Basic Combat Training Fort Jackson, South Carolina
I was thinking my Army career was finished before it even started. Sitting in the military doctors office he stamped my medical file with “PTRP”, Physical Therapy Rehab Platoon. Several broken bones and a hip injury I wondered what mistake was made. Right now I should be chanting Hare Krsna in a nice devotee community.
By Mitravinda devi dasi
The doctor explained to me that I may need screws in my hip and at my age I may not heal as fast, I may never run again, he suggested I consider a medical discharge.
“What in the world would possess a 40 year old female initiated Hare Krishna devotee to enlist active duty in the US Army during war?” My drill sergeants, military guru’s, wished me well as they dropped me off at the Physical Therapy unit. It was a sad separation as we came to respect and care for each other. My head hung low in shame, lamenting in my failure. When I looked up I noticed the soldier standing in line ahead of me also waiting to be admitted had a name tag on the back of his cap. His name was “Misra”.
A reunion of souls!! Private Misra just moved to the USA from the Fiji Islands where he attended an ISKCON temple. In the states however he did not live near a temple and this was his first time since being here, 6 months, that he met a devotee. He asked about Bhagavad Gita. I tied a Bhagavad Gita in a bag on the handle of my crutches and somehow made my way to his barracks. I understood at that moment why I was here, to serve guru and Krishna, to somehow please Srila Prabhupada. Eight months, 252 of Srila Prabhupada books later I graduated Basic Combat Training.
Hours of physical therapy and retraining I was able to run again, no screws or surgery required. In training we have very strict rules, one of which is no reading material outside religious or military is allowed. The Bhagavad Gita, Mahabharata and Ramayana are all considered both religious and military and thus accepted as approved literature. Fort Jackson, South Carolina trains 45,000 new soldiers annually, 90% of whom will be deployed to combat within a year’s time.
Mostly young American men and women between the ages of 17-25 who for the first time in our nations history will enter war and have the opportunity to meet Lord Jaganatha. A wonderful devotee named Partha-sarathi dasa has already established the presence of Lord Jaganatha on base in Iraq. Prasadam and book distribution on the battlefield, apart of this sankirtana mission. In the physical therapy unit we were expected to heal our bodies.
Extremely boring for a soldier who is used to high speed mode of passion activity. We passed our days dreaming of the time we could return to full training. Weekly Bhagavad Gita classes on Sundays, watching Abaya Charan Video’s and nightly reading of Mahabharata. The new bhakta’s and bhaktin’s came from places like Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota. Some were Creole, Native Hawaiian, Eskimo, white, black and mixed.
These soldiers were the most awesome devotees. We chanted Japa together and when I felt hopeless they reminded me of Krsna. Several of our authorities already knew about Krsna from years of prior sankirtana. The Chaplain, Company First Sergeant and Drill Sergeants already heard of Krsna from devotees in Germany and Italy located near US Military bases. One Drill Sergeant even reported having met devotees in Bosnia.
After months of healing in the physical therapy unit several of us were sent back down to Basic Combat Training to finish the requirements of graduation.
I remember training from the first time around and decided I would have no time for preaching. There is no storage for Srila Prabhupada’s books in the barracks. The books would be too heavy for me to carry plus all my army issued supplies. Only my one Bhagavad Gita and Japa beads would be packed. That was a huge mistake!
A good sankirtana devotee always needs a generous supply of Krishna Conscious materials. Krishna, being the Supreme Controller, did not need me or any of my insignificant sentimental attempts at serving Him. On one hand I felt humiliated yet on the other I was amazed by Krsna’s magnificent independent potency of using a brand new bhaktin in spreading His Holy Name. Back in high speed mode of passion training I was walking through the barracks of 56 female soldiers.
From a top bunk I was hearing Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Private Aber, a 19 year old from Pennsylvania decided to pack all her Krishna Conscious materials because unlike myself, she had great attachment to the Lord. Aber was teaching Private Duncan, a 17 year old from Arkansas how to chant Japa. A crowd began to gather on the top bunk. Aber requested my assistance in preaching.
I told Aber she was preaching perfectly, she should continue. Listening to her glorify Lord Krishna I realized who the real hero’s were, the soldiers themselves. Aber took out her copy of Back To Godhead and passed it around. That was not enough, she displayed all her cool pictures of Krishna she cut out of old BBT calendars my godsister sent us. The barracks was filled with oohs and aahs over the beautiful art. Private Wise, a 20 year old from Alabama, was a very nice artist. She took one of the picture and went back to her bunk. It was 21:00, (9:00 PM) lights out.
