Leaderboard

MRAP - I was in the Navy from 1970 to 1976. I was aboard a submarine, the USS POGY, from 1972 to 1976. I never even heard of TWI until 1979. When you related the incident of your branch leader taking you to the barbershop, I couldn't help but think of the chief of the boat when we would put back into port after a long run. When we were at sea, we could grow our hair however we wanted, as long as it didn't interfere with the seal of gas masks... but when we came back to port, we had to get our hair cut right away, and it was the COB's job to see that we did. I kept my hair and beard long for years after I got out of the Navy, and didn't shave my beard until I was in residence in the Corps in 1985. I grew it back sometime after leaving TWI. I find your posts on this thread very insightful for understanding your experience with TWI! We aboard the POGY had our lives impacted by the war in Israel in 1973, and it certainly wasn't just about preventing a PFAL class from running! newlife - You asked "My question is.....what did the military techniques have anything to do with spiritual principles." Absolutely nothing at all. In fact, they didn't really have anything to do with genuine principles of military leadership, either! When I was in the Navy, we had a book called "Petty Officer Three and Two" that was the study guide for going up in rank. "PO 3&2" was the foundational book on carrying out the responsibilities of a non-commissioned officer, and it had a chapter on military leadership. "PO 3&2" defined the primary qualities necessary for good military leadership as these three, in this order of priority: good moral conduct, leadership by example and administrative ability. If you are dishonest with your followers, they will be dishonest with you. You cannot tell people to do things that you are not willing to do yourself, and being able to keep track of paperwork is only third. As for throwing yourself off a table to build trust... the branch leader should have been the FIRST to throw himself/herself off, to DEMONSTRATE trust to his/her followers! There is an unwritten rule among military leaders that you should never issue an order if you know your followers will refuse to execute it. Issuing such an order does nothing but generate mutiny and destroy confidence in the chain of command. MRAP - You wrote, "To bring someone into the word now is like having a kid - I am old, I don't need anymore kids and I have a life (oh, Jesus has alot to say about that - he sees my every key stroke). That's what I am talking about. How do older established folks deal with this dilema." Older, established folks have dealt with this dilemma for the past 2000 years or so by belonging to established congregations! People say it takes a village to raise a kid. It really does take a congregation larger than a half-dozen twenty-somethings to bring a person up in the Word! I love you ALL! Steve