Inspire, Summer 1999

Praying For Peace ()me people believe that those in the military are 'war-mongers'who are always looking for a fight. Military personnel are definitely not'war-mon- gers.' Nobody prays for peace more fervently than military members,because we are the ones who go into harm's way when peace is lost." As a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force and the commander of the 62nd Aircraft Generation Squadron(AGS),Debbie Fakan Shattuck '81 is as strong a believer in peace as she is in the importance of the military. Hers is the largest squadron on McChord Air Force Base(near Tacoma,Washington),consisting of over 500 active duty, reserve, and civilian aircraft maintenance technicians. They maintain 43 C-141 aircraft and will shortly become the nation's second C-17 AGS.The"C"in the aircraft's name designates it as a cargo plane. These are the aircraft that ferry personnel and cargo around the world in response to military contingencies, humanitarian relief operations, and natural disasters. In addition to her weighty responsibilities at McChord Air Force Base, Debbie takes greatjoy in being a wife and mother. She and her husband, Cliff, have been married for over 15 years and have three children: David(14), Kristen(12), and Katie(9). Although military life has required many moves for their family (seven moves in 16 years), Debbie maintains that this process is easier for the Christian."This lifestyle certainly has its challenges, but for Christians, it is immeasurably easier, because no matter where we go, we simply link up with a local church and have an instant 'family.'That's a blessing." Whether the future holds peace or unrest, relocation or stability, Debbie states,"The Lord has blessed us richly over the years and we look forward to whatever He has in store for us in the future." • Following God's Lead A burden for military personnel and sharing the name of Christ led David Carr'83 to pursue his own career in the military. While at Northwest Baptist Seminary in Tacoma,Washington, David heard about military missions and applied for the chaplain candidate program. After graduation and ordination, he became a reserve chaplain, and that has led to active duty. David's responsibilities sound much like that of any other pastor: he leads a congregation, preaches weekly, visits people throughout the base,counsels people eight to twelve hours per week, holds two workplace Bible studies, prays at special events,studies, and manages lots of paperwork. The one difference of which David is keenly aware is that he must always be prepared for deployment to any part of the world. During his time at Edwards Air Force Base,David's goal has been to trust God to use him to touch at least one life per day for Him. More than 1,000 days after setting that goal,David hopes he has at least accomplished that and is content. In late July, the Can family will be moving to Izmir,Turkey for a 24-month tour. He will be there to provide chaplain support for several NATO organizations overseeing western Turkey and Greece. David states,"I do feel safe in going. Though quite close to troubled regions, I have an ally stronger than NATO." David is especially excited about this upcoming move because God's people are everywhere,and he will have the chance to meet some more ofthem on the other side of the world. As a family,they will be able to learn about a new culture and visit a land rich in biblical history. One specific highlight will come next Easter when David hopes to have the opportunity to lead a sunrise service in the coliseum where Paul preached to the Ephesians. David requests prayer for himself and his family as they minister in a predominantly Muslim country and preach the Gospel in a 150-year-old Greek Orthodox cathedral. Pray for faithfulness, wisdom,courage, and safety. David is married to Stephanie Frank Can'83.They are blessed with two happy, healthy, and wonderful children, Jessica(11)and Justin (13), who love to swim competitively and play the piano.They are currently being schooled at home as Stephanie uses her Cedarville College education degree. Ofcourse,the whole family loves to visit grandparents, Dwayne'60 and Jo Ann Watson Frank '71 and Roy'60 and Alberta Graham Can'63, back home in Cedarville. or many young Americans,service in one of the branches of the military is not high on their list of priorities. Defense expenditures are down to some of their lowestlevels in American history, and, current operations in Iraq, Bosnia, and Kosovo notwithstanding, interest in things military are also down across the country. This is unfortunate for many young people because there are a variety of educational incentives and opportunities they may be over- looking. One of those is the Reserve Officer Training Corps program. Both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force offer ROTC classes and, more importantly, ROTC scholarships to Cedarville College students. Both services offer four-year scholarships for which students who have not yet enrolled in college may compete. But they also both offer two- and three-year scholarships, available to students who have already earned some college credit. The scholarships typically pay for tuition, fees, books,and required supplies. Students under contract are also paid a monthly stipend during the school year. Even those who do not earn a scholarship may enroll and contract for a commission in either the Army or the Air Force upon graduation. This commission guarantees both employmentand further training once on active duty. There are several dozen Cedarville College students currently enrolled in Army and Air Force ROTC classes. Cadre from the Army's ROTC battalion at Central State University in Wilberforce and the Air Force's ROTC detachmentat WrightState University in Fairborn teach the classes on the Cedarville campus. For more information about ROTC through Cedarville College, contact Roger Overturf'75 at 937-766-7808 or bye-mailing overtrf@cedarville.edu.