The Line Holds Steady

"During one of our Battalion’s memorial ceremonies COL Wood quoted a passage that described our last few days with perfect clarity. The line that has echoed in my mind these last few days is this: "Soldiers have fallen, but the line holds steady".

The day we lost our commanders was the longest day of my life. Once we had completed our grim work on scene we lined up the recovery and security vehicles and started the movement back to the FOB. As our convoy approached the FOB 1LT Moth called us over the company net and requested we immediately report to the company CP. As the words rolled over the net I felt naked tendrils of anger swell as if molten fingers of lava were coursing through my body. The message didn’t fan the glowing embers of rage smoldering in my chest, it was a perfectly legitimate request. What infuriated me was the thought that our follow on movement to the CASH to check on CPT Mackinnon, SGT Bard, SPC Sol, and SPC Spartan might somehow be stalled. As we rolled into the gate the patrol leader guided the other vehicles to the refueling point, and my vehicle broke formation and sped towards the CP. I dismounted the HMMWV before it had even rolled to a stop and marched into the command post. I used each footfall as a thumping mantra, focusing on purging the useless fury infecting my thoughts."
365 and a Wakeup