A Week in Review...

Hi Family and Friends,

We've just returned from a two day retreat in North Carolina where we studied pre-marriage counseling and retreat planning. We had free time and were able to bond as a group. I'd like to humbly say that I went undefeated in Ping Pong and had 3 Holes-in-one during a game of miniature golf! I must get my athletic skills from my father!!!

I've never been to North Carolina and the retreat center called Ridge Crest was beautiful. There were a lot of trees and the East Coast version of mountains...(Nothing compared to Colorado Mountains but beautiful nonetheless.) Several chaplains encountered a black bear after our evening session and that made our evening walk in the dark exciting...

Here are a few pictures from last week:


Davis, Sewell and Me


More field services...


Davis with his 1 Star General's Coin for getting a perfect 300 on the PT Test! He is an inspiration at 38 years old. I went with him on a run and I about didn't survive after 4 miles...He is in great shape! (Davis was one of three out of 160 who came forward for this honor!) I'd like to say one day I'll get one of those coins for a perfect PT score but realistically....probably not going to happen. Darn situps!!!


Joshua Cox, a kind hearted red head from Iowa. Really great guy...will make a great chaplain.



6th Platoon meeting early Friday morning for our trip to Victory Ranch and Ridge Crest Retreat Center


Joking around with CH Randall...a very funny chaplain...


LT Marcy Martinez, my squad leader from Puerto Rico and CH Nicole Pruitt who is spending her honeymoon here at chaplain bootcamp. Our female chaplains make up about 10% of our class here this summer and help keep us civil!


Unloading at Victory Ranch, a retreat center designed to reach soldiers with the Gospel by providing a safe place to relax, fellowship, eat, and worship...(The ministry is called Cadence International and is located next to Army posts around the world)


A view from the lodge...beautiful!


One of our spiritual exercises was to split into groups for private worship according to our worship style. Earlier in the week we took a short test to see what our particular worship style was and I measured really high on the category of caregiver. Some were naturalists who connect with God through nature, others were intellectuals who connected with God through study etc...I was the only one in my platoon who claimed caregiver as a primary category so spent time writing encouraging letters to our soldiers overseas...


The folks at Victory Ranch put out a wonderful Brunch. Some great food...I'm sure glad I already took my PT test for record and felt bad for the rest of the gang who were staying until graduation. They have another weigh-in on Thursday and a PT test on Friday...So sorry I'll be missing that! :)


Swinging down by the lake...


Josh Cox trying his hand at some bass fishing. Doesn't his John Deere hat fit a guy from Iowa?


This is Chris Butera, a catholic priest from PA. A wonderful young man I'd be honored to serve with in the future...


Paulson with the biggest fish of the morning...the only fish of the morning!


I was sitting next to Bob Davis and CH (CPT) Carson Jump when we noticed something similar about our taste in shoes...:)


Arriving at Ridge Crest Retreat Center (A Giant 100 year old Southern Baptist Establishment) on friday afternoon. This center was about 3.5 hours north of Ft. Jackson in N.C.


Some of the boys unloading after our road trip to N.C.


Watch out Tiger! O.k....I'm not very good!!


Chapel this morning in N.C. I love hearing a large group of men singing in worship to Jesus...such a rare sound in our churches today.


This is SGT Lopez, the drill SGT responsible for helping me get in shape!

Can't wait to come home in a few days...much love!