The Days Forward

West Point Class of 1969

Suzanne Rice

The London Bombings – 2005

     On the morning of July 7, 2005, four Muslim fanatics struck the London transportation system with a surprise terrorist attack.  That same morning, after the attacks had occurred, I sent out one of my monthly missionary updates to my supporters back in the U.S., but without making any mention of the attacks at the time.  The reason for the omission is very simple.  Even though Avril and I were living less than 20 miles away in the London suburb of Watford (https://thedaysforward.com/the-beautiful-game-2003/ ), we simply had not yet heard about the attacks at the time, and like everyone else, they caught us by surprise!

Location of the London Terrorist Attacks (Britannica)

     This is, of course, a prime aspect of any terrorist attack.  Classmates may remember from our study of Clausewitz’ ‘Principles of War’, Surprise is a major principle and probably a terrorist’s most favorite.  Even in those times when they don’t kill many people, they can still create fear and havoc. Through surprise, they can create the maximum shock value with the least amount of effort.

     Although I certainly could not have predicted that the attack would happen on Thursday (7 July 2005) at roughly 8:50am, I cannot actually say that they surprised me.  In April of that year, I had taught two one-day seminars to Sports Chaplains on Crisis/Trauma Response; and on both days, the discussion was never in the form of “if”, but “when”.  I had even commented that I was surprised that at that time the Western world had only seen one other attack (the Madrid train bombing in 2004) since 9/11.  So, it was only a matter of time before there would be another one.

London Learns of the Surprise Attacks (Reuters)

     In my next monthly newsletter, I commented that it occurred to me that the terrorists had not really been using their heads.  Though the bombings were obviously well-planned and coordinated, they probably could have had a much greater effect if the four bombers had all been sent to four different cities, rather than one small section of London.  Imagine how great the concern throughout the UK would have been if they had gone to London, Leeds, Lancaster and Llenelli!  Yes, it’s a real place (pronounced Thanethlii), which actually serves to make my point.  Set a bomb off in a place you’ve never heard of, and then everyone begins to wonder who’s next.  Typically, it’s only those who live in and around the big cities who really have a need to be concerned.

     The fact that the attacks were probably suicide bombers, and were perpetrated by British born and bred Muslims really took everybody (especially Muslims) by surprise.  Though Oklahoma was the result of a born and bred American weirdo; we in the U.S. point to the fact that 9/11 was the result of foreign fanatics.  Soon after the London Bombings, we fairly quickly started to see the signs of a change in the mindset of British Muslims.  For a while anyway they began to talk about how home-grown terrorists were a problem for them to solve, and not just the authorities.  In a newspaper editorial even Prince Charles said that this must happen – the Muslim community throughout Britain can no longer make allowance for those who would preach and promote hatred and violence.  And on the morning news, I remember one of the talking heads, who was himself a Muslim, said that there seemed to be a sign of a real turning point on this issue in the UK.

     One thing that surprised me was that I actually ended up with two personal connections to the bombings – those being a man who was killed on one of the subway cars and a man from my church who was on another one of the trains but wasn’t physically hurt.  Most of us tend to live our lives with the belief that bad things never happen to us; they only happen to other people.  I don’t say that as a condemnation, but simply as a matter of fact.  And one further belief is that bad things don’t happen to people we know; they only happen to people we don’t know.  So, I was surprised to hear about the two men that I knew.

     Not long after the bombings I went to the funeral of James, the young man that I knew who was killed in the bombings.  He was a strong Christian and a keen fan of World Rally racing with a lot of contacts in the sport.  The morning of the bombings I actually had an email in my inbox arranging the time and place for lunch so we could talk more about how to introduce Sports Chaplaincy into World Rally.  At the funeral the Old Testament reading was from Psalm 139, in which verse 16, says, “… in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”  More and more I am struck by how much God is in control, and by how little we are actually in control.  It’s almost as if the whole of life is focused on this one thing.  We come into the world with no control whatsoever; and then we spend the rest of our lives trying to gain as much control as possible.  In the Western world our primary aim is to retire with total security.  And all the while God’s aim is to try and teach us that there can only be one Master.  So, we either come to the place where we accept that He is in control; or we fail to learn that, and we live life wrongly believing that we are our own master.  For a Christian, Islamic fundamentalist terrorism should have the opposite effect from the one desired.  It should drive us into the totally secure arms of Jesus.

