New Tango Alpha Lima podcast welcomes Army veteran who writes about his faith, combat deployment and how they intertwine in a new book.
Army veteran Logan Issac brings his message of faith to this week’s episode of The American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast.
Issac, who joined the Army in 2000, was in basic training when the USS Cole was attacked. His family has a long line of military connections. His father was in the Navy during Vietnam and his grandfather served during World War II.
During his deployment to Iraq, Issac recalls “what it meant to be an instrument of foreign policy. I always thought of myself as a Christian. But in combat, it ratcheted up what was important and what was not important. I called myself a Christian but what does that mean?”
Watching the death of a fellow soldier deeply affected him. “That really shook me to my core,” he remembers. “I began struggling with the moral complexity of not just military service but combat deployment.”
Upon returning home, Issac dove into theology.
“In a nutshell, I am bringing Christian beliefs about military service into the 21st century,” he says. “Few theologians have served, so there is a lot of bias and bad theology circulating that doesn't do veterans any favors.”
In a challenge to what he sees is bad theology, Issac recently released a book titled “God is a Grunt.” He referenced stories from the Bible and church histories to present his views.
It was from those lessons that he learned of a Bible reference that suggested, “as humans we were made to serve and protect.”
Check out this new episode, which is among more than 120 Tango Alpha Lima podcasts for veterans, servicemembers and others. All episodes are available in both audio and video formats here. You can also download episodes on iTunes, Stitcher or other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available for viewing at the Legion’s YouTube channel.
- Tango Alpha Lima