thedrifter
01-11-06, 06:00 AM
Chaplain stays dedicated to Marines, religion
2nd Marine Division
Story by Lance Cpl. Christopher J. Zahn
CAMP BAHARIA, Iraq (Jan. 11, 2006) -- Navy Lt. Timothy R. Hall, a 43-year-old Orlando, Fla., native, is the chaplain for 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.
Hall started his military career in the Air Force where he served three years on active duty as a security policeman. He then did eight years in the Air National Guard, after which he went to a seminary in New Orleans and received a degree.
In 1999, after seeing an advertisement in a paper, he rejoined the military to be a chaplain.
“I felt a calling to the ministry,” said Hall. “It was like the Lord said that I should be a minister. I liked being in the military; I wanted to go back and take the ministry in a new direction. The Lord was offering the opportunity and here I am.”
Serving as the battalion’s chaplain is a job that Hall says he enjoys.
“I like working with Marines,” he said. “They are straightforward; much more honest and direct with their problems, which makes my job easier because I don’t have to beat around the bush searching for the problem. In a biblical sense, you are supposed to let your yes be yes and your no be no and that’s what I find in the Marines.”
Being the chaplain is not without its challenges though.
Last May, Hall had surgery to repair a broken ankle. He had to have the bone reset and several torn ligaments and tendons repaired. When the battalion deployed to Iraq in September, Hall came with the battalion even though his ankle had not completely healed yet.
“When I got here, I kept turning the ankle and it became swollen and tender,” Hall said. “I had to go to Fallujah Surgical and the doctor told me that I could either have a cast put on my foot or I could go home. I wanted to stay with 2/6 so they put a cast on to alleviate some of the pressure from my foot and give it a chance to heal.”
When asked why he wanted stay in Iraq instead of going home, Hall had this to say: “I felt like I owed it to the Marines. My heart and soul is with 2/6; I feel as if these are the Marines the Lord wants me to be a part of --- I just couldn’t see myself leaving them.”
So Hall walked around in a cast, delivering the gospel to the Marines of the battalion. He is out of the cast now and says that he feels great.
Ellie
2nd Marine Division
Story by Lance Cpl. Christopher J. Zahn
CAMP BAHARIA, Iraq (Jan. 11, 2006) -- Navy Lt. Timothy R. Hall, a 43-year-old Orlando, Fla., native, is the chaplain for 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.
Hall started his military career in the Air Force where he served three years on active duty as a security policeman. He then did eight years in the Air National Guard, after which he went to a seminary in New Orleans and received a degree.
In 1999, after seeing an advertisement in a paper, he rejoined the military to be a chaplain.
“I felt a calling to the ministry,” said Hall. “It was like the Lord said that I should be a minister. I liked being in the military; I wanted to go back and take the ministry in a new direction. The Lord was offering the opportunity and here I am.”
Serving as the battalion’s chaplain is a job that Hall says he enjoys.
“I like working with Marines,” he said. “They are straightforward; much more honest and direct with their problems, which makes my job easier because I don’t have to beat around the bush searching for the problem. In a biblical sense, you are supposed to let your yes be yes and your no be no and that’s what I find in the Marines.”
Being the chaplain is not without its challenges though.
Last May, Hall had surgery to repair a broken ankle. He had to have the bone reset and several torn ligaments and tendons repaired. When the battalion deployed to Iraq in September, Hall came with the battalion even though his ankle had not completely healed yet.
“When I got here, I kept turning the ankle and it became swollen and tender,” Hall said. “I had to go to Fallujah Surgical and the doctor told me that I could either have a cast put on my foot or I could go home. I wanted to stay with 2/6 so they put a cast on to alleviate some of the pressure from my foot and give it a chance to heal.”
When asked why he wanted stay in Iraq instead of going home, Hall had this to say: “I felt like I owed it to the Marines. My heart and soul is with 2/6; I feel as if these are the Marines the Lord wants me to be a part of --- I just couldn’t see myself leaving them.”
So Hall walked around in a cast, delivering the gospel to the Marines of the battalion. He is out of the cast now and says that he feels great.
Ellie