Herman Melville wrote that a "chaplain is the minister of peace serving in the host of the God of War." Last summer Rev. J. Travis Moger moved from Annapolis, MD, to Middleburg to become pastor of Middleburg Baptist Church, leaving active duty in the Navy but remaining a chaplain in the Navy Reserve. Because of his rank, his children call him "pastor and commander." His military duty takes him to Norfolk once a month where he serves as the deputy force chaplain for Naval Surface Forces Atlantic, comprising 78 ships and 25,000 sailors.

This year he has gone to sea twice aboard the USS Arlington, a brand new 684-foot San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock with 385 sailors. In July he sailed out for a week while its crew tested the ship's defensive armaments: two 30mm guns and two air-defense missile launchers. They passed with flying colors. Moger's purpose, however, was more peaceful. While on board he preached in the ship's chapel and led a daily Bible study. Every evening he put the sailors to bed by giving the evening prayer over the intercom just before taps at ten. "Instead of just a prayer," Moger explained, "I always give a story and a prayer, usually a clean joke or parable that leads into my prayer for the evening."

In November, Moger embarked aboard the same warship for three days to conduct a burial at sea for five veterans, including three who served during World War II. Sailors wearing their dress blue "Cracker Jack" uniforms brought urns with the cremains to the ship's rail and scattered the ashes in the sea, while Chaplain Moger said the words of committal. A rifle detail fired off a 21-gun salute, then taps was played as the ship gently rocked on the ocean waves. Finally, a flag was presented in honor of the departed. The families, who were not on board for the ceremony, will each receive a letter of condolence from the ship's captain, a CD with pictures, a chart marking the location of the burial, and a flag that was flown from the ship's mast.

The ship returned to port just before the Veterans Day weekend. By Sunday Moger was back in the pulpit of his church. It may be a long time before he goes to sea again. Moger has been selected to command a reserve unit in DC made up of chaplains and enlisted chaplain assistants who support the Marine Corps. He begins his new assignment in December.