I met with my commander every evening to discuss operations and troop morale. I reported to him that I was still seeking a solution for the religious supplies for the detainees. I also told him I had informed the undersecretary of defense, diplomats, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that religious supplies would be available. I told him that the current situation needs a solution. He advised me to partner with the general for possible host nation support. The general suggested pounding on every door at the Bagdad Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA). My commander taught me only to accept a no as an answer after three rejections. This rule and not giving up was vital to staying strong in any mission in the combat zone despite the difficulties.
The ORHA was the home of the Council of Ministers which primarily executives dominion of the Federal Government in Iraq. This council elects the president, who appoints the Prime Minister as the commander-in-chief. The Prime Minister also functions as the government’s head and, in turn, ordains the Council of Ministers. These ministers each monitor a department of the government. The council comprised the Ministry of Oil, Ministry of Youth, and Ministry of Justice, for example. In 2003, I met the Minister of Medicine and Religion in Bagdad. His door was the golden gated to raise Qurans, prayer rugs, prayer stones, and beads. I learned how easy it was to increase from 2000 to 6000 of each of the religious supplies by asking. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was growing impatient. Staying vigilant was vital for me to continue in any mission in combat, no matter the difficulty.
The Minister of Religion and Medicine open his door with greetings. He was very social and enjoyed discussing the Biblical sites near Bagdad. He offered to show me Jousha’s grave site. Saying this, it was my policy not to sightsee in Iraq in a military uniform or plan any morale trips with troops to visit the coveted ruins of Babylon. Some chaplains I know did take a moral trip and took fabulous photos of this magical place. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I also coveted. But any risk of killing soldiers was not worth a morale trip in a hostile combat zone. The Minister of Medicine and Religion understood my position clearly. We became friends, and he marveled that I cared for the detainees’ religious rights to ask for 6000 of each religious supply. The physician looked at me with a huge smile and said no problem, chaplain. He called Saudia Arabia, who quickly provided 2000 of the spiritual supplies for my detainees and another 4000 shortly after for other chaplains. I was very gracious to him for his continued friendship, and within several days, 2000 of each religious supply was delivered to a Mosque in the heart of Bagdad for retrieval. The ICRC women seemed stunned, with puzzled faces and no smiles. I did behave, not busting with laughter because of their doubt. A Senior Chaplain reported that raising a cheatable contribution of 6000 Qurans, prayer rugs, prayer beads, and prayer stones for religious support to Islamic detainees in a combat zone probably made history in the Army Chaplain Corps and set the standard for detainee operations. The threat of an international incident ceased.
To be continued
