I Am Gaurdian/Unfinished short story

Updated 11/24/09 3:52 pm

I Am Guardian


un-edited:
April 1 2019
I looked at my watch it was 9 am, I had been sitting in front of the window since 7 am. the maintenance man had been mowing the lawn now for a few minutes and the smell of freshly cut grass greeted my nose like the smell of watermelon. I always liked that smell. It reminded me of when I was a kid ,warm spring days with a gentle breeze gently kissing my cheeks. The world around me so alive and fresh that I would bound for joy giddy and carefree. Somebodies family was visiting and I smiled as the children were running about the front yard of the VA laughing and playing. I was glad for the momentary reprieve from my nightmare thoughts. The memories of yesterdays war. My nurse came up behind me and peered out the window with me. She asked “how are you today Major”. “I’ma fine right now maam”. “Just enjoying the beautiful morning.” “Would you like some water or some soda to drink?” “Don’t forget; you have an appointment with your case worker; about getting you a place, today”. “Yes I remember, thankyou”. She handed me a glass of water and my pills, and moved on to the next patient. The thought of moving out on my own scared me. My thoughts drifted……….

May 22, 2018 4:55

I snugged my cheek up to the butt and looked through the eye cup on the 10×50 digital Hienzhold and settled in for the wait. I felt the weight of the Barrett 20mm AT rifle as I ticked of the ballistics. The Depleted Uranium sabot rounds could penetrate 2 maybe 3 inches of rolled homogeneous armor at a thousand yards.

Looking down range, I could see the smoke of the burning village 3 miles off, rising into the early dawn sky. The twilight before dawn was beginning to show, the air was crisp and I thought that if not for the smell of burnt flesh and wood mingled with the breeze it would have been a perfect morning. Scouts had just reported in that the panzer division was ten clicks out and on the move. I figure they would try to hit us around 7 am, that would be perfect timing as the sun will be in our eyes.

My thoughts drifted back to the end of the last fight and cringed at the losses.

We started with 90 men, a company and now we were down to 16. The Captain was gone. We had the company Sgt. two corporals and 12 privates. We were all that stood between the bridge over the Mississippi and the preparations west. Rear guard with exception. Hold to the last man was our briefing, “with your shield or on it”. We need every day, The 4th Heavy division was on route from over seas and was in the process of hauling ass up I35 and US61 and 69 to us.

We had to hold out. If we failed, and the Germans broke through they would tear our unprepared main line apart and do untold damage to our rear. We could lose the war. We had already heard the rumors of atrocities. We must not let that happen. Cap’n was a genius, used to be a college professor; Math, I think. I missed him. He had an instinctive feel for a fight, and knew how to set a defensive position to maximize our firepower. He had the comforting father demeanor that gave the men the will to carry on......I wasn't so lucky that way. I have a razor sharp tongue and wasn't afraid to use it.

We weren’t given the choice of where to defend, it had to be Pittsfield Illinois. Division sent 3rd Regiment With a company of Abrams. Arty would support from west of the Miss. Air support by 410th air reserve thunderbolts and a squadron of division AH64′s, We were to take a strong defensive position to delay or destroy the attackers. Intel reports indicated a full German Panzer division was rolling down I 70. Our company was tasked with the local airport. Keep them from landing troops in our flanks. The majority of the regiment was in blocking positions perpendicular to I70. Where we were was miles away and isolated. It was a must win situation, our company had to cut them off. As usual I felt we were undermanned. Under gunned and in the typical were gonna get fucked position. I asked why we didn’t just blow the bridges and fight from the other side. My answer from BatCom was; 'refugees', and trap. We had so far destroyed about half of the German army which was enough for them to pause and regroup and replace to continue this fight. I don’t think that any of the powers that invaded thought they would face this bad a fight. "Economically they could not last much longer", and we weren’t going to make it easier for them by giving them a pass to the east bank of the Mississippi. We were going to make them pay in blood for every goddamn inch. There was hope but the killing wasn’t over yet by a long shot.

(outline note: go to Pittsfield Ill.)

(outline note: Civilian cooperation)

( outline note: Defense of Pittsfield Municipal airport)

May 8th 2012, 2:57 PM

Lieutenant your promoted to captain as of this moment you are company commander. I want a plan on my desk in one hour how your going to defend this Bridge. He game me a list of available assets. I said “Sir we only have twelve men”. “That will have to do. