National Military Appreciation Month: A NORAD Experience
In honor of National Military Appreciation Month, Arthur Yavelberg, author of the multi-award-winning book, A Theology for the Rest of Us , relates a story told to him by his father, who served at NORAD -- My father was a "career man" in the Air Force for 25 years, starting when it was still the "Army Air Corps." He was supposed to be a radio man on bombers--until someone in charge of the training program noticed he was wearing glasses. "How long have you been wearing those?" the officer demanded to know. "I believe I was born with them, Sir!" My father was one of those who believed the term "military intelligence" was an oxymoron, but he was intelligent enough not to say so in so many words. As it turned out, he was reassigned to NORAD, essentially a string of military bases across Canada and the northern US in anticipation of a Soviet nuclear strike launched across the North Pole. He came home one day and somberly announc