Sunrise Over Fallujah Read Free Page B

a big game.
    â€œI seen a 240 take a guy’s leg off from a hundred yards,” a bigheaded corporal said. “The whole leg came off and the sucker was just laying there on the ground, looking at his leg as he died.”
    I felt a little sick.
    After the movie we went back to our quarters. We had settled down into card games and the usual BS when we got called out to formation. Captain Coles saluted the two officers, a colonel and a lieutenant, who gave us a quick inspection. The colonel had enough gear on to be burning up in the heat. He was making sure he looked tough. I thought about his getting heat rash and smiled but wiped it off my face before he passed by me.
    â€œYou people represent the United States Army, and you represent our country and our way of life as well,” the colonel said, sounding like he was making a formal speech. “If we go into Iraq the people there will be watching the combat troops, seeing howwell they perform their duties as well as how we treat the local population. But the most lasting impression will be of you soldiers working Civil Affairs. You can do a great job over here or you can undo any gains we make by acting without thinking, acting out of fear instead of logic, or acting in a manner that betrays American principles. Years from now, when the people in the cities and villages remember this operation, it will be your faces and actions that they will recall.”
    Colonel Rose ended the talk with a recording of “The Star Spangled Banner.” It was a little hokey, but standing there at attention with all the other soldiers, I did feel a sense of pride.
    â€œI think Civil Affairs is going to be the most interesting thing about this war,” Captain Coles said when we returned to our tent. “And maybe the safest if I can convince Major Sessions to keep you guys off patrols. I’m passing out the official vehicle assignments. You’re responsible for routine maintenance and cleanliness and you each have to sign for your assigned vehicle. Look over these assignments and memorize them. If we go in you won’t be allowed to take any documents with you except maps and your personal identification. I’m assigning the first three security squads.”
    He handed out the papers and we looked them over. The assignments were the same as he had put on the blackboard earlier.
    â€œWe’ll have different leaders depending on what assignment we’re on,” Captain Coles said. “Regardless of the mission and who the leader is, we need to think of ourselves as a team. If we reach a position in which we’re not only seeing each other but actually sensing what each member of the team is feeling, there’s a good chance we’ll all come out of this war in one piece. Any questions?”
    â€œSo you want to break it down to us one more time?” Danforth asked. “We’re supposed to go out and kill the Iraqis and blow up their stuff. Then we help them find their arms or legs, or whatever we’ve blown off, and patch them back together. Then we all sit in a circle and sing campfire songs, right?”
    â€œYou might not be taking this seriously, Danforth, but the Operations people are and they’re going to make it work. What this war is going to be about—and we’re still not positive it’s going to happen—is regime change and destroying the Iraqis’ chemical and any nuclear weapons we find. It’s not about making the people suffer and it’s up to us to let them know that. If Saddam does step down and they turn over their weapons, we can avoid a lot of bloodshed.”
    â€œYeah, okay.” Danforth shrugged. “It’s definitely good on paper.”
    The way Captain Coles laid it out, each squad would have one Humvee, consisting of a driver, a gunner, and two other guys. Marla outranked me but she wanted to be the gunner. I liked her and I liked Captain Coles. Jonesy was okay,