Wise took out her flashlight and continued to draw a picture of Krsna late into the night. She woke me up a few hours later to ask if her drawing looked like God. “Oh, yes this was God.” I assured her. The night before graduation when we were all given back our cell phones, ipods, civilian clothes the soldiers went nuts enjoying what limited sense gratification was available. Duncan decided we should have kirtana. She led us in a sweet kirtana as I tapped on the metal bunks as karatals would sound. Aber led us in prayer asking Lord Krishna to protect us birth after birth.
JAYA Srila Prabhupada, This is a wonderful report… this movement is spreading from here in Iraq, to SC. When I hear about ISKCON precahing spirit declining, I think of devotees like Mitra Vinda Mataji. Great Job…. these soldiers are so accepting of this KC philosiphy.
all glories to your service
yours in service of Sri Guru & Gauranga
Partha-sarathi dasa
AWESOME. From yours and Partha Sarathi’s reports it seems that we should send more preachers to joint he military. It seems like one of the best preaching fields. We always sold books to sodiers, but this is much better.
Hare Krsna Mataji!
PAMHO AGTSP
That is wonderful you are making progress with them. I was not so successful thirty years ago.
My dad had served in the Army during WWII and I felt some inclination in this regard. But, there were other factors.
I would suggest getting training when and if you can to improve your situation.
Your servant in Krsna consciousness,
Citraketu dasa
Hari bol dear Mitravinda ji,
If you are the same Mitravinda I met in NC, then I must say that even years ago your devotional determination, self sufficiency, resourcefulness, and excellent sadhana impressed me so much. And so it is amazing to see how your life unfolds, and what amazing opportunities are coming your way, as a flowering, by Krishnas grace. I am so inspired by this post. It is so clear, and I really got a feeling for the enthusiasm and innocence of the people you are meeting. These women are being trained in discipline, obedience and austerity as part of boot camp and it just perfect that Krishna’s devotee is right there to give them some transcendental mercy. I just pray that Krishna will protect you.
Hare Krishna Mitravinda devi dasi,
Your post was recommended to me by Dravida dasa at th San Diego temple. As a new devotee and a Marine officer that will be deploying soon to Iraq I wanted to thank and encourage the practice of you and your fellow soldiers. Often times the spiritual preparation for war or military service is overlooked in the haste to make service members physically and materially ready. It is a great service to find and keep Krishna Consciousness as we prepare for these trying times. While “Hurry up and wait” is a mantra often heard in the military, how wonderful it is during operational and training pauses one can recite the Maha-mantra and remember the Lord while others are complaining and lamenting. As Dravida dasa instructed me, he said that the battlefield is an excellent place to preach. Rightfully so as Lord Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna just before battle. This point alone has had a tremendous effect on my personal spiritual growth and I’m sure I’m not alone. So while we modern-day ksatriyas dawn our body armor, helmets and weapons, we tuck japa beads into our cargo pockets, carry vinyl Bhagavad-Gitas in our packs, pictures of Lord Krishna, Jagannatha, and Nrsimhadeva under our breastplates and blissfully chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare.
Your Brother Antony
Hare Krishna!
thank you all for such nice comments. yes, I was in NC for about a year. I wrote a letter to Krishna Priya dasi at the temple about Janmastami at Ft. Jackson, SC. Tell all the devotees there I miss them. I also miss all the devotees in New York and Alachua.
Antony, I was telling Partha Sarthi dasa I would like to organize some type of Krishna Concious Military Congregation. I have heard of several second generation devotees in the Marines and Army. It will take some time and thought, maybe an internet site since we are all stationed in different places at different times.
I recieved a phone call the other night from a book distributor who was interested in preaching to soldiers. He is welcome to come to Ft. Sam Houston,TX my next base. If any book distributors are in the neighborhood please contact me. BBT will always have the most recent address and way to reach me.
At the temple sunday feast this evening, (I am on Holiday in Columbus Ohio at this moment) a book distributor reported a wonderful story to me. Today, Kalinidisundari mataji was distributing books and stopped a soldier. Mataji was so happy and estatic that this soldier already had a Bhagavad Gita and he told her all about Krsna and Arjuna. He appreciated Bhagavad Gita.
Very nice discussion.
