Forward Movement Magazine SUMMER ISSUE 2016 | Page 46

I was called by a soldier to
come to the trauma room my
1SGT. wanted to see me. As I
entered, there were about 5
of us standing around a body
covered on a gurney. Long
story short, the person underneath the sheet was one of
my Battles. The word “Battle”
when speaking of a fellow
soldier, has more meaning
then a friend or a brother, it
is a unity brought together
by the spilling of blood and
united by the oath we took to
defend our loved ones, and
honor this country under the
eyes of God. My Battle had
passed away during this event
and I was nowhere to assist
in trying to save his life. I had
been blown up in a vehicle
explosion, shot at, and our
facility was mortared almost
every single day and night;
but losing my Battle is the
one experience that made
me truly feel helpless and out
of control. I did not believe
in humanity anymore and my
emotions were cold. It doesn’t
matter how well trained you
are for war, nothing can ever
train or prepare you for the
reality of seeing a fellow
soldier take his last breath or
seeing a soldier die. There is
nothing in my power to bring
them back to life, back to their
families, or back to fighting at
your side. The hope of going
home together marching side
by side is gone.

PHOTOGRAPHY // James Allen, www.jamesallenphoto.com