Category Archives: Deployment

Comoros Islands National Day celebrates 47 years of independence from France

The Comoros Islands off the coast of East Africa celebrate National Day on July 6. Just like Independence Day in the United States, Comoros National Day marks the day the islands gained their independence from France.

When the Good Chaplain visited the capitol, Moroni, on the island of Grande Comore, when he deployed to Africa in 2010-2011. The islands only recently gained their independence from France in 1975. A referendum for independence passed with only one of the four main islands — Mayotte voting against it. The other three islands, Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Moheli, voted for the referendum and formed the Union of the Comoros.

A constitutional referendum passed in 2018 eliminated the long standing single five-year presidential term two terms. Since 2001, the presidency rotated among the three islands. The referendum also designated Islam as the state religion and granted the president power to eliminate the three vice presidents — one from each island.

Roughly 98 percent of the population is Muslim, with Sunni Islam as the main branch, with African Arabs making up the majority ethnic group, with 86 percent of the population. The Good Chaplain met one of the few non-Muslims on the islands. This man (whose name is being withheld for his protection) was well-respected and well-known on the islands. “Everyone knew him,” the Good Chaplain said. Comoros is the only Muslim-majority country in Southern Africa.

The man converted from Islam to Christianity while attending school in the United States. He realized he couldn’t find answers about God in the Quran, but were in the Christian Bible and he converted. They imprisoned him for two years when he returned to the island, for converting, but eventually let out of prison and became a well-known member of the community. I’ll tell you more about him in my next book on the Good Chaplain’s African deployment.

Comoros Flag

According to the 2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (Comoros – United States Department of State) put out by the US Department of State, “significant human rights issues” include torture, arbitrary detention, abysmal prison conditions, political prisoners restrictions on free expression, the press and the internet, severe restrictions on religious freedom, corruption, human trafficking, criminalizing same-sex relationships between adults, and forced child labor.

Despite the deplorable human rights conditions, the Comoros Islands is a ‘place of amazingly warm, friendly people, all-around fantastic weather, and world-class beaches,” according to The Unusual Traveler blog. The author of the blog post found the islands to be safe, even when walking around at night. “The biggest danger here is, as always, the traffic,” he wrote.

All-in-all, the Good Chaplain enjoyed his visit to Moroni and I can’t wait to share his trip with you in the next book.

Until then,

Vicki

Victoria Terrinoni is the author of “Where You Go, I Will Go: Lessons From a Military Spouse,” available here or by clicking the Shop tab above. Watch for her new book on the Good Chaplain’s Africa deployment coming soon!

How to layout my new book. Take a poll to help.

The best advice I ever got as a reporter and writer was “Puke it out and clean it up later.” It means get your thoughts, stories, articles or whatever down on paper and then go back to edit and make it look pretty. Do you think I can do that?

Not a chance. With my new book about the Good Chaplain’s deployment to Africa, I’m trying to get the rough draft done, but every time I sit down to write, I think about previous sections and how I can improve them.

First person or third person?

I’m also confused whether it is better in the first person or third person. Some parts work well in the third person, but the rest of it seems to lend itself to the first person. Right now, I am leaning toward the first person.

The second dilemma is how to organize the book. You all can help me with that. Should I set up the book by month, or by country? I started out by country, then set it up by month. The issue with the country route is he visited some countries more than once. But I can fix that easily.

By month, country, or people?

Or, and here is the big question — should I set up the book with each chapter a story of the people he met? Now I’m thinking maybe this is the way to go. The working title is “East Africa: Stories of Hope and Faith.” Maybe a little less of what the Good Chaplain did and more about the people’s story is the way to go.

Your help with this will allow me to write the best book possible to inspire, educate, and entertain my readers.

Thanks for your time and input.

Until next time,

Vicki

Victoria Terrinoni is the author of “Where You Go, I Will Go: Lessons From a Military Spouse,” available here or by clicking the Shop tab above. Watch for her new book on the Good Chaplain’s Africa deployment coming soon!

The ever-changing plans of military life are infuriating

Tech Sergeant was supposed to deploy very soon, but now that is on hold. I can only imagine what my daughter, Mrs. Tech Sergeant, feels.

