Heavy Truck Driver

by Doc
(Angora)

After 2 1/2 years in Iraq, I had learned a great deal about corporate betrayal, and personal friendships. By year 2, the term "Institutionalized" was the popular buzz word and few of us were flying back to the States for R&R, opting instead for Europe and South East Asia. Anybody who accepted promotion beyond Convoy Commander was looked upon with suspicion and regarded as someone who would put their job above all personal relationships, even those built over the years. This meant, if you were accused of breaking the side view mirror on your truck you could not depend on a Foreman or Supervisor to go to bat for you, and 3 strikes within 1 year meant you had 2 choices "Chicken or Pasta" for your inflight meal home. When my friend Billy whom I had met in Houston before shipping over, lost his leg to an EFP (Explosively Formed Projectile.... Yeah, thats what they were called back in '06) I was able to look in on him before they "Evact" him to Germany, later I talked to a woman in "Operations" to find out if they had notified his Wife, "We're going to wait to see what his condition is going to be." was the reply. It was about 3 days before he had stabilized enough to warrant a call to fill her in on his state. During the interim I sent her an Email which simply said "Email me." The simple act of telling a friends Wife about her injured Husband was enough to get you fired.
After I finally returned to the States I discovered I had no outlet for the emotions,there was nothing for me here and all I wanted to do was to go back, but they wouldn't let me. I left my family behind and have felt as though I had failed them. To me, it was never about the money, let's face it, there isn't enough cash in the world to be worth working a job which forces you to get shot at, blown up and witness friends getting maimed and killed. To me it was always about the people in the convoy with you.