AN: This story is about half written, and in order for it to take any more of my time I want a reaction gauge on it first. Any form of war story that hits this close to truth will be touchy so I wanted to get some reactions before I post more. Not sure what this one chapter will give me, but reviews would be nice before I start posting the rest. If people think this is a bad idea I will tear it down and never speak of it again. If not, then I will continue. So please R/R.
I mean no disrespect, just going out on a limb.
please enjoy.

"Eldridge, you messin' with my vees again?" Tess slammed the driver's door and the younger man scrambled out from under the vehicle.

"The breaks were squeaky." He said wiping his hands off on a rag.

"That's always your excuse." She responded.

"Well maybe if you did your job a little bit better…"

"Owen." They both turned to see the doc striding towards them. "Lets talk." He said. Tess watched as he threw the rag over a toolbox and walked off with the doctor. She didn't move as she tried to keep her anger in check.

"You know he's just lookin' for something to mess with." Her commanding officer said squeezing her shoulder. "He's just a little jumpy. He's not right." She just stood with arms crossed glaring a hole into Eldridge's retreating back.

"Or he doesn't trust me." She said turning to the older man.

"Don't start on that again Tess." She brushed past him to climb under the humvee.

"On what, sir?" It was barely a question when she said it.

"You know what." He responded getting down on his knees so he could see her. She was silent as she picked up the wrench Eldridge had been using; making sure that everything he had been messing with was tightened down. "Just let it go."

"Just let it go?" She exclaimed climbing out from under the Humvee. "He's a sexist asshole!"

"I know, just let. It. Go." He responded enunciating the words for emphasis. "You are one of the finest mechanics we have here, alright?" She just nodded and picked up the rag off the toolbox.

"Thanks Grange." Just then a Humvee pulled into the base's garage and a few men got out. Two of them carried duffle bags. Duffle bags meant new guys. She watched as a commanding officer greeted them and herded them out of the garage.

"One of those sorry sons-a-bitches is replacing Thompson." Grange said once they were out of the garage. Tess didn't respond, just climbed back under the humvee.

A few hours later Tess got to know one of the new recruits much better, seeing as she needed to show him around.

"What's your name?" She asked the young boy now following her through the garage.

"Callahan, Sir." She rolled her eyes, which luckily he couldn't see.

"Your first name?" She asked turning around.

"Trace, Sir." He seemed a little nervous, and a little uneasy about calling her 'Sir'.

"Alright Trace, you can call me Tess. Everyone else does. Or Taylor, which is my last name. And drop the 'Sir' crap it bugs me just as much as it bugs you." He smiled a little and they walked on through the garage. She showed him where everything was supposed to be… and where everything usually ended up, which was not the same place. He seemed to relax after a while.

At dinner she sort of met the other newbie. 'Sort of" because he was generally introduced to the whole table. His stare stayed on her a little longer when they introduced her, but she was used to it. Being one of three women on the base, and the only one working a mechanic's job made her stick out like a sore thumb. At this point in her career it didn't throw her anymore though, unless she ran into an ass like Eldridge.

"So we got a couple of new guys today." Regina, her bunkmate, knew everything that went on in the base somehow.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Tess asked. Regina flipped on her cot to face her.

"I had to examine them, make sure they were all in order, you know, medical stuff."

"Right." Tess got into her cot and flipped off the desk lamp between them. And that concluded day 50 of her 365-day tour in Baghdad.

Reaction time! (feel free to tell me to tear it down, but a why would be nice along with it.) Thanks for the R/Rs I really appreciate it, especially on this one. :)