Two-Year Anniversary

There are events in our lives that change us forever. Some we witness directly while others we experience through secondary trauma.

On 06AUG2011, a US Army aircraft Boeing CH-47D tail number 89-00175 call sign Extortion 17 was shot down in the Maidan Wardak province in Afghanistan, an area known to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as Regional Command – East. On board were the crew and a quick reaction force (QRF) composed of:

- 15 US Navy Seals from NSWDG

- 2 US Navy Seals from west coast based SEAL team

- 5 US NSW support personnel

- 3 US Army Soldiers from 7^th BN, 158^th Aviation REG

- 2 US Army Soldiers from 2^nd BN, 135^th Aviation REG

- 2 US Air Force Pararesuemen from 24^th STS

- 1 US Air Force Combat Controller from 24^th STS

- 1 US Military Working Dog

- 7 Afghan National Army Commandos

- 1 Afghan civilian interpreter

The loss of 31 US Military personnel in this incident is the greatest loss of US life in Afghanistan since the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom.

I withhold the names of those that were lost out of respect of privacy for the families, specifically the 41 children who lost their fathers that night.

There are times I fear becoming attached to anyone as I have learned that the people leave, they die, they get killed, and I don’t know if I can keep facing that pain over and over again. There are exceptions, but those are instinctual and I cannot explain that rationale.

I choose to believe that I am the only who feels this way. I do not want you to understand what happened or why things hurt because that means you would have to share in my most horrible experiences and memories. I want, I need, I fight for people to remain innocent.

I don’t share this with you for sympathy. In fact, I would hope to get no comments, likes, or messages. I simply want to give you a glimpse into my world. I came home different, not by choice, but out of necessity.

Co-Pilot’s Tattoo:

When I get to Heaven,

to Saint Peter I will tell

"Just another soldier reporting, Sir.

I've served my time in hell.”

When you don't understand, I ask that you give me the benefit of the doubt. My issues aren't about you, they are about me. They are issues that still consume me.