[…]Captain, began his career as a watch officer on a buoy tender, after which he completed flight training in Pensacola, Florida. Since then, as a Coast Guard aviator, he has had six operational tours with increasing responsibility, culminating in his current assignment as Commander Group Humbolt Bay, where he commands all Coast Guard operations, personnel and material along a 250-mile coastline in northern California. A 1978 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy, he holds a Master in Public Administration degree from Harvard University. Commander Durfey is a longtime member of OCF and is a Council Member, Class of 2001. He, […]
[…]with me were stuffed into a cabinet. I was resigned to leafing through the Bible from the beginning, as if reading a novel. Nonetheless, God spoke to me in my sluggishness, catching my attention with the book of Joshua, “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful […]
[…]in my execution of SPIRITUAL planning (1 Timothy 4:7-8). Make no mistake, physical and military training must be done to accomplish the mission, to establish our credibility as professional warriors, and to give the men entrusted to our care the best chance for survival. We must also train as ambassadors with similar vigor. Following our spiritual pre-deployment training and planning, we must then follow through during the deployment itself. As we seek to train for godliness and prepare for spiritually dry times, it is good to start with assumptions about the nature of the spiritual environment at our projected deployed […]
[…](Ps. 33:11 NASB). “. . .God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deut. 7:9 NASB). Sarah Hemingway is the mother of four grown children. She writes and speaks on the hilarious and sobering challenges of raising a happy Christian family. Sarah is the widow of LtCol Tom Hemingway, USMC, Ret., former director of ROTC ministries for […]
[…]meaning or purpose in it.2 Many couples find meaning or purpose during times of separation by thinking more deeply about their spiritual lives, individually and on the family level. Being separated from the ones they love may make people think about what life would be like if the spouse didn’t come back, especially if the spouse is in harm’s way. The complete lack of control over the situation produces feelings of anxiety. David Paap says that “The only practical escape from this vicious cycle of anxiety is a spiritual one: trust in God. . . . Faith and trust differ […]
[…]is currently serving as commander of the 15th Services Squadron at Hickam AFB. He has been active in OCF since 1988. He and his wife, Kristi, have two […]
[…](p. 47). Similarly, J. Collins in his best-selling book Good to Great, points out one unexpected finding regarding leadership, “Whether someone is the ‘right person’ has more to do with character traits and innate capabilities than with specific knowledge, background, or skills” (p. 64). All leaders have strengths and weaknesses. However, a leader can overcome these weaknesses if he or she possesses strong character. The reverse is not usually true. Integrity is the foundation of our character; those around us must see it in both our personal and professional walk. In his book Taking Charge, author P.M. Smith tells the […]
[…]How do you stand up for Christ without standing on someone’s foot? It is such a fine line to walk. I started with the language issue. I simply made it clear that foul language and coarse joking were unacceptable around me. Folks still slip up, but they know to watch how they speak to others. Then I focused on being a servant leader and letting my feet do the talking. I don’t waste my soldiers’ time. I pay attention to their problems. I train them hard and make sure they get time off (which is amazingly hard to do in […]
