11/30/06

In the wee hours last night a soldier came into the tent. Dead center of his forehead was bruised and bloodied.

I hesitated at first, but finally asked him what happened?

He proceeded to tell me how around 2100, his unit was on patrol when an IED blew around the middle of their convoy. Seconds later they started taking SAF, (small arms fire). During the moments of a heavy firefight, while emptying 4 magazines out of a hatch, a enemy round came in through this hatch and hit his kevlar helmet. He said it knocked him back into the vehicle and he was out for a couple seconds. He told me he didn't realize at the time what had happened, but reloaded his weapon and continued fighting.

A couple minutes later another soldier in the vehicle looked at him, and yelled he was bleeding. Upon closer observation the enemy's round was seen still embedded in front of his helmet.

The firefight ended, they continued on their mission, and upon returning to the FOB, he was taken to the cache. The soldier told me the medics gave him some drugs for the severe headache that he now had.

But mostly, and they didn't really need to tell him, that he was very lucky he was not killed. They told him, today God was watching over him. The shot would have surely killed him, hitting him right in the forehead had his kevlar helmet not stopped it.

He asked me to get him on a phone right away, because he learned someone had already called his parents for some stupid reason and told them he was KIA.

I got him a phone ASAP, and when he came back out he said he had to calm his parents, and his fiancé down. He said they were all crying and hysterical because they thought he was dead. An investigation is being launched to find out who called his parents, because that is far from proper procedure, even for wounded. No one ever just calls your house.

So along with almost being killed, he had to deal with that.

I really don't believe it has all sunk in to him yet as he seemed unmoved, although very excited telling me all this.

He has not even been in country 2 weeks.

I sat with him and his battle buddy outside in the cold night air while they smoked and vented about the whole ordeal, attempting to get a glimpse of both their mental states.

They seemed ok, but we'll see when the adrenaline stops flowing.

Unfortunately it is not the only "headache" I have to deal with here.

This one happens far more than the physically wounded.

In the few months I have been here, I have sat and talked with more soldiers than I care to count, who are going thru problems with their spouses or girlfriends. Many of their other halves are so cold-hearted as to tell them they are sleeping with others while they are here in Iraq.

Many are not strong enough to handle the separation and the loneliness of their husband or boyfriend being away for a year or more, and "Dear John" them while they are serving here.

There is a slang term the soldiers call those who slide in on their relationships at home, but don't like talking about it too much. Those individuals who take advantage of this loneliness. They call them, "A Jody".

I had 3 phone cords ripped out of the wall just this past week because of "Jody's".

The mission for these soldiers is hard enough already, trying to focus on watching out for your ass, and your buddy's, without thinking and worrying about this.

I sit and talk with many soldiers who want to vent to me on this subject.

It is hard for me, not knowing what to say...mostly it makes me so sad for them, to have this piled on what they are going thru already.

Even those who are still maintaining good relationships have a hard time, not being able to help their families when needed, missing their child's birth, or being there for milestones while growing up, just being there for them period.

Although the soldiers get the press serving here, their wives, girlfriends, and unfortunately their children...are also silently serving back home.

I know...they signed up for this duty...and when they signed up, their families signed up too...somehow that doesn't seem to make it any easier....