Service—The Highest Calling

Many people talk about service to their friends and their communities. Perhaps the highest form of service is defending the freedom and your family, friends, community, and country. There are many ways to volunteer, but certainly one of—if not the—most important is to serve by volunteering for the armed forces.

For Pagans, taking the honorable path of enlisting has challenges, both in the service and in civilian life, which others may not face. You have to know your obligations, opportunities, responsibilities, and rights. Whether you are thinking of volunteering, have recently joined, or have been part of the armed forces for many years, there is now a must-have guide that will give you everything you need to know.

Faith and Magick in the Armed Forces was written by Stefani E. Barner, a practicing Witch for over thirteen years and a military wife for eight years. Her husband is a two-tour Iraq War veteran and she is a member of a Gold Star family. She is also a professional mediator specializing in community and family issues.

The Witches' Pyramid
Faith and Magick in the Armed Forces is filled with rituals and meditations for both those who are enlisted and those at home. It provides practical advice, guidance, and answers to your questions. It follows the structure of The Witches' Pyramid: To Know, To Will, To Dare, To Keep Silent.

To Know—In this section you'll learn what your options are before you volunteer. You'll discover what questions to ask, what your recruiter can and cannot promise, and a divination to perform before enlisting. It covers what your rights are, including what you need to know to prove you are a Pagan. You'll also learn what to expect during basic training and a ritual for your passage into the warrior class.

To Will—Learn how to stand up in the face of oppression in the service. This section includes practical and magickal ways to deal with sacrifices, including moving, being away from loved ones, financial problems, and more. Finally, it deals with some of the most difficult problem of any soldier: the battlefield and the potential of causing death or dying. Rituals and meditations are included for this. You'll also learn how to work for peace even within a culture of war.

To Dare—In this section you'll learn how to prepare for deployment, including rituals you can perform anywhere, how to deal with the problems of family life during a deployment, and how to dare to confront danger.

To Keep Silent—Here the book covers what to expect when coming home, how to deal with various issues, and how to move from the military consciousness back to the civilian consciousness. Especially important is how to recognize and deal with any mental issues that remain as a result of your service.

Dedicated Then—Dedicated Now
In the 1970s, Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, the chairman of Llewellyn, spearheaded the Council of American Witches. They composed the "Thirteen Principles of Wiccan Belief," and due to his efforts, these principles were included in the "Chaplain's Handbook" for use by the US Armed forces. This book is a continuation of both Mr. Weschcke's and Llewellyn's dedication to Wiccans and Pagans in the armed forces. It is certainly the most important book of this decade to deal with these issues.

If you are thinking of joining the armed services, are in the service, or if you have a loved one in the service, you must read this book. Besides the rituals and meditations, instructions are even included on how to make a "deployment altar" in an empty mint tin. There is also a list of warrior deities, a glossary of military abbreviations, a contact section of family support and veterans programs, and more.

Giving a copy to a Pagan in the armed services or to their family is an ideal way for you to support your community.