PART IV: What it Felt Like to Come Home

CHAPTER 3: Baptism

A writing exercise in several parts, each composed in 60 minutes and posted without edits)

Part IV – Chapter 3: Baptism

In the infantry ‘baptism of fire’ has been shortened to baptism (as in ‘I got my baptism back in ‘04, in Ramadi’). I’d only been in-country for 3-4 weeks and only at my outpost (Joyce) for 2-3. It takes some time for everyone to arrive in Bagram and then meet at Camp Phoenix and get their assignments and get a ride from whichever convoy might be heading your way, or you can wait for 3 extra gun trucks and 8-9 guys from the area you’re heading to to get their vehicles ship shape, refill ammo and water, square comma away, and come pick you up.

I include this story not to give the impression that this event was typical (it wasn’t-I never again participated in such a large engagement). Instead: it creates background for people and happenings that will recur in this series; it gives the reader my initial sense of combat, and thereby hopefully dispels the widespread myth that…