After Shock (#2 - Semper Fi Series)

Prologue

To the Author and Finisher of My Faith, Jesus, who gave His life as a Sacrifice for mine!  

To the countless Men and Women in Uniform serving our country, and especially to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom with their very lives!

To every military spouse and family member who sacrifices his or her life by sending the military member to combat. Families serve, too! Thank you!

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Iraq, 2007

Mission Briefing

Given by Col. “Max” Mackson

“Graves and Vickers, you’re in front. Holbrook and Hart, you’re center. Thompson and Harris, you’re pulling in the rear.” As Max gave positions for the mission, Joe Holbrook looked at Dan Vickers. He knew the front was dangerous. I.E.D. (which was the acronym for improvised explosive devices) attacks had been on the rise, and many a man injured lately. They’d even lost several of their team members, Smith, Williamson, Flores, and Ling, recently.

Some of the team had been to Basic together, and others trained alongside each other during Advanced Training. Being stationed together had formed this team and they had a bond that was closer than just working together. They were a family! The wives, for those that were married, were also close, though some had never met for different reasons. That thought led to Cammie. Joe missed his wife. Just before they’d received this mission, he’d talked to her. This was his third deployment in less than 5 years. She had decided to go back to Tennessee. She couldn’t take the pressure and anxiety of her husband being deployed so often. He didn’t blame her. It was too much for some on Active Duty, and the spouses had to do everything while their husbands, or wives, were in harm’s way.

He reeled his thoughts back into the mission briefing. They had to make a two hour drive to the next F.O.B. (Forward Operating Base) to deliver some supplies, and pick up others. Going outside the wire was always dangerous, but for some reason, Joe couldn’t shake the feeling of extreme hesitation about this mission. He always could tell if something wasn’t right. It was his “sixth sense,” so to speak. He felt the same way when Smith and Flores had gone on their mission, fourteen weeks ago now, and they’d come back in body bags. This was not something Joe liked facing. He’d seen enough good men and women go home maimed, and others lose their minds. P.T.S.D. (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) was all too common. Battle ruined more lives than he cared to admit.

On the other side of that coin, they believed they were doing some good for the decent people of this war-ravaged country. The people were grateful for the help and protection the “Americans” brought. Other troops from Canada, Australia, Great Britain, and several other countries, were also there securing this area. The “local nationals” even had new policemen who were training to protect their own neighborhoods.

The Chaplain stood up and prayed a prayer of protection over the mission and the team. He did this every time, and Joe was grateful. Joe wasn’t a super spiritual person, but he believed in God and always appreciated any help from above. The old saying, “You won’t find an atheist in a foxhole” seemed to be a little bit too true.

With assignments affirmed, the team suited up and prepared to go out. They were a good team, and well trained. He knew they’d do their best, but the disquieting apprehension continued to fester in the back of his mind.

They circled up and did their “before the mission” ritual. They each said a short prayer or made a little “you’re my best friends like family” type speech. Each member knew the significance and danger that awaited them outside the wire, and didn’t want to leave the chance that something went unsaid or undone. They also used this time to pump up the adrenaline; much like a team does before an important game. Each had called family, though the service members didn’t divulge the fact that they were getting ready to leave. Operation Security (OPSEC in the military world) was always of the utmost importance. If they said something about their mission, it could potentially endanger their lives, and very possibly cause major trouble on a National level as well.