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“In those days there were giants in the land….”

Over the course of the last month I’ve had the opportunity to learn from a couple of men who I would regard as giants. Both are leaders in the military arena.

Early this month I attended the National Institute of the Military Chaplains Association that was held at the Army Chaplains’ School at Ft Jackson in South Carolina. The Institute was a great time for renewing friendships and forging new ones. But for me, the highlight was getting to hear–and meet–the keynote speaker from the luncheon on Tuesday of that week–Lieutenant General Hal Moore, US Army (Ret).

Most folk who recognize the name do so because General Moore–then Colonel Moore–was the inspiration behind the movie We Were Soldiers starring Mel Gibson. That movie was based on Moore’s book, We Were Soldiers Once…and Young, which recounts his experiences during the Viet Nam war.

A new book about him is now available, A General’s Spiritual Journey. That South Carolina spring Tuesday General Moore came up from Alabama to read to us An Old General’s Letter to His Chaplain. Moore, now 86 years old, is a man of deep and abiding faith, and it was evident in his moving letter he read to us. He also gave each of us a copy of A General’s Spiritual Journey, and took the time to patiently autograph each one. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house that day. I hope that MCA will make the text of General Moore’s address available on their website.

The second giant was keynote speaker for the Middle East Region Civil Air Patrol Conference this past weekend in Richmond. I first became “acquainted” with Dr. Edgar F. Puryear, Jr., as I was completing the first course module of the Air Command and Staff College. That module, Leadership & Command, included copious footnotes, several of which were from a book entitled American Generalship, by Dr. Puryear. He considers himself “just a country lawyer,” but he is a permanent instructor at the Air Force Academy, and teaches at the National War College, Air War College, and Fordham University, among other places. A n inveterate researcher and biographer, Dr. Puryear has devoted his career to interviewing over 140 four- and five-star Generals in the US Military, trying to discover the qualities which make a leader truly great.

Both of these men impressed me is that they feel a keen stewardship to pass on to future generations what God has allowed them to see and experience and learn. This is an important calling, regardless of one’s arena of specialty.