YOUR BUDDY IS RIGHT. IF ANYONE IN THE VOID IS OPEN TO READING ONE OF MY GRAPHIC LITTLE GWOT EXPERIENCES, HERE'S A MEMORY THAT'S HAD ME DOWN LATELY THAT I CAN'T TELL MY WIFE OR ANYONE AROUND HOME, YET IT'S COOKING MY SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM:
A BUDDY KILLED HIMSELF ON MY FIRST DEPLOYMENT. AFTER TWO MONTHS OF WORKING TOGETHER EVERY DAY, IT WAS COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED. THREE ROUND BURST FROM HIS M4 THROUGH HIS MOUTH AND OUT THE TOP OF HIS HEAD. I WAS APPOINTED THE SUMMARY COURT MARTIAL OFFICER AND HAD TO CONFIRM HIS IDENTITY, INVENTORY THE CONTENTS OF HIS BODYBAG/POCKETS, INVENTORY/PACK UP HIS BELONGINGS, SHIP IT ALL BACK TO DOVER, AND LATER SEND MEMORIAL ITEMS AND A LETTER BACK TO HIS WIFE.
ALSO HAD TO HELP THE UNTRAINED CLEAR TEAM WITH CLEANING UP AFTER CID INVESTIGATORS FINISHED THEIR JOB. IN THE DARK AND USING LOOSE-FITTING FOOD SERVICE GLOVES, I SEPARATED PIECES OF HIS BRAIN AND SKULL FROM PEA GRAVEL AFTER ALMOST 24 HOURS OF SITTING OUT ON A HOT AFGHAN SUMMER DAY. BRAIN TISSUE BASICALLY MELTS AND STICKS TO EVERYTHING IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES. TURNED INTO A 54-HOUR WORKDAY, CRASHED A FEW HOURS, AND RIGHT BACK TO WORK FOR A BIG, WEEKS-LONG HAQQANI OFFENSIVE. IT'S STILL A TOUGH DEAL TO MENTALLY PROCESS.
IF YOU'VE READ THIS FAR, THANK YOU FOR HELPING TAKE THE LOAD OFF MY BACK A LITTLE BIT.