James W. Lane
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I enlisted in the U. S. Army Reserve on March 3, 1954 while still in my senior year in high school. After getting my parents consent I went to Fort Hood, Texas for basic training after graduation. Upon my retirement from the service on August 4, 1996 I had a total of 42 years, 5 months and 2 days of service. The Army furnished all of my formal education beyond High School. I rose in the ranks from a Private to Chief Warrant Officer - Four when I retired. Among my decorations and medals was the award of the Legion of Merit. I am extremely proud of my military service and was honored and humbled to serve my country for over 40 years both as a member of the Reserve as a career Federal employee. I was baptized into the United Methodist Church, by Rev. Aaron Barling in 1962 at the age of 26. During all those years I have served both my country and my church to the very best of my ability. In the 1960's and 1970's it was not a popular time to admit that you were a part of the military community in the United Methodist Church. Only after the dedication of the Vietnam Memorial did we begin to realize how badly we had mistreated the returning veterans of that war. Many were spat on and called "baby killers" - - there were no welcome home parades or ceremonies thanking them for serving their nation. Beginning with our efforts to free the people of Iraq we began to come together as a nation again and held our service members and veterans in our hearts again. We had parades and many ceremonies to send them off and then welcome them home again. I was honored to participate in the big Little Rock home coming parade. You were again proud to let people know that you were a veteran. Our church position on military service is - - well schizophrenic. Let's take a look at Para 164 G Military Service (Statement of Social Principles) (2000 Book of Discipline). It begins with these words "We deplore war . . . " I personally do not know of a service member or veteran who disagrees with that statement. War is mankind=s worst travesty. But then we end that paragraph with these two sentences:
I well remember the 1970's and 1980's when our church passed resolution after resolution in support of the first sentence, but none in support of the second one at both the Annual and General Conference level. I was sickened and saddened in heart and soul at such shortsightedness. It seems to me that the two sentences ought to be reversed! We seem to be saying that choosing to serve in the armed forces is the less than best choice. For too long I was reluctant to tell anyone that I was in the military outside my own local church. They would always look at me and say, Oh, and then drop the subject. |
