Veteran’s Day Memories

Sometimes these things just don’t go away. Whether it is waiting at a red light and a random image from days gone by flashes past or sitting in the doctor’s office trying to explain why I get so angry some of the time. After all, how does one successfully convey what I did in Iraq and Afghanistan when the majority of people only get their information from the crooked mainstream media?

War sucks. It really, truly sucks. I missed plenty of birthdays, holidays, vacations, significant moments while I was playing in the sandbox. Do I regret it? Not one bit. I volunteered and there was vengeance required after 9/11. Still, there will always be a hollow part of me wondering how much different life would be for me if I had never volunteered to go to Afghanistan in 2002. By the time my 3 tour of duty was finished in early 2006 I completely forgot my own birthday- and it was the day before we were rotating out of Camp Victory, Kuwait from doing a year in Baghdad.

Since it is Veteran’s Day, I was fortunate enough to get my memoirs from both wars published. Others helped with this book. From the Commo man who volunteered to go on the 2nd Thunder Run into Baghdad- and nearly die in what turned out to be a nasty firefight- to my friend who was tasked with finding and rescuing two downed helicopter pilots in one of the nastier parts of Baghdad a year later. These are stories of the actual people who were on the ground doing the dirty work. Enjoy and please- share.