Laughs - Sept 25, 2005

25SEP05
I had some good laughs today, which always makes for a good day here. Unfortunately the laughs were mostly at my own expense--and my buddies. We just completed our "Combat Life Saver" training today. Combat Life Savers are soldiers with advanced medical training, yet not fully medics. We are trained to treat the most common combat injuries, and focus on learning how to keep airways open, maintain breathing, stop massive bleeding, treat chest and stomach wounds, and administer IV's. And it is the IV training that had us in stitches, almost.

I am not sure how civilian IV training would look, but I imagine some of the training would involve practicing on something other than your buddy. We had to endure three days of IV "practice"--the army way, why practice on something synthetic when you have a perfectly healthy soldier right in front of you. Some of us have arms that in no way look normal, black and blue and red all over--like some huge mosquito had its way with us. On our final exam (which, of course, included starting an iv on your buddy in his one last good vein), it took me a few tries, but this one guy stuck his friend seven times! The guy getting the IV was almost crying, he was on his knees with his arm bent back on the table exposing his last useable vein. All I know is that if he didn't get it this time, his buddy was going to have to remove his boots--I wasn't volunteering my last few veins!

It is crazy what you experience here.

Another remarkable experience--for the first time since moving to Newman, I met a neighbor of ours who lives just a few blocks away. However, our first meeting occurred in Al Ramadi, Iraq! Jerod P. and I finally tracked each other down! In fact, we managed to coordinate time off and play a game of pick up basketball. We talked about how Ryan S. and Larry E. and Mike M. and others like to play in Newman, and how important it is to do "normal" things like that here. Just playing basketball, albeit on a sandy, pock-marked court in one hundred degree weather, can make a huge difference here--it helps you keep your sanity.

Jerod and his team do amazing work over here. The work they do literally saves the lives of American soldiers, and without them many units could not operate. Of all the units over here, they are one of the hardest working, most admired, and most effective. I will allow Jerod to tell his own stories, but Newman has much to be proud of and should feel honored to be represented by such a fine soldier. Jerod has had to sacrifice much to serve his country, I hope you keep him in your prayers and send him some notes and goodies.

Speaking of those who sacrifice much, it is time I share about the wives and families of soldiers. While we are busy working over, our wives and families have increased burdens placed upon them as well. Not only do they have to pick up the work around the home done by the husband, they also have to go it alone. They have to "remain strong" as well, yet they are unable to know our daily routine and whether we made it through another day.

Major media can only report a slice of the news from Iraq, and, unfortunately, that slice misses all of the good news and hard work we see every day. So our loved ones get no reassurance, except from us. And our time together is limited and unpredictable. Life has a way of returning to normal for everyone not directly affected by drastic changes. But just know that each day you will cross paths with one or two folks whose life is unable to "return to normal." Perhaps they have just lost a loved one, or received terrible news about their health or source of income, or have a child or spouse miles away in harms way.

So, although it's not "normal," perhaps as neighbors we can do something a little extra for that family or person whose life will not "return to normal" for some time. In my eyes, heroes are those that perform heroically the task before them. And, many times, the heroic work is being done by single moms, or spouses caring for their mate, or adults caring for their parents, or dads sacrificing for their children. In fact, more often than not, the heroes are those hanging on by a thread and forging out a living right next door.

Shocker out.