Dear Soldiers and families of the 310th ESC,
As Soldiers we know what it is like to face tough odds and adversity. Throughout the Army’s 241-year history, we have courageous examples of America’s brave Soldiers overcoming adversity and achieving victory.
• Think of the loyal patriots who stayed with General George Washington in the dead of winter against all odds and when all hope seemed lost.
• Recall the courageous Soldiers of the 20th Maine who defended Little Round Top at Gettysburg….who through their courage turned the tide of a battle…the tide of a war…and the tide of our nation’s history.
• Consider the bravery of the “lost battalion” in the Argonne Forest during World War I…fighting side-by-side for one another.
• Consider the fidelity of the Soldiers who stormed the beaches at Normandy….many of whom were reservists seeing their first combat.
The determination to turn adversity into victory reminds me of a parable I’d like to share. "There was once an old mule….nearly useless….that fell into a farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule struggling in the bottom of the well, calling for help. But after assessing the situation, the farmer decided that neither the mule nor the old well was worth the trouble of saving. So he called his neighbors together and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
Initially, the old mule was hysterical as the dirt from the shovels poured down upon him! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling….and the dirt hit his back…it suddenly dawned on the mule that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP!.....and that’s exactly what he did after each shovel full of dirt." -- U.S. Army Reserve Col. Brian Ray.
"Shake it off and step up!” “Shake it off and step up!” “Shake it off and step up!" “Shake it off and step up!"
No matter how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and despair….and just kept SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall and out of the well! Think about it….the piles of dirt that poured down upon him….something that initially seemed like it would bury him and bring about his demise….actually saved him...all because of the way that he chose to handle the adversity.
Soldiers of the 310th ESC, every now and then each of us falls in a well….and sometimes it feels like “the dirt of unfortunate events” is burying us in despair. But if we choose to face our problems and respond to them positively……refusing to give in to bitterness or fear...the adversities that seek to bury us almost always have within them the potential to give us the opportunity to "SHAKE IT OFF…..STEP UP" and emerge victorious!
As Soldiers, each of you has the Army Values and the Soldier’s Creed as the strength you need to “shake it off and step up”……step up to victory in your professional life and step up to victory in your personal life. During the coming months I encourage you to share special words of encouragement with someone who feels like they’ve fallen into the deep well of life’s difficulties. For 241 years, American Soldiers like you have ALWAYS found a way to achieve victory in the face of adversity.
CH (LTC) Doug Hedrick
Command Chaplain, 310th ESC
“Pro Deo et Patria…..For God and Country!”