Issue: The issue of purpose/goal is unavoidable.

Context:  The academic term for this is teleology. It simply means the issue of purpose/goal/end for which something’s designed. Telos in Greek simply means “end, goal, or aim.” And logos means “word, reason, system.” So, teleology is the system or reason regarding purposes/goals/aims.

The Issue Made Plain: As Soldiers, we’re guaranteed in our official Army doctrine (FM 7-22 and FM 3-83, e.g.) the following as part of what the Army calls Religious Support: “RS includes providing those aspects of religious education, clergy counsel, pastoral care, authentic worship, individual spiritual readiness practices, and faith group expression that would otherwise be denied as a practical matter to Soldiers under the varied circumstances of military contingencies” (FM 3-83, 1-12).

Encouragement: There is always a God of the system. We Soldiers, and the Civilians we serve, invariably worship at an altar. It’s simply a matter of whether that altar is true or false. Worship is inescapable. Something or someone will always demand allegiance. This is what I mean when I say that teleology is unavoidable. “Man is incurably religious,” is bromidic because it’s so demonstrably true. When we see Soldiers—young, old, or somewhere in between—rest assured that each one has a view about his/her purpose/goal for serving.

Our spiritual core demands answers regarding the unavoidable issue of purpose. Just as commanders are to declare their intent to the units they lead, each of us is to know his/her heart, soul, mind, and strength vis-à-vis the issue of teleology/purpose. It’s oft cited for good reason, and that’s Frankl’s wisdom in Man’s Search for Meaning: “Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”