Who are You???

“You know, some people say that he talks to the animals. The aborigines call him Jabba-Jahda-Ah-Der-Ahd, which means The Crocodile Who Walks Like a Man.”                                      

-Walt in Crocodile Dundee II

            Last April I wrote a blog titled, “What’s in a Name?”   It talked about representing the name of Jesus in our walk.    This is not a rehash of that topic.  However it is about names.    If you know me well, there is always a story before the application.  So bear with me while I set up the topic.

Mather AFB Training Class

            An aviator call sign or callsign is a nickname given to a military pilot, flight officer, and even some enlisted aviators. This call sign is a substitute for the aviator's given name, and is used on flight suit and flight jacket name tags, painted/displayed beneath the officer's or enlisted aircrewman's name on aircraft fuselages or canopy rails, and in radio conversations. They are most commonly used in tactical jet aircraft communities (i.e., fighter and attack) than in other aircraft communities (i.e., airlift, mobility, maritime patrol), but their use is not totally exclusive to the former. Many NASA Astronauts with military aviator backgrounds are referred to during spaceflights by their call signs rather than their first names.

The origins of aviator call signs are varied. Most call signs play on or reference on the aviator's surname. Other inspirations for call signs may include personality traits, middle name, references to historical figures, or past exploits during the pilot's career. Aviator call signs nearly always must come from a member or members of the aviator's squadron, training class, or other cohort.

It is considered bad form to try to give oneself a callsign and it is also common for aviators to be given a fairly derogatory callsign, and the more they complain about it, the more likely it is to stick. Some stick with the aviator forever, while in other cases an aviator might have a series of call signs throughout his or her career. For example, the late Lieutenant Kara Hultgreen, USN, was originally given the callsign "Hulk," because of her habitual weight training; later, after a television appearance in which she wore detectable makeup, she received the callsign "Revlon" (her biography is entitled Call Sign Revlon).

I had the opportunity to serve in several different commands and theaters during my Naval career.   Each brought its own ups and downs, and some brought different callsigns.  If you were to place me in a room with people from different times periods of my Naval career, you would find that different people know me by different callsigns and for different reasons.  I am going to elucidate some of my more colorful callsigns, none of which are derogatory.

            From 1989 to 1989, I was stationed with the VQ-1 World Watchers in Agaña, Guam.   I had a reputation for being a big eater and exerciser.  The opportunity arose for my crew, fresh back from Desert Storm, to travel to Panang, Malaysia, and establish a rapport with the local military.   If you have never been to south Asia, food is cheap.  My crew, Hardcore 34, and I were out for dinner one night when one of my trainees challenged me to an eating contest.  Entrees were $3-$4 each.  So I took up the challenge and we set ground rules.  I won’t bore you with the details, but he broke the rules and I won after eating 6 entrees. One of the crew members quipped that if I ate like that all the time I would give the Buddha a run for his money.  From that point on I was known as Buddha.  Crewmates would tease me before each mission by rubbing my belly for good luck.  Let me say here that I was 6’ 2” tall and weighed about 190 pounds at this point, so I had no belly.

  

            From 1993-1994, I was stationed at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.  The classmates in the Space Operations curriculum were all Naval Aviators or Naval Flight Officers from different aviation communities.  One of our first classes was Introduction to Space Operations taught by our class advisor.  He asked each of us to introduce ourselves, tell what aviation community we were in, and share our callsign if we wanted.  When it came my turn I shared my name and community, and let it rest.  The instructor asked, “what’s your callsign?”  One of my fellow classmates from the helicopter community spoke up and said, “we all just call him Deathstalker!”  I carried that callsign for two years at Naval Postgraduate School.  Still have the softball Jersey with Spaceclowns on the front and Deathstalker on the back.

            I have a several other callsigns that I have been given but the one with which most of my civilian friends are familiar is Panda.   I was given that name by one of the IKE Shooters, whose callsign was Weeble.  Weeble was tall and portly.    Jet blast on the flight deck that would have blow down or cause others to stagger did not affect Weeble.  You may remember from the 1970’s toy advertisement that “Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down!”   Weeble was putting together the duty roster one day and came to my name.  According to him the picture of a panda popped into his head.  Thus I was christened Panda on the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69).  So now you know why my middle school students began giving me stuffed pandas as gifts.

          One last note about callsigns.  Although Navy enlisted troops would never call an officer by his callsign, they would discuss officers by their callsigns when the officers weren’t present.  

            Where are we going with this blog post?  We are going to Caesarea Philippi.    Jesus and the disciples have just  have been busy traveling by boat, by foot, and doing God’s work.    We are specifically Matthew 16.   I love the way this portion of Scripture is portrayed in the movie Jesus of Nazareth (if you ignore the blue eyes, this movie is very Scripturally accurate and moving).  Jesus and the disciples are standing around a fire, and their bedrolls are visible in the shadows.  Jesus and the disciples are discussing their day after the Pharisees and Sadducees demanded signs.  Conversation falls silent for a few minutes and then Jesus asks the most pregnant of questions:

 “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”  (Matt. 16:13)

Scriptures tells us that “they responded.”  However, Jesus asked an even more pregnant, personal and probing question that I am sure was followed by a very long pause …

 “But who do you say that I am?” (Matt. 16:15)

Hmmmmmm!   If I may paraphrase, Jesus asked the disciples, “who am I to you?”  I didn’t choose my callsigns they were given to me by my shipmates based on characteristics, behavior, etc.   We can quote Scripture that says who Jesus us, but if we meditate on this question in chapter 16 verse 15, we experience that same pause.  Notice when Peter gives the correct answer Jesus tells him that the Holy Spirit revealed that to Peter.  A few verses later when Jesus reveals that he will die and rise again three days later, Peter says he will never let that happen.  Wait a minute Peter!  You said that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and then you think you can prevent His death.

          If we really believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, our life will reflect that fact.  I was reflecting on my callsigns when I found that Space Clowns shirt, and the Holy Spirit asked me “who do you believe Jesus is?”  The follow up question was even tougher, “does your life, walk and talk reflect that belief?”   This puts me into a cocoon, as Del Tackett calls it.  So let me challenge you.  Who is Jesus to you?  Do you believe He is the Christ and the Son of the Living God?  If the answer to both is yes, let me challenge you with another question.  Do really believe that what you believe is really real?  Does your life reflect it?

          If you have read this far, welcome to your new cocoon.  These questions should drive us to study the Word, pray over our study, and examine our walk and talk.  Hopefully we will be metamorphosed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2).  

          Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.  A friend of mine told me she write her blog to             share her heart and encourage others as she has been encouraged.   I hope to be able to share
          with you soon what I have found as I emerge from my cocoon of studying the Scriptures
          and seeking renewal.