Final retirement at Radio Battalion

As I come to the end of my tour at Camp Lejeune, I am doing a lot of "lasts".

This is the invocation from my last retirement at Radio Bn.

Fair Winds and Following Seas, CWO4 Tadios.

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If you would join me in prayer.

Source of Peace,

For 24 years, CWO4 Tadios has led from the front. Whether for an exercise or deployment, from Korea to Hawaii, to Afganistan and at every Radio battalion – he pushed himself  - - and those around him, to be their best.

He lived by Your example, Lord, as spoken in Proverbs:

כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶאֱהַב ה' יוֹכִיחַ וּכְאָב אֶת־בֵּן יִרְצֶה

For whom the Lord loves he corrects; like a father does with a son in whom he delights. (Prov. 3:12)

Remind us, God, to remember the lessons CWO4 Tadio has taught us, by the example he set.

May CWO4 know how deeply important his presence, mentorship and friendship meant to us.

And in his time in service, he - and his family - sacrificed the most precious thing they had - - time as a family.

Lord, bless CWO4 and his family with love  - - with the strength of the threefold cord, as You have said,

A threefold cord is not easily broken. (Ecc. 4:12)

God, help him find contentment in all that he has accomplished, and may he continue to do so as he  - - and his family write their next chapter of their journey.

Grace them with the gift of peace, for that is the greatest reward for honorable and faithful service.

Amen. 

Living in the souther south than Virginia

I have never been to a Piggly Wiggly before.

I did not know that alcohol is sold in juice boxes or by the plastic cup.

I am now educated.

One last wedding before I go

I was proud to welcome Zach into the Jewish community while in Okinawa.

I was even prouder, being asked to officiate at Zach and Elana's Jewish wedding.

Mazal Tov and may your days together be as sweet as the wine you drank under the Chuppah.

Upsherin, A First

I have never officiated at an Upsherin before.

(Traditionally, Jews do not cut the hair of a boy until he is 3 years old. That is when his formal learning begins. Also, according to the Torah, you may not eat of the fruit of a tree until it is 3 years old.)

Thank God for ritualwell.org!

Say goodbye to your hair, Jax!

Women in Military Monument - Rest Stop in Maryland

Who knew?

And what an odd place to put it.

Self Care Part I-stopped-counting Brooklyn

Self Care.
Self Care.
Self Care.

I am beating this drum because I am terrible at it.

I spend have my leave time driving and doing things for other people.
I can help it - I choose not to.

And then, once in a while, I do it right.

I spent some time at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

How great are your creations, O Lord.

Camp Lejeune Jewish Community

I led my last service (officially) 16 JUN.
The lay leader will take over from this point.

On my last Friday night, they presented me with a plaque.
I had no words.

I work hard without the need for recognition.

I will work hard regardless. 

And yet, that bit of thanks goes a long way. 

It re-energizes me to push just a little harder - - not for recognition - - but because I know that what I did mattered to someone else. 

Thank you, Camp Lejeune Jewish Community. 

I will miss you.  

Okinawa Reunion Part Two

A group of us from Okinawa planned a reunion.

Let me try that again.

I met people in Okinawa who are more family than merely friends.
I wanted to see them and missed them all. We were scattered across CONUS and I wanted to bring everyone back together for a few days.

So, we went to New Orleans.

I need this sign. 

Joan of Arc

Molly Marine

Molly Marine with the USMC flag

Another statue in honor of women serving in the military

A must. 

What an amazing trip!

And I was walking in Memphis

Not too far from the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, ten feet as it were - -  is Beale Street.

Can't get that song out of my head now.

If you want to say that I was a drum major...

As a Jew whose history is filled with terrible stories about violence and destruction aimed at me and my people simply because of what we believe, I walked through the museum full of empathy.

We have come so far in our fight against racism and bigotry and anti-Semitism, and yet there is so many more steps to this journey of abolishing all of those things in our society.

May we come to see everyone simply as people.

My Uki

While in Okinawa, I began training in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, lovingly called MCMAP.

My uki, my training partner while training for our grey belts was LCpl Hoyle.

Amazingly enough, now Sgt Hoyle joined me at Intel Bn, both going for our brown belts.

Ukis once again.

The USS Dorchester

There is a story from WWII of four chaplains who were on the USS Dorchester. It was hit by a German U-Boat and sank in less than 20 minutes.

The four chaplains - Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish gave their life jackets to four soldiers and comforted those who surrounded them.

There are many lessons we can learn from these four brave chaplains.

Below is a slide that parces it into three.

FMF

This qualification took me 18 months.

Thank you to everyone who taught me, pushed me, and encouraged me.



Now what do I do with all this free time??

Okinawa Reunion part 1

I will say this again, I am sure.

There will be people you meet that will transcend duty stations.

They will be with you for the rest of your life.

And thank God for them.