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Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Off to war.



A friend of mine is off to Afghanistan in a few weeks. This is his second tour. The first was as a marine in Iraq, now in the National Guard he is off to the Kusch mountains to hunt and kill Taliban. He is a sniper. A Sargent in charge of a patrol of snipers, around 6 guys.




Truly the National Guard is our nations version of the Greek Spartan. These men and woman leave there families and lives behind, go to bad places to fight and kill bad people. What can that be like? To one month be managing a restaurant and the next be looking down your scope and pulling the trigger. We ask a lot of these folks and I hope we all remember the sacrifice they make for us.


Over the last three years since he got back from Iraq, we have had many discussions about the war and his part in it. I asked him what it felt like to be fighting and killing the enemy. He told me it was his job and he did it to the best of his abilities. He said the best way to handle it was when he left the barracks to put his real person on a shelf and become a warrior. A hardened killer of men.


On patrol he would set up as cover for his squad as they attacked or defended themselves. His job was to eliminate as many enemy as he can to keep his guys safe. He mentioned that being a sniper was very personal and he could see the face of just about everyone he killed. Right down the scope, the head in the target, hold your breath, pull the trigger and poof a cloud of red mist. Over and over again, target after target, month after month, battle after battle. He once hit a truck driver from over a mile away with a 50 cal bullet. That bullet is about 7 inches long. He said it took more time to put the rifle together than it did to track and kill his target.


Once his platoon was attacked by over 200 enemy, they killed every single one of them. I asked how did you do that? "I don't fucking know, it was awesome and horrible at the same time. Two Humvees one with 50 cals and the other an automatic grenade launcher along with an huge air strike did the trick" he said. The attack was filmed and has been shown many times. Were you scared, too busy to be scared he said, too wired.


This is a man like you and me, he has a wife, a baby daughter, a life here at home. He has a mom and a dad, brothers and sisters. he has a dog named Rex. He is going of to war, to kill and maim the enemy. He will suffer hardship and he will bring hardship down on the Taliban.


I am glad we have citizen soldiers like Eric, he is proud if what he does. In a few weeks he will take off his suit and tie and his life here at home and put it on the shelf. He will don the warriors uniform, he will go to a foreign land, he will fight and kill the enemy. He will be cold and lonely, he will miss his wife and daughter, he will put thoughts of this life out of his head. This is the life of our soldiers, true hero's, let us pray for them and their families, let us never forget the sacrifices they make.


Face in the scope, finger on the trigger,baby in the crib, life on hold. Good luck and Godspeed friend. I am proud of you.