A Soldiers Secret

If you ask any soldier that has experienced the loss of a fellow
soldier, the pelleting rain of shrapnel or the onset of relentless
machine gun fire, they will tell you that all they really want is
peace, to be safe at home. A soldier knows what the risk and cost
are, but we all willingly fight for freedom for all.
A soldier takes an oath for our nation to go where ever they are
needed at any time; even though we do not choose or even agree
with the wars that we fight, we willingly go. Once your boots are
on the ground you fight for the soldier that is standing next to you,
the soldier that is suffering the same hardship that you are. Our
main objective is to do the job that we came to do and get everyone
back home alive.
Each day as the sun rose in Iraq we all faced mortality, as we
were attacked by mortars, rocket propelled grenades, suicide
bombers, and civilians that were used as weapons, especially the
children. Our company responded to each challenge with tenacity,
compassion, understanding and courage, even though most of the
people in Iraq wanted to kill us.
When I first arrived in Iraq, in all honesty, I had a one
dimensional view of the people, and then the unthinkable
happened. We were on guard duty, guarding the entrance of our
camp, when a little girl, not more than eight years old, walked
across the street. She was heading straight toward us with a
backpack on. I prayed, "Please don't let that backpack be an
explosive device." The closer she got to us the more she started to
change, in my mind she became my eight year old niece. All
though I knew better, I started to walk towards her when I felt a
hand on my shoulder, it was my commander George, he said, "You
can't go to her." I looked toward her, our eyes met for a brief
second and she was my niece, just as the backpack she was
carrying exploded. I made a promise to these kids right then and
there to protect them, at all cost. That's the day my personal hell
began.