     Also, not too long after the bombings I preached at St. James Road Baptist Church, which was the church we regularly attended when we lived in Watford.

St. James Road Baptist Church, Watford England

 As it “happened”, I was scheduled to preach on John 21:1-25.  At the end of the message, I pointed out that Jesus tells Peter (v. 20-23) it is none of his business what happens to the Apostle John.  Peter’s only concern should be Jesus’ plan for him, not Jesus’ plan for John.  My point was that ultimately each of us is responsible to submit to God’s sovereign control over our own personal lives.  When we went to communion, I suggested that people might want to take the bread as symbolic of being thankful for God’s provision, and they might want to take the cup as being symbolic of their willingness to take whatever God sends their way as His sovereign will.  Afterwards, John, the other man I knew who was on one of the trains that was bombed, came up to speak to me.  The afternoon of the bombings, I had had a counseling session with him to help him work through some of the trauma that he had seen and experienced first-hand.  He said that he really appreciated what I had to say in my sermon.  He then said that he had chosen to take communion for the first time in eight years of attending the church.  You just never know how God might use the trials of life to draw us ever closer to him.  May God continue to do that for all of us as long as we have left.

Remembering Ray’s friend, James, a young man killed in the terrorist attack on the Tube in London: A church deacon from Bretton in Peterborough, Mr. Adams was a deeply Christian man. The mortgage adviser was caught in the Piccadilly Line blast while on his way to work in the Strand. He called his mother from King’s Cross to let her know he had arrived in London safely and was about to board the Tube. His parents said: “James was a deeply loved son and brother, who lived and loved life to the full.” Rest in Peace.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-11989641

250th Birthday of the Army – Tribute to Veterans

We know and hold in high esteem, the early leaders of the U.S. Army who fought so valiantly for our freedom. George Washington, Nathanael Green, Henry Knox, Ethan Allen. We have been taught about heroes of later years: Andrew Jackson, Winfield Scott in the War of 1812; Zachary Taylor in the Mexican War, dozens of heroes of the Civil War; Walter Reed and Leonard Wood of the Spanish-American War; in WWI, John J. Pershing, Edwin Hubble; Dwight Eisenhower, Audie Murphy and many more who served in WWII; Douglas MacArthur in Korea, Creighton Abrams among many others in the Vietnam War, Norman Schwartzkopf in the Iraq War and many heroes from the years in Afghanistan. I would like to make my tribute to those millions of soldiers who served under/with our famous heroes – the ones we don’t know by name. They were heroes – all – because they were willing to give their lives to protect us and our way of life. Many were our fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, sisters. Along with the hundreds of thousands of nameless patriots, we should remember all of the families that supported, encouraged and waited for their own personal hero. Sometimes, it was hard, but hard builds character and those who have been associated with our Army, its leaders and its values (https://thedaysforward.com/framing-the-army-of-the-future-1995/ ) have contributed to our country during their service to our country and for most in their lives after serving. Their strong and patriotic essence is the backbone of our land, for they continue to make their communities better because of their love of country and for the values that they internalized and are passing on to the next generation. Having been associated with these folks for many years has been the most unique and enriching experience and I salute you all!

250th Birthday of the Army – Long Journey to America

     My connection to our Army started in 1945, two years before I was born in Wels, Austria. My parents had fled from Hungary, their homeland, before the advancing Soviet armies. Their goal was to reach the American army so that when the war ended, they would hopefully be in the US not the Soviet zone of occupation.

     Their journey took them to the picturesque town of Gmunden, Austria which had just been occupied by American soldiers and there they stopped.

     Finding shelter in a dairy barn, they eventually secured better accommodations while my father went to work as a bricklayer in a neighboring town.

     Finally, four years later, they found a distant relative in Cleveland, Ohio who, with the help of Catholic Charities, sponsored their passage to America. I, meanwhile, was born in Austria in February 1947, early enough to make the crossing with them on a Navy transport ship the USS General S.D. Surgis (AP-137) named after a USMA 1846 graduate.

