SFC J and I began meeting and plotting more regularly as time continued on. There were a couple of places that simple could not be left unattended and his men had been there for too long. They were tired and time had taken its toll on their weary minds that had been prepared to be home a month before.
It doesn't matter if you're there for 6 months or 24, if you're told it's going to be a certain time frame before you will have a good night's sleep in the arms of your wife, to enjoy a cold brew and a good meal, about a month before that, you want to be gone. Some don't seem to understand this mind screw and they latch on to the most optimistic timeline they hear, refusing to let go.
It was 1423 and the war had been going on for some time but no one seemed to have a plan for how it would result. Would we be there in 1424? Would we be home in 2005? Would the American people support our work or turn on their protectors. Already the media was playing up the propaganda of the enemy, drumming up animosity for our work. On the other hand, we had 40 times as many boots on the ground than it had taken to take that ground.
The persistent thought was we'd pull up stakes as soon as we could find someone to give the keys to. Most that had not been were anxious to
get there. Everyone that was there was anxious to get back. It looked to be a war that would be over before many could earn their coveted combat patch. And if it only took 250 to take the place, how many could it possibly take to stomp out the few remaining pockets.
SFC J told me all he knew on the important parts of the map and I told him the best things about those with whom I'd go. His job was to get his boys home and mine was to get mine to one of the best places to do our work. He had little choice he told me. He had to get the first team ready to the most important places. If we wanted it to be us, then we'd better get there and quick. We did.
It was his call for only the first few weeks of our stay. We were the first replacements and when his and the others arrived, it would be their decision on where things would go. But it got us into the fight and away from the Flagpole. We could deal with those that owed me for their comfort later.
It was 1423 when I packed up my 20th Century tools and my 21st Century gear and greeted the rest of those with whom I'd swear my fate.
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