Margaret, BJ and Hawkeye stood next to one of the two empty beds in post op.

In a low voice Hawkeye greeted Colonel Potter, "Colonel. We need your help with something," and pointed to a heavily bandaged man several beds over on the other side.

"What's going on?" asked the Colonel.

"That's Major Holcombe," BJ began, "It was his unit that got clobbered. He should be ok, physically, with time…"

"But that's not what concerns us," Margaret added, "He is completely unresponsive. Not unconscious or affected by medicine. Major Holcombe won't eat, won't speak, and just keeps closing his eyes for long periods of time."

"Father Mulcahy came by twice," BJ noted, "Major Holcombe wouldn't even acknowledge him."

"I think we should talk about this where we scrub up," Potter answered. All four went into the room where doctors and nurses scrubbed and put on surgical garb.

"What do we know about him?" asked Colonel Potter.

"He's in his 2nd war. Fought in Europe in WWII. According to a couple of his men, he's a good CO. But, they got ambushed and barely fought their way out," BJ began, "He tried to save one of his men, a Private O'Malley. Holcombe got shot up, instead. O'Malley didn't make it."

"Was he especially close to O'Malley?" Potter inquired.

"O'Malley was new in the unit," Hawkeye replied, "19 years old fresh from Wisconsin. Holcombe apparently asked his men to keep an eye on O'Malley. According to one of his men, O'Malley stumbled during the ambush. That's when Holcombe tried to save him."

"Damn it," Potter stated, "They get younger and younger."

"Colonel, we don't know if Holcombe got some sort of shell shock, or worse," BJ explained.

"No head wounds. No concussion," Hawkeye added.

"Seems a little beyond us," Potter nodded, "I think we need to get Sidney's help."

"Makes sense," BJ added, "We've all tried to help Holcombe."

"I'll have Klinger put in a call to Sidney, today," Potter added, "I hope he can find out what's going on with Holcombe. That Major is 30. Just a kid himself."

Potter left the room and went into his office, sitting at his desk.. He was frustrated. Everyone in this war seemed so damned young – too young. When he'd gotten into WWI, he was 15, but everyone else seemed pretty young – except the officers. Wondered what those officers had thought of the kids they were training back then. Too young? Inexperienced? Nothing prepares you for battle, he thought. Most men just get used to it – but having a wounded or killed buddy hits them hard every time. Some officers really cared about their men; he was one. Holcombe seemed like he could be another. However, that was something a Psychiatrist would have to look for. Sherman Potter hoped that Sidney's visit would be the answer, or at least the start of one.

He pulled the bottle of whiskey from his desk drawer and took a swig.