• Another holiday gone. Two birthdays spent in a foreign land, a land full of sand and violence. I break my body for others and work hard for little to no thanks. its not that i am ungrateful for the job i have and the money i do make. When i look at the scope of the work i have done i can be proud and should i die i can pass knowing that i have helped make someones life easier. I have missed many Christmas's with my family and i have missed Easter. Even worse i missed my sons birth, first birthday and second birthday. I have had limited chances to be a real father to my son and i grow tired by the day. This is another holiday lost to a foreign land.

    I sit in this nearly worn out chair at a computer that has seen more then its share of heartache and tears and i wonder when will it be my turn to be a normal person again. I can not cry, i can not be sad and i refuse to be weak. The line of separation of civilian and soldier is drawn when the civilian will say i can not go on. The soldier will stand and say i must fight on, I must carry the flag till i reach my destination or die of exhaustion. A soldier will forfeit food and water for a civilian because the civilian is who the soldier is fighting to protect. Some civilians will not give food to their children in their dire straights.

    We refuse to admit defeat, we adapt improvise and overcome all obstacles in our paths so may march on to victory. Thunderous boots pounding the earth left right left. We deny ourselves pleasure for the sake of not offending the host nation. Life can be hard and it can get worse in a hurry.

    Mortars drop like raindrops and we try to take cover. Some of my brothers are unlucky enough to of been under one as it fell to the ground. All we can do is watch and pray. When the all clear is sounded we converge on our wounded and care for them, those who are dying to fast for aid we comfort as best we can. Those close to the blast area we pick up with shovels and bags. Some men become so small that we fill zip-locks with whats left. And the only thing we have left when the day is done is the support we get from the civilian.

    Now as i sit here and remember those who have left this world i pray they can rest easy. When my time is done should it be tomorrow or ten years from now i know sleep well.