03/18/14 - NNHS Newsletter
Forty Shades of Green

“I'd like the memory of me to be a happy one, I'd like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done.
I'd like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways, of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days.
I'd like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun, of happy memories that I leave when life is done.”

 - Dermot O'Brien
(23 Oct 1932 - 22 May 2007)

He released it as a B-side of The Rebel-Johnny Yuma released in 1961. It is also featured on two albums: 1. Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash, released on Columbia Records in 1963 and 2. Johnny Cash: The Great Lost Performance - Live at the Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, New Jersey recorded live in 1990 and released in 2007.

   YOWZERONI! Thank you so much, Jim! I'm so sorry to hear your news! We shall certainly enlist the help of all our mighty Typhoon prayer warriors on your behalf!

http://www.nnhs65.com/requests-prayers.html

http://www.fripp.com/blog/a-true-american-hero/

   OH, NO! Thank you for letting me know, Dools; I had missed this!

The Ralph E. Haines Jr. Story - Proud to be a General, Proud to be a Private

By Harry M. Covert

Gen. Ralph E. Haines Jr.
ex-Army Vice Chief of Staff,
ex-Army Commander in Pacific
ex-Commander, Fort Monroe

Ralph Haines enjoyed weekly and monthly breakfasts and lunches. Attendance, even though not required, usually was filled to capacity.  

He could have been mistaken for a traveling Baptist evangelist.       

He was a serious practicing charismatic Christian, an Episcopalian, to be exact. When he boomed “Amens” the choruses followed by large audience responses. If he raised his arms during remarks similar displays would follow.  

Who was Ralph E. Haines Jr.? He was a Texan, a four-star general in the U. S. Army who served as vice chief of staff, the Pacific commander and commanding general of the Continental Army Command (CONARC) at Fort Monroe, Va., where he retired in 1973. 

He was no shrinking violet in any sense of the word. He died at age 98 in 2011, the army’s oldest living four-star general. 

He came to mind a few weeks ago as a congressional committee was investigating alleged bias against military chaplains. 

Of course, the brass at the Pentagon, both a civilian assistant secretary and the uniformed army deputy chief of chaplains, explained there is no bias. “They’re never told they cannot share their own personal faith of any sort,” said a one-star general. 

Sounds nice. But let one of the uniformed chaplains, protestant of course, close a prayer “in Jesus’ name” and the intolerant wrath is deafening, if only in a memo to the culprit. “Thou shalt not” is the gist from the chain of command.

Now back to General Haines whose strength and character seems missing in today’s Episcopal leadership.  

A 1971 military night evangelical crusade in Hampton, Va., featured the general. His remarks, not a sermon, mind you, included these words: 

“I’m proud to be a General in the U. S. Army. I’m even more proud to be a private in the army of Jesus Christ.” 

Fort Monroe, Historic Army Base

Just imagine the outcry in this day and age if a flag officer dared speak these words. Cable television and radio and newspapers would explode.  

These words were on the front page of the local newspaper and distributed by a wire service.  

To the more than 11,000 in attendance, the general received a five-minute standing ovation. It was an exciting night to see and hear this impressive general talk from his heart. Four-star flag officers of all services are big time influential leaders. 

At the time, Richard Nixon was in the White House. To show his religious Quaker side he held Sunday morning church services in the executive mansion, at least for a while. 

It wasn’t but a few days later that General Creighton Abrams, Army chief of staff, made a special visit to Fortress Monroe to see his longtime friend and ally regarding the “volunteerization” of the army. 

General Abrams also brought a message from Mr. Nixon. Haines must be careful in the future about his “preaching.” Haines retired after 38 years of active service in 1973 and was active in military and religious activities. 

The military chaplaincy is important and provides valuable service to the men and women of the armed services. Things have changed in the modern day, especially among the “men and women” of the cloth who choose a military career. 

In past times, Protestant, Roman Catholic and Jewish religious persuasions were the corps of the corps. In this time of alleged progressiveness and permissiveness, lots of things have changed. There are Sikhs wearing turbans in military uniforms, bearded rabbis and skull caps, Imams, Buddhists, Mormons and others.  

I haven’t heard of any Scientologists, Church of Satan and its founder Anton Szandor LaVey, or even Mennonites in uniform and providing religious support for the military. 

Military officers in uniform are not supposed to preach at non-military religious services and by regulation must avoid what the military calls “proselytizing.” This is to sidestep offending those of non-traditional religious beliefs or none at all.

Pentagon leaders may well deny any biases toward traditional churching but it’s there. Those uniformed ministers must toe the line. Or else. 

General Haines was a distinguished military leader, a 1935 West Point graduate. He was confident in his professional career and had the confidence of his fellow officers.  

His Christian commitment was strong powerful. He was a regular worshiper at Virginia Episcopal services while the CONARC commander.  

This article has appeared in Virtue on Line.

   Thank you so much, Harry! Ya gotta love those Texans!