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October 10, 2015

Running Towards the Sound of the Gun.

soldier

Army Veteran, Chris Mintz, ran towards the sound of the gun and was shot seven times.

This inspired me to rewrite a previous piece.

The Veterans of the United States do not throw their dog tags away once they leave the service. Our duty has been and always will be to protect our country and not only our own people but all innocent people.

This has been proven time and time again.

It is sad to say we are heroes one day and cast to the curb the next.

Does this stop us from doing what needs to be done?

Hell No!

We have fought on foreign lands for our people and we will continue to fight until our last breath.

We don’t care about recognition. We care about retribution. We will not stand silent and run when faced with terror. We will run toward the sound of the gun and protect all those in our path.

This is our duty.

Running toward the sound of the gun, we find courage deep within, even under fire. The fear we once had is hidden beneath the adrenaline that runs through our veins.

The smoke-filled air is followed by the smell of fresh gunpowder, it ignites all of our senses like a burning wildfire. The commanding voice of the Squad Leader rings in our ears and gives divine instruction on just what to do next.

The buzzing and whizzing of 7.62 caliber ammunition impacting all around us pushes us to fight even harder. Exhaustion and fatigue try to set in, but pure willpower kicks in and we will not rest until the enemy is destroyed.

Years ago, I was sitting in high school watching Baghdad get bombed and life as I knew it would never be the same.

Over the years, I have learned that normal is not reality. The images that cycled through my head became my enemies, (I would even become my own worst enemy.)

The fear that once was hidden has now returned—fear of self, fear of failure.

The fact is, I am not alone—we are not alone.

We must stick together now more than ever. If we don’t, then we will become a statistic.

We have sacrificed too much to be a number. The bond we have forged is sealed with blood. Not just our own blood but the blood of those that did not come back.

It is our duty to uphold the legacy and continue to tell the story so it is never lost.

Veterans will always run toward the sound of the gun and protect each other and all that are on our path.

 

Relephant:

To Love a Veteran.

~

Author: Tim Foster

Apprentice Editor: Brandie Smith/Editor: Travis May

Photo: The U.S. Army/Flickr

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