TJ Hirst

War is a complicated story to tell. War may be an even more complicated story to understand.

Think of it like a parent settling a fight between siblings. Both children will tell their story; yet, as every parent knows, key information to judge who is right and who is wrong is probably still missing. War is similar on a much larger scale. These conflicts are complex, intricate and involved, as are the solutions.

Time and perspective help. Watching Ken Burn’s PBS documentary The War has shown me that personal anecdotes and accounts from ordinary soldiers alongside a chronology of crucial events are vital to understanding.

I was born on an Air Force base in the early 1970’s about 10 months after my dad returned from the Vietnam War. I thought every plane in the sky was “Daddy’s Ane.” Tourist treasures from Thailand decorated our home. As a toddler I played on the back of a wooden elephant, or “phoo-phant” as we called it, in our living room. As a teenager I marked the hours I talked on the phone by the chirp of the cuckoo clock. While my life’s proximity was close to this important war in history, I struggled, like many others in our country, to comprehend the Vietnam War.

In high school, my history class wasn’t enough for me. So, for my senior year I devised an independent study course for myself using as my text Stanley Karnow’s Vietnam: A History, the First Complete Account of Vietnam at War. Still, it wasn’t until I began interviewing my dad in 2007 about his story as a veteran that I finally grasped a fuller perspective of the war through which I could draw my own conclusions.

Up until that time the Vietnam veteran that I envisioned from movies and books seemed to be a hard-living man who was scarred emotionally by a destructive and confusing conflict. Even worse, I got the feeling that these men were pitied for their sacrifices rather than revered. Since my dad’s experiences were not common dinner-table conversation I wondered if he, too, had horrible hidden pains. But as he told me when I asked why he never talked about his time in Vietnam, “You never asked.”

More often than not our discomfort with war or our divisive opinions keep us from asking questions and receiving important answers about a war story from the veterans themselves.

In the coming weeks, I will be writing a series of posts from my interviews with the Vietnam veteran I know best, my dad. David Jensen served as a pilot in the Air Force from 1969-1974, flying the OV-10 Bronco in combat in Southeast Asia from July 1970-July 1971.

During his service, he adapted to difficult and lonely living conditions. He developed confidence flying in harrowing situations. He learned from his and others’ mistakes. He grieved for friends and comforted their families. He sharpened his vision looking for enemy targets. He learned his job as a Forward Air Controller and gave his best. He was awarded eleven air medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross, a US military decoration awarded for heroism or extraordinary achievement in aerial combat.

And through it all, his dedication to his family, his job, his country and his faith supported him while he gave support from the sky.

President Gordon B. Hinckley, 15th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints died Sunday evening in Salt Lake City, UT at age 97. Many members of our church feel a great sadness at his passing but also a deep sense of gratitude for his testimony, words of direction and example of good living that he gave throughout his 12 years of leadership. For the complete story see this site.

To us, he was more than just the leader of our church; he was prophet of God. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a church leader who worked with President Hinckley, explained that important role in 2006:

There is again a living prophet on the earth speaking in the name of the Lord. And how we need such guidance! Our times are turbulent and difficult. We see wars internationally and distress domestically. Neighbors all around us face personal heartaches and family sorrows. Legions know fear and troubles of a hundred kinds. . . It is no trivial matter for this Church to declare to the world prophecy, seership, and revelation, but we do declare it. It is true light shining in a dark world, and it shines from these proceedings . . . I testify of this reaching, rescuing, merciful Jesus, that this is His redeeming Church based on His redeeming love, and that, as those in the Book of Mormon declared, ‘there came prophets among the people, who were sent from the Lord [to speak it]. . . . [Yea] there came prophets in the land again.’ I testify that President Gordon B. Hinckley is in every way, from head to toe, such a prophet, one whose life and voice we cherish and for whom we have prayed so much.

