fieldjagger
New Here
I was on patrol, in the city of Kandahar, Afghanistan. I was leading my squad through a routine patrol of the city.
We spent the last several months patrolling the city, making sure it was secure, talking with the people, buying the local food to build trust, the UN was scared "go figure" because of a recent car-bombing near their building in '03....so we, the Military Police..., were tasked to patrol the city on a daily basis.
I, along with two other squad leaders, we lead our patrols into Kandahar City.....the heart of the former Taliban Government.
I saw first hand Afghan women......for the first time....voting for a Democratic government.........
I saw business' come back to the city........
I saw children playing in the steets.....
I saw schools teaching both young boys & girls......
I saw a people who wanted their society become better......
I saw an explosion......and I saw bodies, of at least 7 Afghan children, who were playing soccer......who died from an IED blast that was meant for my patrol....200 meters away.
Several of my friends have died. In both Afghanistan & Iraq. I only keep thinking to myself....why not me?.....why them?.....All of my friends who have died over there were good men...so why am I left?....Why do I remain??
All I do know.......I'm heading over in a month......I only pray that I can live up to what they have done..
We spent the last several months patrolling the city, making sure it was secure, talking with the people, buying the local food to build trust, the UN was scared "go figure" because of a recent car-bombing near their building in '03....so we, the Military Police..., were tasked to patrol the city on a daily basis.
I, along with two other squad leaders, we lead our patrols into Kandahar City.....the heart of the former Taliban Government.
I saw first hand Afghan women......for the first time....voting for a Democratic government.........
I saw business' come back to the city........
I saw children playing in the steets.....
I saw schools teaching both young boys & girls......
I saw a people who wanted their society become better......
I saw an explosion......and I saw bodies, of at least 7 Afghan children, who were playing soccer......who died from an IED blast that was meant for my patrol....200 meters away.
Several of my friends have died. In both Afghanistan & Iraq. I only keep thinking to myself....why not me?.....why them?.....All of my friends who have died over there were good men...so why am I left?....Why do I remain??
All I do know.......I'm heading over in a month......I only pray that I can live up to what they have done..