I’m sure she is happy and relieved that he is home longer, but he is not off the hook yet, so I’m also sure she is anxious, wondering when the orders will drop.

The Good Chaplain and I experienced these feelings a few times. However, one event will always stand out to me. The Good Chaplain was going to Guam to support Iraqi/Kurdish refugees, but literally at the last minute — I remember we were walking out the door to go to the airport — the Air Force canceled the trip. Grrrr!

I was angry. You’re wondering why I would be mad? I’ll tell you why. Once the Air Force notified the Good Chaplain of the deployment, I started mentally and emotionally preparing for the separation. I started doing more things independently, detaching myself from my dependence on the Good Chaplain.

I tended to do that. I subconsciously pulled back, especially emotionally. The Good Chaplain wanted to spend quality time and” make memories,” but I felt the goodbye was more painful if we grew closer to each other right before he left. I felt that way towards friends during PCS season as well. I was an absolute joy to be around.

Anyway, as we made preparations for the Good Chaplain’s departure, we heard the mission was shutting down shortly after he arrived. So it made no sense for him to go for a few weeks. So the Good Chaplain raised the question, but the deployment people (whoever they are) claimed it would be a hardship on the present chaplain because it extended his deployment by a few weeks. So the Good Chaplain was going.

But then, on the day of departure, as we prepared to go to the airport, the Good Chaplain’s phone rang. The Air Force canceled the deployment. They said it made no sense for the Good Chaplain to go to Guam when the mission was shutting down in two weeks. Duh!

I was angry that we spent so much time preparing physically, emotionally, and mentally for naught at the last minute and canceled for reasons we brought up earlier.

Gotta love the military!

Until next time,

Vicki

My thoughts and prayers go out to the citizens of Ukraine and for our soldiers and allies amassed on the western border, prepared to fight if necessary.

Victoria Terrinoni is the author of “Where You Go, I Will Go: Lessons From a Military Spouse,” available here or by clicking the Shop tab above. Watch for her new book on the Good Chaplain’s Africa deployment coming soon!

13 million Ethiopians face famine due to prolonged drought and war but hope is on the horizon

The Good Chaplain visited Ethiopia and Kenya several times during his deployment to East Africa in 2010-11. Now, the area is suffering from massive famine due to several reasons.

“After three consecutive failed rainy seasons, an estimated 13 million people face severe hunger in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. Livestock are dying, crops are failing, and livelihoods are at risk due to the worst drought in decades. As more and more families are forced to move in search of water and pasture, intercommunal conflicts are sure to erupt in their wake.”

Michael Dunford in CTGN.com Feb, 23, 2022
Animals in East Africa are dying because pastures are dried up.

Besides the drought, the East African area is also battling a war in northern Ethiopia, COVID-19, and rising costs due to those factors. With the last three rainy seasons failing to produce enough water, pastures have dried up, animals have died and families moved elsewhere to find food, water, and pasturelands.

According to an article in Times of Africa magazine, the World Food Program estimates about 40 percent of the Tigrayans in Northern Ethiopia are suffering from an extreme lack of food. The conflict between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and the Ethiopian government began in November 2020 when the Tigrayan forces took control of most of the territory. Tens of thousands of Tigrayans died and millions were displaced, causing a shortage of food in that area and nearby Afar and Amhara.

Tigray is in the far north of Ethiopia. Due to war and extreme drought, the area is experiencing massive famine.

But there is a reason for hope. The International Government Authority on Development’s ICPAC (Climate Prediction and Applications Center) recently predicted a more robust rainy season in East Africa, although parts of Ethiopia in the northeast, may experience less rain than usual. In addition, ICPAC warned that any benefits of a solid rainy season, which runs from March to May, will not be seen immediately.

“The March-to-May rainy season is really, really important for many countries in the region. In the region, it accounts for about 70% of the total annual rainfall. So, obviously if there were to be a renewed failure of the rains, there would be massive socioeconomic consequences.”

