I was a Squad Leader in this battle. Follow me here to hear my perspective and read my story.
“The date was February 13, 2010 and we had already been outside the city for weeks, surrounding, planning, training, and warning the citizens what was to come.”
“You cannot stop whats coming!”
The battle that was too ensue, was a fierce battle, one that I live with daily in my mind. Even though I sometimes feel that my role was small, I have to reflect and realize that the citizens of this great nation do not understand the atrocities of war or even experience the glimpses of battle as I have seen them. While my role was small, every piece of a puzzle is needed in order to see the whole picture. I think that to understand the virtues of life, one must also understand the perils of life. Watching a movie, playing a video game, even getting to a real life situation where we do paintball, is no comparison.
These things are but trivial to the reality of war, in war there is no instant reset. You loose something as small as a piece of your thumb, you’re out of the fight. Close the book you where writing about your deployment, you are on the next bird out of here. So many small fights are waged by the foot soldiers on the ground, young Marines banded together by a bond only a few would understand. Knowing that you can close your eyes and sleep, while the enemy tries to find and kill you, is comforting.
Think of how your life is now and the liberties that you take for granted each and every day, remember the “soldier” as he paves the way. Freedoms are earned and rights are built, the foundation of this nation will remain sturdy as long as the will of the strong lives on.
I use the term “soldier” so everyone can understand.
Marines are Marines and I will always be a Marine.
Semper Fidelis!
