Duffle Bags

"As I leave my metal box, that I have called home for the last year, I carry two duffle bags. The first is full of the gear and clothing that has offered me survival and protection. The other bag is harder to see with the uncompassionate eye. I have filled the second with guilt. The shame for the part I have played in this campaign in Iraq. It is more useless then the first. However, it is a burden I must carry."

"The ritual a soldier goes through to fill a duffle with the maximum amount of gear is a wrestling match. It took every trick in the book to fit all my soul debt into the long green bag. First I rolled everything tight and squeezed it down pinching and tucking to wedge it in. As it filled I punched the sides. I held the edges and smashed my foot into the opening. I dropped it again and again like packing cigarettes. After fitting all my bad karma inside I had to sit on it while pulling and straining to clip the top closed. Out of breath I finally collapsed on top of the bulging bundle."

"The duffle will be dragged around with me perhaps for the rest of my life. From home to home. Town to town. Until I am to old to lift it. Then I will lay down beside the large duffle and crawl inside to die."

http://www.ftssoldier.blogspot.com/

caused untold damage to so many people, for the rest of their lives.

I wish I could write him a letter of support but there is no address for the author. Must be tough getting beat up by the zealots like that. Hope this young man soon returns to the world, such as it is now that it is being recast in the Neo's mold.

Another generation will carry and muse on this burden in silence while society will be incubating another group of philosopher warriors who promote glorious little wars with flowery parades into liberated cities.