I will never forget the morning of November 22nd, 2005. I was a Marine Lance Corporal and my boots had just hit the ground in Rahmadi. I had been in the Marines for two and a half years by this point. I had undergone every training situation and course that the Marine Corps could offer me. This was my first deployment. Before that morning I always considered my self a man of faith. Up until that time I had only gone to church occasionally. I still said my prayers and went about my life.
I stepped out of my bunk area. The sun was bright, brighter than I could remember any other morning. It was about 0800 hrs. I proceeded to walk down the road toward my HQ to report for duty. I was alone with my thoughts and the surreal feeling of being in a combat zone when all of a sudden, BOOM, an RPG slammed into the wall about one hundred feet behind me. I stumbled for a moment and pulled up my weapon. The guard towers began to engage immediately, but all I could think was “this was it” my body was shaking and heart was pounding harder and harder as I took a knee behind a wall and regained my composure.
The quick reaction force (QRF) rushed past by me in a hummer, and once I saw the situation was under control, I picked myself up and ran back to my HQ with my gear. I told my staff sergeant the story, and he thought it was a good idea that since I was there to send me and two other Marines to go and brick up the wall. We did, but I will never forget my instant reaction when the RPG impacted that wall. I remember saying the prayer and being calmed by it. I am Roman Catholic, but I think a man of any faith could appreciate the sense of calm that prayer brings. I was scared but still ready to do my duty.
I am currently an army reservist serving with a transition team in Iraq. I still have the same dog tags with the same medals only now I wear a gold cross around my neck and read from religious and inspirational books.
I look back at my first trip here, and I can see so much progress. I can say I lived to see change in the people and the country. I chose to put my self here in service to my country and remind myself every day that God is with me and watches over our families and us. I know with certainty that no matter what happens I am safe. The U.S. military provides a blanket of security for the nation as God provides security for us.
Dear Lord, please replace our fears with faith, our anxiety with peace, our dread with joy, and our questions with courage.
“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)