IED! Those are the first and last letters you ever want to read or hear as a soldier. I have heard about them, read about them, but untill this day never experienced one of them. I had gone almost a whole deployment without being hit. Then on 20FEB08 my convoy was struck while rolling down Route Popeyes. I can't explain to you what it feels like. It is every bit of fear, sadness, and anger.
Unknown "Maxy" Calm - 16 years, 7 months, 14 days ago

They told me war would make a boy into a man. That I don't find to be true. I was a man long before I came to Iraq. All war does in my eyes is take good men and turn them into corpses. I speak from the position of a soldier who goes outside the wire everyday and with the thought that I may not live to see tomorrow. No one can really understand the life of a soldier. It takes a strong man/woman or just a crazy one to say that they don't mind the fact that they may never see their children, family, and friends again. I am just one of those soldiers. Yet as anyone can tell we can often find ourselves feeling alone. I find myself with that feeling often. Every time we see those letters and boxes full of little things from home. So take the time today. Write a soldier you know. If you have one that came home, shake their hand. They love you more than you can ever know. God died for your sins. Now in this day in age they die for your freedom.
Unknown "Maxy" Calm - 16 years, 7 months, 20 days ago

This is a war zone. It can not be seen as much else. Why am I here I tend to wonder? I don't see many good reasons. I have tried to keep a strong will. I have tried to be a good man. Yet the thought that I might die any day kills me often times.

We were shot at yesterday. The shots came from route Rat. We were performing a dismounted patrol through the Hateen Market. It was to be like any other day. Then the shots rang out. Everyone took cover and the gunners went into search mode. It had been a long time since someone had tried to kill us. It was exciting and frightening at the same time. Everyone ran for the trucks and we pulled out with a great sence of urgency. I don't think that any moment before that that I had a great love for life. We had seen the bullets splash down into the buildings around us. We knew they were meant for us.

Life meant alot more to me at that moment. Than it ever had before. I guess it is in the moments that you feel that you could have lost your life. You relize exactly how much you love being alive. I will never question my life quite like I did before. From this day on I will love those around me in a whole new way.

Unknown "Maxy" Calm - 16 years, 8 months, 4 days ago

This comes from some time ago but you might find it interesting. It was November 4 at approximatly 0445 when I heard my first mortar go off. We had landed on FOB Falcon not even 6 hours prior. I had maybe been asleep for an hour or more when it struck down about 30 meters from my tent. The earth shook from the concussion of the blast. Being the first time for anyone in that tent to be in country it is almost needless to say that panic inssued. We all jumped up and ran for our IBA(interceptor body armor), ACH(advanced combat helmet), and wepons. After the he fifth mortar hit it was over. we stoped in mid stream to stand and wait to see what happened. The alarm in the distance that had been meant to warn us faded and we felt our bodies relax. "Its over," a universal relief flooded through the tent. There is no fear quite like the fear of death. I don't think many people will ever get to understand the relief i feel when i walk into an american home, and not an iraqi one.
Unknown "Maxy" Calm - 16 years, 8 months, 6 days ago