Brother's In Arms... Sometimes...

Been a while...a

Busy, boring things going on down here in Mississippi, nothing that really needs to be noted. Training wise that is. I'm going to precede to talk about a few people here with me, some battle buddies of mine in the unit, and I'm gonna uses initials rather than actually names, to throw up some semblance of anonymity. Of course you could go through the trouble of tracking down a roster with all our names and match up letter, but c'mon. Who'd do that.

I'm constantly amazed at my generation. Four people, the oldest one being 26, have recently found out that their wives are pregnant. I may be wrong, but I thought the child siring went on after the war thing. These twenty year old kids have this thing all backwards. I can't even imagine the ordeal you are putting yourself and your spouse through, impregnating them right before you leave for twelve months. Everyone has their method of madness. Which brings me to a bigger point.

A buddy of mine, A.L, became a father three days ago. His wife gave birth to a baby boy with more hair on his head, believe it or not, then most of us here in the unit have at the moment. Of course everyone congratulated him, shook his hand. Cigars have been purchased. Even a couple of guys who haven't been getting along with A.L. were in with smiles and pats on the back.

It made me realize that we're all looking for reasons to be friends. It's awfully easy to make enemies with some of the men we fight next to, and it's no surprise. Different interests, backgrounds, beliefs. Not to mention the fact that there is more testosterone flowing through our barracks then a Sly Stallone film set.

So we all find every opportunity to not be enemies. Because this is the sort of scenario where anything might happen in the mountains of Afghanistan. I sure as hell don't want someone pissed with me to be watching my six o'clock. Sometimes it's something as inspiring as a first born son that brings us together. Other times its the always prevalent humor of the all 80's hits radio station we listen to when we wake up. Something as small as having the same name, a medic in my unit shares my last name. We're doing a fantasy football draft in ten minutes. So simple.

It makes me wonder why people outside of this snow globe world of the army have such a time with getting on other people's bad side. Grudges are so asinine. It's so damn easy to be friendly. If a group of well trained and precise killing machines can get along, why the hell can't the rest of this sordid world. I suppose it's the nature of things.