Soldiers are some of the best recipients of Krsna’s mercy, I recall Janmastami Prabhu when he was sankirtana leader in NY in 1989, he was expert at selling books to soldiers, why recently visiting Eritrea in Africa, I was preaching to some UN peace keepers from Brazil, and gave them some books, they really appreciated. Also here in Washington DC we meet several soldiers that has been injured and thus send to various naval and army hospitals, after they get better we meet them on the National mall, and they are often very eager to receive Srila Prabhupadas books .Every day so many young men and women from USA are loosing their life in Iraq, if they can at least get one of Srila Prabhupadas books, before they get to this point, a great service can be done-I suggest some program be set up with sponsored books so many free books can be given to these soldiers, here many small gifts are send to them…but no gift can compare to getting one of Srila Prabhupadas books—We should not forget to tell people that there is link with Srila Prabhupadas books online Vedabase.net-we should still sell them books—but mention this please to everyone you see-please check out Vedabase.net a free library of all Srila Prabhupada books
Then if you have a printed card with a temple address and vedabase.net they still have an opportunity to read Srila Prabhupadas books, this is the goal of our bookdistribution somehow or other they read the books.
I sold one book to a gentleman from Dubai, now he is becoming a life member, and I started to encourage him to also read Vedabase.net, now as he has the taste I like to get the books in printed form. Even those who don’t sell books can make a T shirt that say please read Vedabase.net, they are walking billboards, advertising Srila Prabhupadas books, many will get curious what is this Vedabase.net. Or while on Harinama many fliers with invitation cards get distributed with an address to the temple and chant Hare Krsna, now also we can add and please read Vedabase.net.
I think it is a tool we should utilize more and more.
Your servant
Payonidhi das
Are there any Hare Krishna chaplains in the U.S. Army?
Are there any chaplains at all from any Vedic/Hindu background?
Has anyone looked into whether it would be feasible to get the Army to approve a devotee acting as a chaplain?
I know they have Muslim chaplains and of course Jewish and various Christian denominations. There must be more Hare Krishna and Hindu soldiers these days than in the past, who could use a full time Hare Krishna priest.
It is amazing and fantastic what soldier-preachers like Partha Sarathi Prabhu are doing. Would it be feasible to also have a devotee-padre back at the base with with no other occupation but to minister to the Hare Krishna soldiers?
Does the army pay chaplains a decent salary and benefits? Are they “civilian employees” who can take advantage of the other benefits the Army offers? Can they retire with a pension after a certain number of years of service? Wouldn’t this be a nice occupation for some highly qualified, skilled brahmanical devotees?
Dear Devotees, Please accept my most fallen obeisnace’s. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! There is much intreset now in Soldier precahers. And also talk about let’s get KC chaplins etc. While yes it is possible, the fact that life in the Army is hard…. it is lonely. i have been deployed ten times to combat zones, from Saudi Arabia to Haiti to Kosovo, to Iraq, all with out any devotee association. I have had to assit Srila Prabhupada in making devotees. While the idea of what I am doing and what Mitra Vinda Mataji is doing sounds exciting, the harsh reality is that the military is no place for a devotee. And this is coming from 10 years of doing it. The idea of preaching that focuses on Soldiers in wonderful. Honestly I ahve to say we can focus on this area without having devotee join the military. We can focus on the gurukuli’s that are in already, use contacts to make programs on base. But is it worth the decline in health, the mental problems that come with war? I am only 30 years in this body, I am deaf in one ear, i have hearing loss in the other, I cannot sleep more than 3 hours a night, and the things I have done and seen wil haunt me for the rest of my life. I have to face the fact that if I keep it up, I may lose the gift of hearing the Holy Name.
I am not writing this letter as detering anyone from this service. I just wnat to let everyone know what they are getting into. The precahing is amazing…that I cannot deny, the realizations can help springboard you in spiritual life. The whole material world is dangerous. The Army gives benefits, they help matain family. The illusion is that a chaplin is not on the fornt line, but that is not so. In this war Chaplins are out with teh soldiers, they are getting shot at also, they are being blown up by IEDs etc.
Forgive me for writing this letter. I just wnat to out this out to the public… I suggest the GBC decide what to do about military precahing. I will volunteer to help and manage this. But let’s look at all the facts before promoting the joining of the military.
forgive me for my offences,
your servant
Partha-sarathi dasa
great suggestion Akruranath Prabhu- it is something ISKCON should push, I once remember a call to our small temple in Liverpool in the UK where I was for a few months 12 years back, a hospital called if any Hare krsna devotees could act as a chaplain
on a regular basis due to many hindus there.
I think in armies across the world and hospitals might be interested, it is something ISKCON has to look into –it will be great preaching for those who really needs it the most
ys
Payonidhi das