Good Rainy Season Forecast for Parts of Drought-Stricken …. https://www.voanews.com/a/good-rainy-season-forecast-for-parts-of-drought-stricken-horn-of-africa/6450948.html

The Good Chaplain experienced drought in Ethiopia when he visited, but it was nothing like the situation now. Please pray for peace and an end to the drought soon for all the people involved.

Until next time,

Vicki

Victoria Terrinoni is the author of “Where You Go, I Will Go: Lessons From a Military Spouse,” available here or by clicking the Shop tab above. Watch for her new book on the Good Chaplain’s Africa deployment coming soon!

Russia is threatening my peaceful lifestyle and the Good Chaplain’s retirement

With all that is going on with Russia right now, I wondered if the Good Chaplain could be recalled to active duty if needed. Guess what? The answer is yes.

“Our retirement pay is really a retainer,” the Good Chaplain says. And it is.

If your spouse is retired, there is a line on their DD214 form that says they may be recalled to active duty when necessary. We know it happened once.

In 1991, the Good Chaplain was re-commissioned from the Chaplain Candidate program into the Air Force Reserves. At the time, we lived in a town without a military installation nearby. The first Gulf War was happening, and the local National Guard unit was activated. Two retired colonels, probably in their 70s, were called upon to man the armory. One of them commissioned the Good Chaplain.

It can happen, but I pray it doesn’t. The issues between Russia and Ukraine are ugly. In my opinion, I fear Vladimir Putin is going to try to put the USSR back together and maybe go further into Europe. It reminds me so much of what I have read about Hitler and World War II. I’m scared.

This map shows Russian troops amassed on the border of Ukraine

I’m scared for the Ukrainians. I’m afraid for Eastern Europe, and I’m scared we might end up in another war. Nobody wants that. But by protecting the borders between Ukraine and Poland, Romania, and the rest of our NATO allies, maybe we can avoid a long, protracted war and let Russia know that can’t just grab any land they want. That’s my national pride coming out.

Please just pray with me that the powers on both sides can resolve this issue peacefully with no loss of life. And please pray for those troops, mainly from Ft. Bragg, who are deployed to the region.

Sorry, this is so gloomy today, but it is definitely on my mind. I don’t want the Good Chaplain to come out of retirement. Russia is messing with my peaceful way of life..

Until next time,

Vicki

Victoria Terrinoni is the author of “Where You Go, I Will Go: Lessons From a Military Spouse,” available here or by clicking the Shop tab above. Watch for her new book on the Good Chaplain’s Africa deployment coming soon!

News Items Bring Back Fond Memories of the Good Chaplain’s Deployment to Eastern Africa


The enset, or false banana plant. When the Good Chaplain saw the article, he said, “Hey, I’ve eaten that!”

The Good Chaplain saw an article the other day on false bananas, and it brought back a flood of memories about his time in Eastern Africa. Lately, many news items bring back memories of his deployment in 2010-11 to Djibouti. On Sunday, our local Illinois Army National Guard unit deployed 200 people to Djibouti.

All this news comes at a good time as I outline our book on the Good Chaplain’s time in Eastern Africa. The working title is Eastern Africa: Stories of Hope and Faith.

We have fond, and not so fond, memories of that deployment. The Good Chaplain had terrific experiences traveling around that portion of the continent and visiting with orphanages, village leaders, ambassadors, and even the Ethiopian Pope of the Orthodox Church.

I had fun too, visiting Illinois Girl, my parents, and being free to come and go as I pleased.

No one comes away from a deployment unchanged.

Victoria Terrinoni

But a friend was also killed in Afghanistan during this time. And there was the monster tornado bearing down on Moore, Oklahoma, where we lived at the time. So those are sad and scary memories.

Each deployment has its good times and bad for both the deployed member and the partner left at home. Unfortunately, no one comes away from a deployment unchanged. It’s the nature of the beast.

But we must make the best of the time apart to grow and learn. So I look forward to each opportunity to discover a new strength or talent. And now that we are retired, I wonder when he will go away again — at least for a night!

Until next time,

Vicki

Victoria Terrinoni is the author of Where You Go, I Will Go: Lessons From a Military Spouse. She followed the Good Chaplain around for 31 years as a military spouse. Available on Amazon or the Shop tab above.