Securing the Perimeter
Journal 2005 02 09
Securing the Perimeter
Remember how hard the men of the Corps of Discovery were working in October and November to erect a wall around Fort Mandan? Safety and security were the reasons. The ability to control entrance into the Fort through the gate was important to maintaining security at the Fort.
A few nights ago the men discovered that the gate was being “manned” by Indian women letting unauthorized visitors into the Fort at night. A lock was put on the bar that secured the gate.
Lewis sent a member of the Corps to the Indian village. He returned after sunset finding the gates closed per standing orders. Rather than call for the guard to open the gate and let him in, the soldier scaled the wall. A watching Indian observed him perform this feat and later did followed the same path over the fence. Lewis severely chastised the Indian and sent him away convinced not to breach the wall again. The soldier was held under guard for court martial. Because he was an older soldier he was expected to understand the consequences of showing the Indians how to breach the wall and forego controlled entrance via the gate.
Lewis did convene a court martial the following day and sentenced him to 39 lashes. Lewis then forgave the punishment and never recorded the incident in the military logs. It was the last of any recorded disciplinary action taken.
This day’s record brings to mind a simple concept we take for granted. Perimeter Security. How secure are our walls and gates? Physically and spiritually. Do we have walls and a gate that we may control? If so, are we using them to control who has entrance to our houses? Security is a natural expectation to deny entrance to enemies foreign and domestic.
We are complacent regarding security and assume “others” are protecting us. Like the older soldier we are expected to know better than to be cavalier about securing who gains entrance to our homes and under what conditions entrance is allowed.
We must be more vigilant. Lon stokes taught our men a few years back regarding gates and their purposes in our lives. Which gates are operating in our lives? Are our walls secure and in good repair? Are we standing guard that we would authorize entrance rather than be an open door to any who would come? Is there any difference between a wide open uncontrolled gate and a broken down door or hole in the wall?
Fighter pilots constantly “check their six” to see if anyone is sneaking up behind them. I’m saying to use today’s example to “check your doors and fences” to see if anyone is trying to gain access you don’t want them to have.
2 Corinthians 10:5 “the demolishing of arguments and every high thing lifting up itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ,”
Securing the Perimeter
Remember how hard the men of the Corps of Discovery were working in October and November to erect a wall around Fort Mandan? Safety and security were the reasons. The ability to control entrance into the Fort through the gate was important to maintaining security at the Fort.
A few nights ago the men discovered that the gate was being “manned” by Indian women letting unauthorized visitors into the Fort at night. A lock was put on the bar that secured the gate.
Lewis sent a member of the Corps to the Indian village. He returned after sunset finding the gates closed per standing orders. Rather than call for the guard to open the gate and let him in, the soldier scaled the wall. A watching Indian observed him perform this feat and later did followed the same path over the fence. Lewis severely chastised the Indian and sent him away convinced not to breach the wall again. The soldier was held under guard for court martial. Because he was an older soldier he was expected to understand the consequences of showing the Indians how to breach the wall and forego controlled entrance via the gate.
Lewis did convene a court martial the following day and sentenced him to 39 lashes. Lewis then forgave the punishment and never recorded the incident in the military logs. It was the last of any recorded disciplinary action taken.
This day’s record brings to mind a simple concept we take for granted. Perimeter Security. How secure are our walls and gates? Physically and spiritually. Do we have walls and a gate that we may control? If so, are we using them to control who has entrance to our houses? Security is a natural expectation to deny entrance to enemies foreign and domestic.
We are complacent regarding security and assume “others” are protecting us. Like the older soldier we are expected to know better than to be cavalier about securing who gains entrance to our homes and under what conditions entrance is allowed.
We must be more vigilant. Lon stokes taught our men a few years back regarding gates and their purposes in our lives. Which gates are operating in our lives? Are our walls secure and in good repair? Are we standing guard that we would authorize entrance rather than be an open door to any who would come? Is there any difference between a wide open uncontrolled gate and a broken down door or hole in the wall?
Fighter pilots constantly “check their six” to see if anyone is sneaking up behind them. I’m saying to use today’s example to “check your doors and fences” to see if anyone is trying to gain access you don’t want them to have.
2 Corinthians 10:5 “the demolishing of arguments and every high thing lifting up itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ,”
posted by @2007 Dick Cinkovich | 4:37 PM
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