OIF

Well, a year has come and a year has gone. I thought for this segment, I would list some of the things that I and other soldiers have endured.

During the course of this year I have:
Visited a new country
Talked a different language
Kissed my mother goodbye in tears
Lied and said "I'm not scared"
Cried over the phone to my girlfriend
Watched an incredible sunrise
Watched an incredible sunset
Heard a mortar round shot
Heard a mortar round land
Been 200 yards from an impacting rocket
Been less than that from an impacting mortar round
Been 300 yards from an exploding IED
Walked on the Iraqi streets with a bullet in the chamber begging the people not to start anything because there were children around
Laid on the streets under a truck with my weapon ready to fire
Watched a building wondering if a sniper was going to take a shot
Asked my friend to tell my girlfriend I loved her if anything happened to me
Stood in a crowd of Iraqi's
Yelled at a crowd of Iraqi's to move back and get away
I've been scared
I've been happy
I've cried
I know what it smells like when a motar explodes
I know what it sounds like when a car bomb goes off
I know what a 50 cal sounds like in the distance
I know what it feels like to not be scared of a noise anymore
I know what it feels like to not have your family there
I know what it feels like to not be there for your family
And if there's one thing I've learned in this year, it's that I could have lived without this.

I love you all, I'll be back soon
God bless.