Trails of War: Fallen Comrads

I landed in Bagram AFB early into the night. We worked late into the darkness unloading the C-17 and getting things setup. My time clock is so jacked up I have no idea what time it is, but it has to be early the next morning. I crash in my little bee hut and sometime in the morning I am awaken by an alarm clock. I asked my hut mates what time it is. One of them replies 6 AM. I grab my towel and shower gear and I stamber out of the pitch black darkness of our bee hut and into Sunlight of the Middle East. I think "Crap, it's bright." It was so bright I could have sworn it was mid day. I make the walk across our village to the shower sheds. I almost make it to the door. When I hear the same alarm clock coming over the speaker system. This time it is followed by a message.

"Attention all personnel: There will be a Fallen Comrad cermony at 6:05. All peronnel are to report to Disney Drive immedately. Pitcure taking and PT Uniforms are not authorized."

Then again the same familiar beep that woke me 5 mintues ago. I was wearing a tear-shirt and PT shorts in flip-flops. So I didn't go. I later found out that 2 soldiers died the day we arrived. No one we knew.

2 days later I am woken up at early in the morning to same familiar tone. This time I take a look at the time. 5:00 AM. I take a shower put on my uniform and make it out there with plenty of time. I found a spot on the street. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of soliders from many different services, even some from foreign nations. I take a look around I am the ONLY one with a weapon, because they found that my weapon was totally f*cked right before we left. I hear one guy talking to the Command Sergeant Major (CSM) standing next to me. At the postion of parade rest I turn towards the voice. I see a Warrant Officer (CW1) standing loosely, swaying his arms. He changes the topic to the Jazz Game and CSM immedately snapped at him "Hey, these are my soldiers." The warrant officer shut his trap. I turn and face the street sharply poised in postion. I could hear Hummers coming. They turn the corner and I see the first one. As it passes I inspect it the vehicle; soft armored, typical sand paint, deep knotched tires, trunk removed. Then I saw the American flag drapped over a metal casket in the rear where there is normally a trunk. Then another one passed, then a third. I felt myself wanting to cry. A mixture of sorrow for those fallen, I do not know and anger towards those that wish us harm. As my eyes well up, I tell myself "Time to put up the wall." The Wall is an emotional barrier that I use to block fear, sorrow, anger, any extreme emotion that I don't want interfering with what I'm doing. The anger and sorrow went away. And even though, I never knew these three. I held them with honor and said goodbye.

"Farewell brothers, I shall see you again"