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by Thomas Fenton, Captain –
One of the holiest places I have ever been is Soldier’s Hall. At night, the flags stand guard and offer testimony to the thousands of officers who have gone before us. In the still quiet of that room, a cadet’s soul mingles with the assurance of mission and the intimidation of a high and mighty calling. The sense of community is overwhelming, because none of us has made it alone.
Every flag represents countless friends, family, officers, soldiers, mentors, and employees who poured their time, talent, and resources into the privileged one called… “Cadet.” Without the support of our corps and division the flags are gone…the room is empty, and the cadet is untrained and ill equipped to fight the battle ahead.
God calls officers, but loving community produces them. The job isn’t over when a soldier becomes a cadet and walks into that first class at the training college. On the contrary, the job has just begun. Now, the corps and divisional ministry of prayer, letters, phone calls, and financial support keep the candle of calling burning brightly.
Who knows…someday… someone you know may be standing in Soldier’s Hall with a tear in their eye and a lump in their throat. The flags will remind them of the incredible scope of God’s calling and provision in their lives. They will encourage others to walk the high and holy path to officership.
Yet, in all of this the Father will use you—the community—to sustain them. Don’t pass up the opportunity to invest in a cadet. During my two years at the college, our God carried me; my family loved me; the officers instructed me; but in the end it was the entire community of faith that formed me.