Prophets in the Land Again,
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

In the past twelve years of my life, I have dealt with the realities of being a woman, wife and a mother in a difficult time of history. I have needed more than anything to know that God lives and that he cares about me and the decisions I make. I have prayed for answers to my questions and challenges. Many of those answers came as I have listened to President Hinckley and then acted in faith upon his counsel. I know that God, our Eternal Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ, do live. I also know they love each one of us, are aware of us and have provided a church with true doctrine and ordinances so that we might know them. This is my faith that inspires me daily.

Here’s a follow-up to Be Aware of Your Surroundings and an answer to the question “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us today?”

Even though I was trying to be more aware of others this week, I was the beneficiary of several people being aware of me. Thank you to all those who met my needs, including those who gave me one of the best customer service experiences I have had in a while.

I hate shopping, and I avoid it. I haven’t been to the grocery store (other than a quick stop for milk and a few perishables) in three weeks. So when I finally got there, I had a lot to purchase.

In the meat department I picked up a package of pork chops. They leaked all over the bottom of the package and my hands. And a Super One Foods employee actually noticed! He asked if I needed a plastic bag, retrieved one for me and held it open while I put the meat inside. I thanked him, and he just said, “That’s why we are here.”

Yes it is, but in this age of low prices and self-service, I have come to expect no service. I turned toward the display of ground beef and contemplated which one to buy. Then that same employee brought me a wet paper towel to wash my hands.

When I moved on to the dairy products and frozen foods, my cart was overflowing. After making room for 3 lbs of butter (you can never have too much butter), I just didn’t know where I was going to fit 3 gallons of milk without crushing everything. Underneath my cart was a 25 lb bag of all-purpose flour, a 25 lb bag of bread flour and a 24-roll package of toilet paper.

Somehow I rearranged the toilet paper on top and fit the milk underneath. Even so, it really was too heavy to push, and another store employee anticipated my need. He politely asked if he could bring me another cart. I hesitated. (Why do we do that when someone offers to serve us?) Of course I needed another one. So, I said yes.

He not only brought me an empty cart, but he also took my full cart to the check-out counter while I finished my shopping. When I thanked him, he said, “Well, we try to be aware, but when we are busy, we don’t always see the whole picture.”

What have you noticed when you have been more aware of your surroundings? And what did you do about it? Tell me your experiences in the comment box below.

Our school district is in the midst of severe budget cuts after a bond referendum failed in a November vote. The following is a guest editorial published in the Brainerd (MN) Dispatch Jan 18 that prompted me to consider, “How will we educate our children in the future?”

I want to hear what you think. I’ve posted the editorial below or you can go directly to the paper’s site (Please note, you will have to register.) Will you read it and join a discussion by answering the poll question at the bottom of this post and by leaving your comments below?

Change or get left behind

The Internet will sound the death knell for the mega-school dinosaur

BY CHARLES A. HAGBERG, Guest Columnist

The present school systems are big unwieldy dinosaurs and the educational planet is on a collision course with the asteroid of the Internet. The dinosaur school systems will, after a long struggle, become extinct.

A century ago transportation was primitive. It was the time of smaller schools staffed by teachers who often had two years of less of advanced education called “Normal Training.” It epitomized the concept that you don’t need an elaborate college education to teach the very young and when students get older they can learn by their own motivation.

As time passed, school boards were organized and parents lost control. Teachers and the school boards imposed stricter standards. Government got involved and imposed legal standards. The end result is a labyrinth of college degrees and testing to prove qualification.

Then came the teachers’ unions which required contracts, in-step raises, and higher costs. The unions became powerful and their desires were often written into law by malleable politicians.

With better transportation available it seemed appropriate to consolidate. This required a bus system and a whole new hierarchy of superintendents, principals, business administrators, secretaries, clerks and building maintenance staff. Costs skyrocketed.

The school systems began to increase their territory by initiating new subjects to be taught. Some of this was valid because of the increase in human knowledge.

Along with the school districts, and consolidated schools, came the concept of school sports, choirs, bands, etc. The so called “school spirit” was born. These endeavors were enthusiastically embraced by parents who wanted their children to experience the social advantages of these activities. The number of activities multiplied over time and schools became known for their excellence in sports rather than their educational excellence.

