05/05/2023
I thought of the apostles and of all of Jesus' followers in the days, weeks, years after his death and resurrection. I am not immune to the "WTF???"'s in my life. Often being in the middle of the storm or just immediately after I wonder what I am supposed to do next and how I am supposed to process recent events.
As a Christians, as Americans, as men, as women, young old, as any part of any demographic we experience things that toss us about. What sets us apart from anyone else is that we know that we are not alone. God is always with us. Always.
That could take shape in the faces of people around us and available resources.
Feel free to contact me anytime through here or on the church phone or through email.
Namaste,
Christine
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Happy Friday, DIA Leaders!
Inspirational Thought of the Week: Bouncing Back from Adversity
The concept of resilience has become a popular topic in recent years. This is a good thing, but I’m concerned that people misunderstand what it means to be resilient. Resilience does not mean that we can be insulated from stressful or even painful situations. Many stresses come into our lives in ways that we cannot control. Resilience is the means by which we leverage the tools at our disposal to recover from and even grow through the stressful and painful circumstances we encounter. Another way to phrase the concept of resilience is “bouncing back.”
In his book, Bouncing Back: How a Heroic Band of POWs Survived Vietnam, Geoffrey Norman illustrates bouncing back from adversity in the midst of torture in a POW camp. Military members are trained to adhere to the Code of Conduct at all times, especially on the battlefield and in captivity. Article V of the Code of Conduct states, “When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.” Norman tells the story of soldiers held in the Hanoi Hilton, one of the most notorious POW camps in Vietnam where intense mental and physical torture was inflicted on service members constantly. Eventually, POWs would surrender to the pain and pressure of the torture and violate the Code of Conduct to find relief from the torture. Soldiers who were broken by the enemy quickly experienced regret and shame for their actions, as they did not live up to the expectations of the Code of Conduct.
Al Stafford was one such POW. After being broken by the torture, he was placed in a cell with fellow POW. Feeling completed defeated and filled with shame, he confessed to his cell mate his weakness … only to find that he was not alone. Others had also been broken under the intense pressure of torture.
“Bouncing back” became the standing policy for POWs in the camp. Bouncing back was an understanding that, at some point, everyone breaks under the pressure and pain of torture. Different people have different capacities to resist, so some may break while others resist to a greater degree under the same pressures. There was no judgement on those who had a lower capacity to resist. Once someone was broken, they shared their experience with their fellow POWs and was encouraged to start over and rebuild resistance. In short, POWs offered one another grace out of a humility that all will eventually break.
Bouncing back reminds us that we all face stress, pain, and difficulty. Being physically, mentally, socially and spiritually fit certainly helps us to withstand the pressures of life, but there is always a breaking point. Bouncing back means accepting that breaking point when it comes and leveraging the resources we have (family, friends, faith, EAP, Office of the Chaplain, Megellan Ascend, caring co-workers, etc.) to rebuild what is broken down. Bouncing back means recognizing that you are not alone, but in good company of others who have also experienced their breaking point and are rebuilding alongside you. Bouncing back is a reminder that tomorrow is a new day and an opportunity for a fresh start.
Bouncing back … that’s the DIA Spirit!
Star Wars Dad Jokes!
Since yesterday was May the 4th (“May the 4th be with you”), it’s a good time for Star Wars themed Dad jokes.
What did the dentist say to Luke Skywalker? “May the floss be with you.”
How does Darth Vader like his toast? On the dark side.
What do you call a droid that takes the long way around? R2 Detour.
What is Jabba the Hut’s middle name? “The.”
Very Respectfully,
Ch K
JOEL D. KORNEGAY, Ch, Lt Col, USAF
Agency Chaplain
HQ Defense Intelligence Agency
200 MacDill Blvd SE
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling
Washington, DC 20340
COMM: (202) 231-6586
DSN: 428-6586
VoIP: 910-2117
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
