"Boy, I can't believe we're finally leaving this place," Charlie Brown said. For the first time in his life, Charlie Brown looked regal, wearing a uniform with its freshly commissioned 2nd Lieutenant stripes. He stood in the middle of the empty room he, Linus, and Schroeder shared for four long years.

"It was a tough time, Charlie Brown," Linus said, with a blue cloth bag holding his belongings slung over his shoulder. "That drill sergeant sure didn't like you much."

"You can say that again," Charlie Brown said. "I never saw so many potatoes in my life. I'm just glad we don't have to worry about that anymore."

"Charlie Brown, Linus!" Schroeder said, rushing into the room, three letters flapping in his hand. "We got our assignments! Here everyone."

"Thank you Schroeder," Linus said, dropping his bag to accept his letter.

"Thanks Schroeder," Charlie Brown said, taking his letter and doing his best to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

The three men opened their letters and read in silence. A broad smile crept across Linus's face. "I got Okinawa," he said. "I can enjoy the sun and eat some of the local cuisine."

Schroeder gasped. "I got Germany," he said, his eyes dancing merry above his beatific smile. "I can go to Bonn and visit Beethoven's birthplace! I can't believe how lucky I am."

"That's pretty good, Schroeder," Linus said. He looked at Charlie Brown, clutching his letter close to his face, his black eyes burning despair. "Charlie Brown? What's your assignment?"

Charlie Brown, with his perpetually resigned frown, looked up from his letter and said, "I got Iraq."

--

A/N: Hopefully I don't have to explain that it's a pun from the whole "I got a rock" statement from "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!"

But I will anyway.