And on the Seventh Day, They Rested

A Battalion has no set number of troops. My entire Battalion consisted of no more than 93 soldiers when we deployed. The caption reads that Mass was being performed in some outpost, not a large base or FOB. If these soldiers were on a base, it would be inside and there would be a building. It would also be packed. Out here on the outposts, the chaplains try to bring in as many soldiers as they can, but the problem is that missions run all day long. Chances are these joes were off and feel pretty lucky to be able to attend.

Prayer in your daily life is important to Catholics. We start the day with prayers or Mass, and many will offer up their daily activities as petitions. That’s what I was taught. I think the photo illustrates the men’s sacrifice, as it is they who have our back.

I’d like to comment more on the image.. there’s so much there.
Seen from above, the men are on their knees in the dirt. We’re taking God’s vantage point here, which can be a little uncomfortable in itself.
Beyond that, there are 3 major elements in the picture: The earthen slab, the fire pit, and the noose. Look at them. The slab says “grave” all over it. It’s a little larger than an individual’s grave, but that adds to it’s weight. The fire pit looks like it might be an instant portal to hell, built right into the landscape of this service here. Finally, the thick black strap, complete with a loop at the dangling end, hanging from the end of the wild-west style post. Creepy.
All in all, it reeks of “judgement” as opposed to “salvation”.

It’s weird that the revulsion I feel at the actual conduct of the leaders of our religious and governmental institutions must reside so closely to the reverence I have for the founding principles which said institutions claim to embody.

That is an unusual color for vestments. If seen/read as violet, it would signify the First Sunday of Lent. On the other hand, it seems more royal blue…specific to Catholic chaplins serving the military?
So, the spot of color anchors the image and lifts the sensual/sensory/emotional/spiritual dimension out of the mundane; beautiful and pregnant with symbol.
I think the noose is a horse/mule tether on a hitching post…or not? hard to tell how high off the ground in relation to the head of the priest.
Creeps me a bit how the posture of the soldiers, at the Consecration of the Mass happening here, echoes images of Abu Ghraib prisoners…