Receiving My Retirement Pin

It was 2 p.m.on Wednesday November 28, 2007. We gathered in the Dover Air Force Base Chapel for my retirement ceremony. My wife Phyllis; my daughters; Angela and Elinore; sons-in-law, Rick and Tony; grandson, Little David; and my Dad were all there.

Also present were four representatives of the Hollywood Church of the Nazarene in Maryland as well as a small contingent from the Dover Nazarene Church. I am grateful for these churches, along with the Augusta Maine church. All were consistently gracious in both accepting and adopting my extracurricular military ministry over 27+ years. None ever complained about my regular absences for military duty and in fact they mostly celebrated my participation as an extension of their own ministry. Of course, the Hollywood church deserves an award for their gracious support while I was fully absent for 3 years after 9/11. Their desire to welcome me home when the deployment was over, demonstrated by their repeated extensions of a leave-of-absence, was a great encouragement. 

In addition, about a hundred base personnel including the Wing Commanders' representative; forensic odontology and radiology team members, personnel from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, FBI, liaisons from the Army, Marines and Navy; Dover Port Mortuary personnel; and some chapel friends and parishioners.

My very good friend, Colonel and Chaplain, Don Simpson, flew in from Oklahoma to make the award of a Meritorious Service Medal. We spent almost two years together developing a chaplains office for the Dover mortuary and seeking to provide quality ministry and stress management. in the process we became brothers bonded by the death of over 2000 heroes and by daily care for each other.

Five chaplains assistants and 4 chaplains participated in the ceremony and my pastor, Tim Evans from Dover Nazarene prayed the invocation. These folks are my support system. Each provides an ear, a shoulder and occasional distractions from the intensity of the work we do.

Nice words spoken, career summed up, awards given, prayers prayed and retirement made official and a tear shed. Gifts and appreciation certificates were given to Phyllis and the girls and a US flag which had been ceremonially flown both in Iraq and Dover was folded and presented.

My first act as a newly inducted civilian was to go out to eat with the family where we ate, shared growing up stories and laughed a lot. During the meal my phone rang. By 10 p.m. I was back in uniform, now wearing a retiree pin. On the flight line we welcomed home yet another fallen soldier. He was escorted by his friend and I had opportunity to try and explain to his family via phone what was happening.

What is there to say? With or without a retirement pin the war goes on, young men and women are in harms way and families wait by the phone. And in a small way, I can help.

Yep - it was a great day.

A Long Overdue Update

On November 28th the Air Force requires that I retire from my status as an Air Force Reserve Officer. This is due to my impending advanced age of 61. You may know that this is the same requirement made last year when I turned 60. Last year they extended my retirement date by one year but they WILL NOT do that again. The quote from Air Force Reserve Headquarters was, "Don't even ASK!"

So here is what Dover Air Force Base leadership asked: "David - would you be willing to take a civilian chaplain position at the mortuary?"

"Yes." I answered.

I have become a civilian chaplain doing the same job in the same place. I am wearing civilian clothes for my in-house responsibilities but putting the military uniform on for official military functions: meeting families, escorts and praying on air planes.

This works well on all sides:
1. Dover leadership values my experience, relationships and pastoral care expertise.
2. I love the ministry I get to do here.

3. Dover wants the continuity of ministry and training that I provide.
4. Phyllis and I also want some continuity as we approach old age.

5. Dover can't seem to find someone else to fill their requirements.
6. Phyllis and I do not have any other place to call home.

7. Dover has bent over backwards to try and keep me in place.
8. Phyllis and I have found and purchased our first home.

9. Dover leadership thinks that this a good plan for the foreseeable future.
10. Phyllis and I are convinced that God is as much in "this" future as he has been in our past.

Please feel free to e-mail for updated contact information. All of our telephone numbers and e-mail addresses have remained the same. Only our mailing address has changed.