memories (never forget)

pencils down, and relief. it all came to this

only two more done before me; confidence, exhilaration, pride. turn it in and exit.

Now it's just graduation in a couple of weeks

walk out the door, serious face, not an order, a plea

"Head to Trailer 5 for a briefing"

The drill sergeant doesn't plea.

something stirs deep inside, a warning, a pain, a sixth sense, a disturbance in the Force. it's bad.

enter trailer 5. it's bad. "The United States is under attack. A plane just hit the World Trade Center in New York. Every soldier on base will be on alert and..."

The second plane hits. live tv. shock turns to response, to training. pain pushed aside

"Goddammit. These bastards are going to fry."

"Okay, head to this armory, you'll be outfitted with M-16s and live rounds. here's the lockdown plan."

civilians evacuated. exit, escort, escape. kids working at stores need their parents. base needs safety. we could be next. training, medical, important.

store to store. procedure and training, memorize the route, the exit, the instructions. repeat. repeat. repeat repeat.

a plane hit the Pentagon. a plane crashed in Pennsylvania. reports unclear, and we have to filter this out, filter out the noise, the pain, the adrenaline.

follow our training.

the day turns to night, the last few hours disappeared into the oblivion of lost thoughts and memories, a moment in time that no longer exists so did it ever? At least the pain and fear leaves with it.

Formation. Structure.

"At ease. Sit down y'all. You may notice your other drill sergeant is missing. He's from NYC, and left immediately to go help, if he can. To do something, anything. We all...

"This was a declaration of war against the United States of America. The country you've all sworn to serve. Look around you: National Guard, Reserves, Regular Army, it doesn't fuckin matter anymore. You're all going to war."

prepare yourself

he was right

we went to war

but we didn't all

return