Catholics seek to boost number of priests serving as chaplains – Stripes – Independent U.S. military news from Iraq, Afghanistan and bases worldwidehttp://www.stripes.com/catholics-seek-to-boost-number-of-priests-serving-as-chaplains-1.164918WASHINGTON — Spc. Joe Murphy’s job in Afghanistan was to hunt down the things his fellow soldiers hoped they’d never have to encounter.
As part of a route-clearance team that combed the roads connecting Bagram Airfield to outposts in the region, the 23-year-old Iowa National Guardsman gained a close-up familiarity with roadside bombs. Understanding the devices that insurgents have used to kill thousands of U.S. and allied troops in the last decade didn’t make them any less terrifying.
Heading out on dusty patrol, Murphy said, “You wonder if you might die today.”
