The Buick Encore quietly careens into the Santa Monica street. I drive in the twilight hours before daybreak. The coast is behind me, the day is emerging.
The gate guard checks my Common Access Card (CAC) as I drive into the sparse, somber parking lot. Soldiers will be arriving soon to fill up the spots.
Soldier Readiness Processing (SRP) includes legal, administrative, medical, supply stations and more. The officers, trained in planning, have honed their craft through training, deployments, trial and error, and experience. The NCOs supervise their enlisted subordinates to complete the tedious process while making sure their checklist also has all the initials of the station representatives.
This process is repeated by units, brigades, and other echelons throughout the well-oiled machine of the United States Army. Metrics matter, readiness matters, logistics matter. I approach this process with grace, humor, patience, and intention.
A Buick Encore in a lonely government parking lot
It is September 11th. Although I haven't checked, I have no doubt that LinkedIn has been full of people posting about remembering what happened 25 years ago. I had a chance to share that same sentiment with a moment of silence for the people, civilians, Soldiers, and others who lost their lives amidst the carnage and wreckage of the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent Global War on Terror (GWOT). I led the moment of silence for the Staff Update Brief, with the Brigadier General in attendance, and at the closing formation, with almost 200 Soldiers present.
I'm saddened by what happened two and a half decades ago. There have been years when only the briefest of reflections took place, if any. This time feels different. This time it became more real. Maybe because I'm approaching fifty I realize how great and fragile America is.
I heard from other Soldiers and even remarked to myself, in astonishment, how that day left an indelible mark on the future of our country. It seems like we have been involved in one war or another since then. Not only were people from New York and the Pentagon impacted, but Americans from Hawaii, Alaska, Delaware to Denver still feel the ripple effects. A few days later, I encountered a financial services professional at Future Proof who shared with me that he still experiences the debilitating effects of trauma from the 9/11 attack. Apparently, he was there at Ground Zero.
I love America. We are an incredible country. I believe it is helpful to grieve. To express uncertainty to God about why other individuals, groups, and countries would want to attack us.
I don't have answers to these questions, but I know the One who has all the answers. Theologically, it's called omniscience. Xi Jinping behaves a certain way and thinks a certain way. God knows each thought, each intention, each desire and the number of hairs on his head. Vladimir Putin is a demagogue in red clothes. I don't hate him. Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies. I'm not afraid of his nuclear capabilities. The Psalmist said, "What can mortal man do to me?"
What are you working on?
Driving out the gate back to my hotel, the Hyatt Centric in Santa Monica, I briefly reflected on the significance of the day and the brevity of life. Each passing day I think about how grateful I am to God for the life, family, and ministry that He has provided me. "Who is sufficient for such things?" the Apostle Paul asked in 2 Corinthians.
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With you in it, Joshua Brooks, CFP® Founder, Exponential Advisors Army Reserve Chaplain
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The survivor election. The TSP. The first civilian offer. They all land at once. I'm Joshua Brooks, CFP® professional and Army Reserve chaplain, and Exponential Purpose helps military leaders and their families decide well, together, before the deadlines arrive.