Friday, January 19, 2007

Rolling around. There have been a few thoughts that I wanted to add for some time. It is easy in war to hate a people in general, especially when you do not interact and talk with them on a daily basis. Creating a personal link quickly burns through this hate usually, but war really brings it out. I do really care about my job and the successful accomplishment, which is sought after daily. I find myself forced to turn off the compassion in general as we conduct operations. Its just the nature of the job. But its easy to slip into this hate and very difficult to overcome. One thing that has always helped me is talking with people. I've talked with hundreds of families. I've heard every horror story you can imagine. I've heard every fallacy you can imagine. Regardless, it pays to talk with them face to face. Then there is that one person who shows you hospitality that comforts you in a way. It definitely gives you a breather. On another note, every so often people ask me why I joined the Infantry. I usually don't have a quick response that is definite. I wanted to do something exciting is usually my retort. I now remember a good answer for this question. When I finish with days of operations with little sleep and ridiculous hours, there is no other comparison to the state of complete exhaustion that I feel after these times. There is no other sport or job that I can recall that compares to this. And you fight it sometimes just to try and fight the sleep, but it eventually brings you down, falling into a coma like state. Its the best sleep you will ever have. Or its the best meal you have ever had. Its great.
I have been extremely busy lately. Wait. I swear I have been. Good times.