When one retires from the military after a minimum of 20 years of service, one of the dwindling benefits still left are free medications, praise the Lord!

These medications are dispensed at the pharmacy at military installations like Fort McPherson. Everyone who retires eventually will be seen standing in line in their plaid shirts, waiting for their high blood pressure medication or headache meds or for whatever 20 to 30 years of service has extracted from them.

A military career of 20 to 30 years active service is like three or four lifetimes. Imagine moving with your family on the average of 12-15 times and your children having that many different schools in 20 years.

Don't misunderstand me. If I had it to do all over again I would go tomorrow, very early in the morning, and sign up and serve all over again.

I have noticed something very interesting about the pharmacy line at Fort McPherson. There are usually two kinds of people waiting there in their plaid shirts waiting for their numbers to be called. Some of these men have sold their souls for a promotion and a fist full of dollars. They have given up their faith, their integrity, their morals, their marriages, and even their children.

Then right next to one of them will stand another retiree in line with his plaid shirt awaiting his blood pressure medication, but he or she somehow is different. He or she will be one who did not sell her soul for a promotion and a fist full of dollars. They have kept their faith in God's sovereignty, their integrity was intact, morals were still there, marriages were still there, children were still in loving connection with their families.

Wednesday of this week at 7:30 a.m., I received a call from a dear chaplain friend who is near his retirement time of 20 years active duty for his country. He and his wife, Patty, and their daughter, Heidi, are serving at Fort Lee, Va. They live in a beautiful homestead in Goochland, Va.

Mike Walters and I served together while we lived in Fairbanks and Anchorage, Alaska. We had some wonderful days together both serving God in the Arctic and hunting and fishing the great “last frontier” of Alaska. We still are in contact with our friendship and hunt and fish whenever we can work it out. Praise the Lord.

While I was serving as the division chaplain of the 6th Arctic Light Infantry Division, I met Chaplain Tim and Judy Carlson and their wonderful family. When I met Tim, I noticed a very sharp chaplain who was loyal to the cause of Christ first and foremost, one who had impeccable paperwork, and was very loyal to me personally and one who didn't have a problem with authority.

When I received the call from Mike Walters, he informed me that Tim Carlson had been promoted to full colonel. I was overjoyed that on occasion, the “blue team” wins. When Tim and Mike finally retire and put on their plaid shirts and go to the nearest military installation to get their high blood pressure medication or their Prozac, they will be men who have kept their faith, their morals, their families, and their integrity.

Stay in the quest. Christianity is a 24/7 lifelong relationship with God, not only a Sabbath ritual.

The Rev. Dr. Knox Herndon is the pastor of His House Community Church (SBC) and a substitute school teacher in the Fayette County school system, and a former Army chaplain. The church is currently meeting in the American Legion Log Cabin across from the fountain on the Square in Fayetteville. Prayer line 770-719-2365; e-mail Khern2365@aol.com

Back to News Home Page | Back to the top of the page