With the advent of the big school came the alienation of students from one another. Many students got lost in the crowd. In this “politically correct” mix came the repression of teaching morality which brought on a new array of social problems.

Costs went up again and eventually got so out of hand that the citizens revolted and many bond issues were voted down. The ailments of the dinosaur were noted by most everyone and alternatives such as “home schooling,” and on-line public schools such as “Connections Academy” will increasingly drain off more resources.

The asteroid of the Internet is now on the horizon and there will be huge impact that will sound the death knell for the mega-school dinosaur. Small educational centers will be instituted and flourish. Teachers unions and legislators will thwart the inevitable but eventually reason will prevail and the large schools will succumb.

The educational system will consist of students in relatively small groups at various locations with computerized curricula. “Facilitators” will be in charge instead of teachers. They will monitor the progress of the students and supervise on-line testing. There will be a central, highly competent, group of teachers in separate regional locations to explain difficult concepts by phone or on-line chatting. Progress of each student will be at the student’s pace with set requirements for graduation.

Sports, music, and the arts will survive and flourish, but they will return to community-based sponsorship by geographical areas.

The need for teachers and administration will be less and costs will dramatically come down. The smaller units will be naturally more self-governing and the elaborate physical plants will be obsolete. Transportation will also be a less costly problem.Students will feel an affinity for the small group setting and make lasting relationships. Parents will feel much more like participating in these local student bodies.

It behooves school boards and administrators to get on board and help to facilitate the transition to the Internet based on local educational centers. It is a matter of cooperating or getting left behind!

CHARLES A. HAGBERG of Crosby has has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from North Dakota State and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

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This weekend, we traveled the rural two-lane highways of northern Minnesota in horribly frigid temperatures of minus 20 degrees below 0 (double that in wind chills) to take some teenagers to a youth group activity and dance in Duluth. On the return trip Saturday evening we approached the small community of Cromwell, MN, and spotted a chimney fire blazing atop a two-story house alongside Hwy 210. A few lights were on in the house, but no activity was evident outside. “They don’t know!” was our first response.

We all grabbed at cell phones, but we were close to the gas station at the center of town so we stopped there to report the fire. Ironically, we hadn’t noticed that the fire hall was right next to the gas station. The clerks called the fire department. One thought she knew the older single woman who lived in that house so we returned to the house to alert the occupants. “In this town, the firefighters will all be volunteers,” my husband said.

The intensity of the fire had escaped further down the chimney and we could just see the sparks spewing out the top. We followed the driveway to the back door where another driver in a truck had seen the fire and stopped to help. He had knocked to no avail. “Has someone reported it?” he asked.

We drove around the house, looking for another entrance and returned to the back. A passenger in our car rang the doorbell and tried the door, but it was locked and the fenced dogs barked at our intrusion. Knowing the fire truck would be here soon and not wanting to be in the way, we turned back to the highway.

Indeed, the fire truck was pulling out of the fire hall, but it stopped to wait for the volunteers. My husband pulled up to the truck, reported what we knew, and said, “Do you have it from here?”

Of course they did. Volunteers, like these, are indispensable in small communities. Those who offer to perform a service of his or her own free will, those who render aid or those who assume an obligation deserve not only appreciation but emulation.

This experience sparked me to re-engage in community service. I don’t mean I immediately signed up for an organized volunteer position (although that could be one way to help). Rather, it means I will be a more active and aware participant in any community to which I belong, taking a cue from my husband’s often-used phrase.

Here’s How to “Be Aware of Your Surroundings”:

1. Be observant. See other people and situations outside of our own concerns. Look beyond our usual line of sight at the verbal and nonverbal clues that tell us something may not be normal.
2. Be available. Don’t over schedule ourselves so we are too busy or distracted.
3. Be willing to offer to help or accept responsibility until someone more qualified can take over.

Such service not only strengthens our communities it reconnects us to them, whether it is family, school, church, work, or municipal. When we are an active and aware participant we feel a greater sense of concern for the issues and individuals and become a real part of that group.