A long time ago I learned one of the most valuable lessons that the Army had to offer. I had a Squad Leader who took me aside and explained to me no matter what went wrong or how hard things got, “keep the colors close to you at all cost”. I looked at him and wondered what exactly he was talking about. He was about to give me the single most important rule that since then I have carried and followed wherever I have been. When he explained himself he said “brother there are going to be times when you have to do things you never thought imaginable, things that would make any man scared for his own life and those of his fellow soldiers, but when it all seems lost and your about to lose your mind that’s when the colors become your lifeline.” The colors he spoke about were the memories, smells, dreams, music, conversations, and those things that brought you out of the hell you were in and allowed you to focus on what was truly important.

As I said, I have taken this as the single most important lesson in my life. I am now a leader of men, a teammate, and a friend. Every day here I try to find my colors and at times it seems almost too difficult. I will find a place to isolate myself, to concentrate on a specific color that brings me back to a somewhat normal level. I miss the ocean, the gentle breeze from the shore pines near my house, the perfume of my lovely girlfriend, the cat and dog chasing each other. The songs she and I used to sing out loud and dance to together or the long drives to nowhere. I miss her smile and touch, how they brought peace to my soul. How a splash of Johnny Walker and red wine aromas filled our kitchen on a beautiful summer evening.

These colors are the extensions of our mind, body, and soul. Without these what is the point? Why continue to fight, whether physically or mentally here? All people have colors, they may not call them the same as I do, but they do. These are the things in our lives that bring us back from the breaking point during all of this. My colors represent all that I have done in my life, all the happiness and sadness. They are my living legend that I share with all those around me, but when it is time to take stock in what we have done here in Afghanistan I am afraid there will not be a specific color for this place. A friend of mine in Iraq emailed me the other day and stated that I needed to be careful and that everyone over there believes we are the true soldiers of the GWOT. I did not know how to respond to that. He is the same guy who told me about the colors.

If anyone takes anything from these writings, please take this. Find your colors in times of need, reach back to the world and life you left. Close your eyes and search hard, your colors are there.

Mike T.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

NOTE FROM BOUHAMMER- The following blog entry is from Mike T. It is a collection of the top three craziest/funny/idiotic things said this month on missions his team was involved with.

The Three Top Lines This Month:

1. “Men there are suicide bombers suspected on this avenue of approach, we are going to slow down and draw them to us” (TC) “You’r GOING TO DO F###ING WHAT?” His gunner!

2. “I want three starclusters fired on my command!” (TC) “Uhmm sir, we are in a valley and we are supposed to be sneaking up on them, doesn’t that ruin the whole thing?” Truck #2 (TC)

3. “You men are getting the short timers attitude, you must maintain your military bearing and focus” (An officer) “Ok then sir, where is the OPORD for the mission we are conducting?” (TM Member)

“You don’t need an OPORD the mission is going to go down with or without one!” (The same officer)

“Hmm, well I guess that is one way of doing and by the way who has symptoms of short timers disease?” (TM Member)

Go figure, its always something in this place~

MIKE T

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

I was rocked out of my bed this morning by a flying chocolate muffin and a group of crazy men singing Happy Birthday to me! I turned 29 this morning and realized I was still in Afghanistan. Those crazy men I speak of are the nucleus of my team going South with me soon. Even though everyone knew that I would rather be back home with my lovely girlfriend, family, and at my house near the beach; they made a magnificent effort to do their best and they did. They are my family right now and I would not want to spend it with anyone else in this country. We have all come full cirlce together and will continue to do our best when are day comes for our new mission. Even though I bitch a lot about the Army, I really do believe some of your lifelong friends are born out of experiences like these and you really cannot make friends like this in the outside world.

Back home I can count on my hand the “real” friends I have who are always there, here I can name a ton more. Things are going well here, as we are trying to do the best with what we have and having small victories throughout the course of this deployment. This piece is dedicated to those who hung over me, shook the hell out of me and sang Happy Birthday to me. Thank you all, you are really the best. The rest of the day is a down day for us and we are going to continue to celebrate by playing some stick ball and a BBQ.
Mike T.

Be Sociable, Share!

•