MG David Grange and a chaplain. Ethical leadership at its best.

[Chap15]

MG David Grange and a chaplain.

Ethical leadership at its best.

 

At the start of KFOR 1A, the first Soldiers who died were from a rollover of a M113. The remains were coming back to Ramstein Air Base. The chaplain was with the spouse of one of the Soldiers. The ramp ceremony team had rehearsed and was not going to allow the spouse to spend time with the transfer case. The chaplain said to rehearse again to allow the spouse time. They then said that they didn’t know which case had her husband in it. The chaplain then went to the control tower to see if the remains were escorted thus they would know which case had her husband. At that time, MG David Grange had members of his staff there. They told the General that the spouse wanted to spend time with the transfer case and that the General should just “make up” which case he was in. The General then looked at the chaplain. The chaplain replied, “You want me to lie” at which the General immediately grabbed the chaplain by the arm and started walking towards where the spouse was. The chaplain told him to tell the spouse to honor both cases, since they both lived and died together and for reasons we did not know which case had her husband. The General then went to the spouse who was sitting on a chair. The General kneeled down and told her what the chaplain said. At which time, the Airmen in the tower came in and told them that there was an escort and they knew which case had her husband. The General then told the spouse and then the General, chaplain and the spouse went to the aircraft and the spouse spent some time with her husband.

 

MG Grange was the Commander of 1^st Infantry Division. Because of politics, he left the military as a BG because he did not retain the rank of MG long enough for retirement. MG Grange was in Operation Eagle Claw and knows the importance of good training while others in the leadership at that time thought that changing the military meant to give everyone a black beret.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_L._Grange

[Kration]

Gen Grange was my Battalion Commander in 1989.. 1/503 Inf at Camp Hovey Korea. A fine Officer and true warrior... and one high speed individual for sure.. He and the CSM trained and ran our Battalion like a Ranger Batt.. Fun times !

 

Kration

Retired 11B Infantry

[Chap15]

One addition to the story, when the Chaplain said "You want me to lie", MG Grange said, "I want options". The Chaplain started to talk and within seconds MG Grange grabbed the chaplain and started to walk towards the spouse.