Authors Note: To all my followers, I am so sorry for this ridiculous dry spell. Paradise and Inside Her Mind are still active I just haven't had any time to write. In the mean time, I am posting this piece I started a couple months ago that I was originally going to use for the Nanowrimo but never got around to continuing that month because a lot of things were going on.
I hope you are all still out there, again- I'm so sorry for not updating :(
This story was inspired by a documentary I saw called Restrepo. I am in the Army, but I have never been deployed. So this is just a story based on what I've heard and been told.
Comments/Reviews would be nice :) Make my day! Love you all.
P.S. This story will be in the form of an interview. Words that aren't italicized are the interview portions of the movie, while the italicized words are basically the story/video part. Where they show what they're talking about basically. I'm sorry if I didn't explain that well enough, message me if you have any questions :)
Sergeant (SGT) Lopez, Santana
Lima, OH
"On this deployment, I was only on my first year as SGT. It was a little nerve wracking, but it never shook my confidence."
"Woo! Afghanistan here we come." SGT Lopez was sitting inside of a bus, along with two other people. She points to the camera. "Just know that we are coming for YOU."
"It was hard, that deployment. All of my friends were junior enlisted and I wasn't really tight with the other SGT's so I kind of stuck with Pierce and Hudson because they were like, my only friends. And like they say, you're gonna need people on your side when you're downrange."
"Come on Hudson. Look over here." Private First Class (PFC) Hudson was trying his hardest to look away from the camera when SGT Lopez finally got him to give the camera a smile. "Now. Was that so hard?"
"It is when you won't quit bugging me, Lopez."
"That's SGT Lopez to you." Specialist (SPC) Pierce was nudged him on the arm, as she laughed.
"Shut up, Pierce." The smile she shot SGT Lopez was much more than a friendly one, and it was so obvious.
SGT Pierce, Brittany
Tucson, AZ
"I was only a SPC on this deployment. A little after we came back to the states, I was pinned E-5. In all honesty, I was actually really scared most of the time- before, during and after the tour." She shifted in her seat uncomfortably, and looked down. "But those two, oh they kept me pretty sane."
SGT Lopez handed the camera back to SPC Pierce.
"Let it be known, this is my second deployment- the first as a 11B (Infantryman), and I'm excited. I feel like I'm finally where I belong."
SGT Pierce-
"Santana, I knew her before we all re-classed. She worked in the Dining Facility (DFAC), and I'd go in there for all my meals. I knew she was unhappy there. It wasn't what she was meant to do, you know? When we all went through school to be 11B's, I had never seen a smile on her face that big."
(Interviewer: "What was your Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) before you re-classed to a 11B?")
SGT Lopez-
"Before becoming a 11B? I was a 92G. A cook. It was so fucking terrible. I hated everyday of my life. The only thing I would enjoy is going out to the field and getting dirty. Rucking, marching, all the hooah hooah things of the Army." She smiled. "Being a 11B makes me feel so much more, fulfilled. I'm not sure that's the right word for it."
(Interviewer: "You two are on a first name basis?")
SGT Pierce-
"Well, yeah. I mean, we saw each other as friends. It was hard after getting so close to be calling each other by our last names."
SSG Fabray, Quinn
New Haven, CT
"Lopez and Pierce, they're a bunch of kooks. I remember that day in the bus on the way to the airfield. Lopez had her GoPro out as always, recording every second she could."
"I can't do this." SPC Pierce stopped walking as they all were heading for the C-17 on the airstrip. "I can't do this, San."
"No no no, don't do this Britt." She stopped next to her. The camera was facing the tall blonde who looked like a nervous wreck. "We already talked about this remember? You're gonna be fine. We're gonna be fine. What do I always tell you?"
"Head up, Heart strong." A smile creeped onto SPC Pierce's face. "I don't know how I'd be getting through this without you."
"Don't be getting all sappy on me, B." They began walking towards the aircraft again.
SSG Fabray-
"The platoon as a whole seemed pretty on edge as we flew into Afghanistan. The vibe and tempo of things changed but they adjusted pretty well."
SGT Pierce-
"Yeah, I mean- landing in country was very different. Santana was, different. Like something was on her mind. I tried asking her but I didn't pry too much, her first deployment was pretty hard on her so I try not to bring it up."
"SSG Wilde!"
A short blonde female walked up towards First Sergeant (1SG) Jones.
"Yes, 1SG?"
"Get accountability of all sensitive items and get back to me by 1300." It was already 1245, so she hopped on it.
The platoon fell into formation and SSG Wilde got the numbers up.
"We're all green, 1SG."
"You all are released until further notice. The DFAC is open all day, so grab something to eat. I know you're all on edge, but please put food in your stomachs. Stay close in case anything comes up."
SGT Pierce-
"As always, Hudson, Santana and I were in the DFAC eating together when we got the Operation Order (OPORDER).
SGT Lopez-
"It wasn't a surprise really, we knew what was going on and would be sent out at any time. We got all of our things together, and we headed out to the hillside. I've only heard stories of this hillside, and when we got there it all became reality."
The platoon arrived at the landing zone near the Forward Operating Base (FOB) and rucked the rest of the way there. The air was dry and humid, and for most of the soldiers it was really uncomfortable.
"Make sure you keep the right distance from each other and keep alert. Situation awareness. Keep your eyes peeled for anything weird."
"Hooah first sergeant!"
SSG Fabray-
"The ruck to the FOB was probably the first real taste the platoon got of what it was going to be like for the next year. I was very proud of the way everyone handled it. I hoped that the motivation they had in them would stay for the entire deployment."
"SGT Anderson, how much further?" Private (PVT) Lynn asked.
"I'm not sure, but you shouldn't be thinking about that right now PVT. Keep focused."
"Hooah SGT."
SGT Anderson, Blaine
Miami, FL
"This would be my third deployment, and I was extremely grateful to have these soldiers around me. It made me feel so much better about going because I could trust them. And I know that Kurt felt the same way. The first two deployments were very nerve racking for him. But after meeting everyone at the last company party, he was very relieved."
(Interviewer: "And Kurt is?")
"He's my boyfriend of six years. He's supported everything that's happened within my military career and I'm blessed really, to have someone that is as understanding as he is. It's hard to find people who are willing to try and see and understand why I choose to do the things I do or why I want to stay in the Army."
SGT Lopez-
"The ruck, well it wasn't too bad. I mean, I love that kind of stuff. So it didn't really bother me. But I kept my eye out for Britt and Hudson. They were walking in front of me so if anything happened to them I'd be right there."
SPC Pierce pulled a picture out of her pocket of her and SGT Lopez at the carnival. It was one of the last things they did before their deployment and the memory was something she wanted to hang on to so that whenever things would get hard or stressful, she could pull the picture out of her pocket and be reminded that she just needed to take everything a day at a time.
It gave her hope.
Something that she was going to need.