     Forty-seven years later, as the Commander of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, I attended a reunion of the Regiment’s World War II veterans. They brought their albums showing their march through Europe at the head of Patton’s 3rd Army. 

     “Here is where we ended up”, one veteran related, “in a beautiful little town in Austria, named Gmunden” ! 

     It was then I realized that my parents, so many years earlier, had found refuge in a town occupied by the regiment I then commanded.

250th Birthday of the Army – Beyond the Battlefield

   Beyond the Battlefield: How Army Service Strengthens American Society

     When my father, a World War II Army veteran, learned I had decided to attend West Point, his eyes conveyed a deep pride that words alone could never fully express. He instilled in me a strong work ethic and love of country. As a child, when I asked him how I should answer if someone asked if I was Italian, he firmly replied, “You’re an American.” His words captured a powerful truth I came to fully appreciate through my own military service: while the Army’s stated mission is to defend our nation and win wars, its true value extends far beyond the battlefield. It has long served as a source of social mobility, individual growth, loyalty to nation and community, and leadership development—benefits deeply woven into the fabric of American society.

     Soldiers and officers from every corner of the country, representing a patchwork quilt of races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds, live and work together toward common missions, learning mutual respect and understanding. I saw the personal growth in my soldiers, peers, and fellow West Pointers attributable to their service experience. The Army equips individuals with a wide range of work and career skills that not only benefit them but also positively impact society. Training and experience in diverse fields brings veterans with specialized skills back into civilian industries, government, and community organizations. The Army’s emphasis on discipline, responsibility, loyalty, and resilience become integral to an individual’s character, affecting how they interact with others and their broader social engagement.

     Many of my West Point classmates have risen to the top of professions and organizations in and out of government. In the Class of 1969 alone, we have generals, medical doctors, lawyers, judges, brilliant engineers, teachers, scientists, CEOs, COOs, an Astronaut, an Ambassador to Germany, and a transcendent college basketball coach. In the Army these men developed and honed skills in problem-solving and critical thinking; leadership and teamwork; discipline and work ethic; adaptability and resilience; selflessness; and civic participation. These skills have significant societal impact, spreading exponentially among colleagues, mentees, students, and others they encounter. The skills and values not only enhance individual career paths but also strengthen the workforce and foster innovation, productivity, and a commitment to the greater good.

Hurrah to the U.S. Army at 250!

Thank you for making our nation safer, stronger, and better.

250th Birthday of the Army – Happy Birthday!

In a previous essay on The Days Forward about what West Point meant to me, I stated that not counting obvious things like the birth of my kids, there were three events in my life that I count as being both profound and life-changing.  I went on to say that in chronological order the first was attending and graduating from West Point.  The second was meeting my wife, Avril, my Firstie Year at West Point, and the third was coming to know Jesus Christ as my Savior.  But there was also a fourth event that was quite significant that preceded everything else in my life; and that was being born an Army brat on December 26, 1946, in a Quonset Hut which was part of the hospital at Fort Benning, Georgia.  So, in some respects, the Army is more a part of who I am than just about anything else in my life.  I was born into the Army, I was schooled by the Army, I met my wife on an Army base, I have 21 years of Army service, and even today the bulk of my retirement is funded by the Army.  For me, almost everything that it means to be an American was first learned in the Army.  I learned respect for the flag every evening at 5:30pm when everything stopped for a couple of minutes while the flag was taken down.  I’m sure I probably learned the Pledge of Allegiance and the Stars Spangled Banner in an Army grade school.  My Cub Scout and Boy Scout and Explorer leaders were all either an Army wife or an enlisted man or NCO or Officer in the Army.  Even my clergy growing up were all Army Chaplains, and almost all my childhood memories of a religious nature happened in a chapel on an Army base somewhere in the world.  My conservative values were certainly forged in the Army.  Before I ever set foot on West Point the Army had already given me a sense of duty, honor and country.  And when I die and the final words at my funeral are said, Taps will be played, a 21-gun salute will be given, the flag that covered my coffin will be presented to a loved one, and a military cemetery will become my final resting place.  What does the Army mean to me?  Everything!  So, of course, I would like to be a part of saying “Happy 250th Birthday” to the United States Army!