AWTR Show #879: Bridge in Babylon

The Army Chaplain life can often be imperfect, messy, and mainly spent outside your office. But there is no set method or place for healing. Owen Chandler wanted people to understand more about military life besides what gets shown on TV, so he wrote A Bridge in Babylon: Stories of a Military Chaplain in Iraq.

Owen shares the struggle to hold onto faith and hope in the midst of battlefields, opening readers’ hearts to the challenges of military chaplaincy and the plight of veterans shattered by their experiences. A Bridge to Babylon inspires readers and provide tools to create bridges to our veterans, especially Reserve soldiers with shockingly high rates of suicide and substance abuse.

As an Arizona Army Reservist, Chandler was deployed to Iraq as chaplain of the 336th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, leaving behind his wife, three young children, and a congregation for more than a year. In this painful but eloquent memoir, Chandler shares his story of serving as an “embedded presence of hope” in Iraq through personal letters, journal entries, scriptures and photos exchanged with family back home. Expanding far beyond the military chaplain caricature of M*A*S*H’s Father Francis Mulcahy, Chandler reflects on the brutal realities of war, his fellow soldiers, and the families waiting for them all to come home.

Listeners, if you would like to learn more about Owen, check out his website here or connect with him on social media via Facebook. You can order Owen’s book A Bridge in Babylon: Stories of a Military Chaplain in Iraq here.

Empowerment Patrol Report with Amanda B.

Today we are showcasing one of our volunteers who is an MRE winner, which by the way, that stands for Motivated and Ready to Empower. A huge congratulations to Army Wife Network Command Team Member, our Content Curator, Chrissy Gibbs!

Chrissy married her husband in 2010 and jumped right into her milspouse role. She knew that life would be more adventurous and sometimes more difficult, but it would always be worth it. She had previously received her teaching degrees from Niagara University in Special Education and spent a few years teaching, but once she began having children, she chose to put those talents to work in her own home. Chrissy is a mother to four energetic boys and one husky pup (also a male), so you could say she’s the queen of the castle! Chrissy and her family are currently living in Fort Leavenworth but will have another PCS on the horizon.

In her free time, you can find her working out, at a playdate with close friends, on the hunt for the next geocache, or hiding away binge-watching her favorite guilty pleasure TV shows. She is super excited to be a part of the AWN team and can’t wait to connect with new friends.

So much thanks goes out to Chrissy Gibbs for doing your part to empower military families all across the globe.

News 6 with Jolene

Here is this week’s News 6 mashup of stories for the week of Feb. 28, 2022, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Jolene McNutt:

Water Woes Continue near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

Military members and their families stationed in Hawaii are still working through months of contaminated drinking water. According to NPR, in January, the U.S. Navy agreed “to remove fuel from a massive underground storage tank facility near Pearl Harbor” that is believed to be the source of contamination. Visit the IDWST website for up to date information.

New Mexico Activates National Guard to Serve as Substitute Teachers

New Mexico’s Army National Guard has begun deploying soldiers to serve as substitute teachers, reported Federal News Network. About 80 troops have volunteered to work in schools. The shortages are blamed in part on a surge in Covid-19 cases coupled with state-wide teacher shortages due to a “surge of teacher retirements last fall.” New Mexico currently has approximately 1,000 open teaching positions.

Sergeant Major Students Now Eligible for Leadership and Workforce Development Certificate

The NCO Leadership Center of Excellence announced that “all students attending the Sergeants Major Course, both resident and distance learning, are now eligible to earn an undergraduate certificate in Leadership and Workforce Development from the Command and General Staff College.” This will be effective for the academic year 2021-2022. The certificate will benefit beyond their military careers to help civilian employers recognize transferable leadership skills.

Free Online Courses to Bolster Military Spouse Employment Skills

Military spouses can access free online courses on learning platform Udemy through June 29, 2022. Courses are on-demand and flexible and will help you enhance your current skills, learn new skills, and stay up to date on industry trends. To learn more visit myseco.militaryonesource.mil.

Trevor Noah Named Featured Entertainer for White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Comedian Trevor Noah host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, has been announced as the featured entertainer for the White House Correspondents’ dinner on April 30, reported AP News. “The dinner is normally attended by prominent journalists, politicians, and celebrities, and it raises money for scholarships.”

You can check out more of this week’s top stories here.

Thank You

Thank you for tuning into this week’s episode. Please leave a five-star rating and review on Apple podcasts, then send us a screenshot of your review to info@armywifenetwork.com or DM us on Facebook or Instagram @armywifenetwork to receive a special in-real-life gift as a thank you on behalf of AWN. We appreciate your engagement and support.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS