God chose not to menon it. The needed facts are these: He was born, He came into the world to atone for our sins, He was resurrected to eternal life, and He is alive today. This is what we should celebrate, as we are told in the Old Testament in such passages as Zechariah 2:10: “'Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,' declares the LORD.” Furthermore; the angel that announced the birth to the shepherds brought “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).