Jane Cook - Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq and Afghanistan

Advocacy is another godly principle that works in a secular world. When a leader is humble and more concerned about others and the organization than himself, then he or she is free to be the best advocate possible.

“Before an order is given and while an issue is being discussed, we have to have the moral courage to stand up, be heard, and represent our folks,” Van Antwerp said.

As a result, Van Antwerp is prayerful about the decisions he makes, especially the major ones. After seeing a presentation in his office, he often thanks the presenters and then tells them he wants to pray about it before giving them an answer, usually the next day.

“I’m sure that’s a bit unusual for them. I want to make sure I have undergirded my decisions in prayer. That’s how I do it,” Antwerp said.

“My confidence is in him. If you’re confidence is in God, you can accept the outcome because he is sovereign and is watching over the details.”

Give me the courage to be an advocate for others.

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8)

The battlefield brings out a soldier’s courage.

Scott Smiley was working for Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp’s son, Jeff, a company commander in Iraq. A terrorist with explosives in his car approached Smiley’s vehicle in Mosul in 2005. When confronted, instead of surrendering the man committed suicide and exploded his car. Smiley was commanding the Stryker and had his head out of the commander’s hatch. He took shrapnel in both eyes and the front part of his brain.

“I’ve seen his X-rays, the entry and exit wounds,” Van Antwerp noted.

Doctors had to remove a portion of his frontal lobe that supposedly controls one’s emotions. Yet, Smiley has made a remarkable recovery.

“I believe God rewired him. He’s absolutely the same guy as before the injury, except that he can’t see. When he was injured, it was pretty early in the war and we were trying to figure out the policies for handling wounded warriors. The Army hadn’t really solidified what we were going to do with those injured this severely. Could he even stay in the Army?” Van Antwerp relayed.

The general became a personal advocate. “I called the Human Resources Command, requesting that they move Scott Smiley into my command. I told them I knew he could contribute and that I want to bring him in to watch over him as ‘Support to Wounded Warriors’ matured,” Van Antwerp reflected.

Smiley and his wife moved to Fort Monroe, Virginia., where Van Antwerp was serving as commander of United States Army Accessions Command, responsible for recruiting and training thousands of young patriots. Smiley recruited for the Army, became an inspirational speaker, and took on life’s challenges, giving God the glory for his recovery. After climbing Mount Rainier, Smiley received ESPN’s 2008 ESPY and is an inspiration to us all.

Van Antwerp also intervened to help Smiley reach his dream of teaching at the United States Military Academy. After contacting a longtime friend and dean at the Academy, the deal was done.

“I’m able to do some good things for others because of my position in the Army. In the case of Scotty, I was in a position to help,” Van Antwerp explained.

Advocacy is much more than just advocating policies and positions. Moral leadership requires personal advocacy as well.

Provide me an opportunity to be an advocate on someone’s behalf.

“And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp’s is the father of three sons and two daughters. All of his sons have served in the United States military.

“I’m so proud of them,” Van Antwerp said, noting that one is a major and one just made the major’s list. “For me, it is a family business. I want to get things right because of my boys, their friends, and all others who serve.”

For about a month in 2005, all three of his sons were in Iraq at the same time.

“We were on our knees a lot,” Van Antwerp said of how his family responded.

Van Antwerp’s youngest son and namesake, Robbie, was injured while driving a Humvee in Iraq in 2005. The explosion threw all five soldiers from the vehicle and two were killed. Robbie spent thirteen months recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Recovering physically is one thing, but overcoming post traumatic stress syndrome and living with the loss of his soldier friends is a different kind of recovery.

Physical recovery is difficult, but the war within is often the tougher and more challenging part.

“We’re just trying to be very faithful in helping and encouraging him,” he said.

Churches are becoming more aware of the challenges facing soldiers, veterans, and their families. Van Antwerp cited Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Bob Dees’s work with “Bridges to Healing Ministry,” part of Campus Crusade for Christ’s military ministry. Van Antwerp described their work as “a full court press to help counselors and churches minister in this hidden battle.” The ministry has published a basic guide for churches, the “corps of compassion,” to begin equipping them to understand and restore PTSD sufferers and their families.

“You can talk about the power of positive thinking, but that does not do it. You have to come back to the idea that God does have a plan for your life. The essence is that God loves you. These momentary trials will work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to his purpose,” Van Antwerp reflected, referencing Romans 8:38.

In the end many who have suffered in this way will be able to comfort others in the same manner that they’ve been comforted. This is “another godly principle” that works.

Father I pray for those wounded warriors, as they recover both physically and emotionally. Bring them complete healing that they may both comfort others and fulfill your plan for them.

“My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God.” (Job 16:20)

Why do soldiers fight? Why do they risk everything?

“In the most basic sense, they do it for their fellow soldiers,” Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp said, noting the high-level of patriotism he has seen in soldiers since Sept. 11, 2001.

“In Accessions Command, we brought new soldiers into the Army. The Army has to recruit about 175,000 soldiers every year to maintain the strength. What is remarkable is that our young people have responded to the call knowing they’re going to deploy,” Van Antwerp explained. Prior to commanding the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Van Antwerp led United States Army Accessions Command, which is responsible for recruiting and training soldiers.

“Our obligation to these volunteers is to provide them the best training and equipment possible.”

Getting it right means conducting drills in body armor and convoy live-fire training. It also means shifting away from a confrontational, adversarial drill sergeant mentality to a leader, mentor, and trainer role model. And that means: AURA, an easy-to-remember leadership principle for making the “Army Strong.”

“You would know one of our soldiers because there’s a special AURA about them. The letters mean something. The A means they know that they’re accepted into the unit,” Van Antwerp said.