[…]OCF at Maxwell. I was asked to speak to three issues: What should cadets expect from OCF during an Air Force career? What specifically does the OCF ministry at Maxwell AFB look like? And, What is the best way to link up with a military chapel/local church while progressing through Air Force assignments? I began my time with the cadets by asking them to describe their OCF experience at the Academy. What were the key elements of the ministry? Their responses included outstanding Christian role models, wonderful fellowship and worship, solid Bible study and prayer times, meaningful one-on-one discipleship, inspiring […]
[…]presented the different services this way, “The United States Air Force is the premiere air force in the entire world. They rule the sky and are the very definition of air superiority. The United States Navy is the supreme naval force on this globe. They rule the oceans and are without peer. The Unites States Army is the undefeatable land combatant force. They don’t start wars, they end them. When the army arrives, the battle is over.” At this point the Sergeant Instructor paused, looked slowly around the room and then continued in a low menacing voice, “…and then there […]
[…]presented to a group of Christian officers attending Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. William J. (Joe) Shirey, (Colonel, USAF, retired), was commissioned from the Air Force Academy in 1976. He was an F-16 Squadron Commander and served in various staff assignments in NATO, the Pentagon and Air Combat Command. He retired in 2001. He and his wife, Johanna, have four daughters: Sarah, Katie, Rebecca, Emily. They have been actively involved in OCF and other military ministries since entering the […]
[…]Burt, U.S. Naval Academy; Tom and Cheri Austin, U.S. Military Academy; Steve and Rita Wade, U.S. Air Force Academy Hank’s dual-purposed, successful plan B worked: the exhausted skunk Hank just scooped out of the swimming pool with a long net is now providing a spiritual lesson for Betsy. Just as the skunk never saw the plywood board put in the pool for him to climb out on, conversely Betsy recognizes that she has been missing God’s outstretched hand offering her rest. The respite God provides for the Christian walk, coming from personal time spent with Him, is available whether juggling […]
[…]all branches of the military working together. For example the military member (let’s say he’s Air Force) belongs to a unit back home and is therefore under that unit commander, but he’s TDY to a training unit (let’s say Army) in preparation for deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan where he’ll be under the command of the deployment commander. Who is his commander–the original unit commander, the training unit commander or the deployed area commander? He’s under all three, but only one at a time when he’s under each commander’s authority. UOC in action is an awesome testimony to our country’s […]
[…]the Tomb of the Unknown) and me to Dover where we arrived to greet the plane. As we waited, the Air Force Honor Guard mounted the arriving airplane, ensured a new and unblemished American flag was draped and secured properly over each “transfer case” (not yet a casket); and then loaded them individually, in a slow and dignified manner, on to a loader to lower them to the tarmac. When they were ready, the Army Honor Guard then marched to the plane, and the Deputy Air Force Wing Commander escorted the chaplain and me to the plane’s steps. We then […]
