It was almost 8pm, I realized I missed Bible Study as I was
walking toward my room; I peaked my head in Heidi’s room and was surprised to
see her sitting on her bed and not at the Bible study. I told her I guessed she missed Bible study
too. She said it was cancelled; no one
was in the mood for it after what happened.
She said she heard he was a Navy Seal, they thought they might be able
to save him. I remembered hearing the
Forward Operating Base (FOB) intercom announcement a few hours before, calling
all the medical personnel to standby for wounded who are inbound.
Every time I catch my breath and I wonder who it is, an
American? an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Soldier? an Afghan
Soldier? a child?
Shortly after the
initial announcement, while I walked to the laundry point to drop off my dirty
laundry, the intercom announced they needed A- Blood donors. I felt a chill and immediate dread; it must
be bad. I thought of all those emergency
room television images. Our clinic is
not a fancy hospital, it is only meant to stabilize a patient until they could
be transported to a larger hospital. I
could not be of any help I am a different blood type. The only help I could provide was
prayer. I started praying
immediately. After dropping my laundry
off I looked in the direction of the medical clinic, I wondered again who it
was, I prayed again. I prayed for God to
wrap His loving arms around this person.
I felt very sad to know a Hero died, I called my mom. I know she worries about me, but I know
sometimes just a phone call can make everything seem alright, but if I told her
about what happened it would only make her worry more, I didn’t tell her.
It was around 10pm, I was sitting on my bed reading,
listening to the hum of the girls in my bay chatter, when we got the final
announcement for the ‘Ramp Ceremony’, the ceremony to watch as a Hero’s
lifeless body leaves the FOB for his next destination. Everyone quickly walked in small quiet
groups, trying to avoid the mud puddles from the Halloween rain, out to the
dark helipad to create a formation of all the FOB personnel. The only lights were from the helicopter
itself. As the Hero was slowly carried
across the helipad the formation was called to attention, and ordered to
present arms, saluting the fallen Hero as he was loaded onto the helicopter and
flown away. I prayed silently to myself
as I stood next to Heidi, I knew she would be praying too, I was thankful for
her prayers.
I grieved for him, I grieved for his parents, when they got
the knock on the door they would beg, ‘no, not my son!’ His wife, -I wondered
how many times she welcomed home her husband from a deployment, thankful for
his return, but, now, this time she will have to explain, ‘Daddy’s not coming
home this time.’
No one made a sound, just the whirling of the helicopter
blades, slicing through the dark air.
The lights of the helicopter went dark and lifted off the ground and
whisked the Hero to his next destination.
The formation was dismissed. The
moon was not as full as it had been a few days ago, but it lit the ground
enough to make everything seem black and white.
The sky behind the moon was blackish blue polka-dotted with animated
stars.
I thought I did not pray hard enough, as I choked back
silent tears, they streamed down my face, I hoped no one would notice. I did
not want anyone to think I was weak. I
do not yet know this man’s name. But, I
will find out.
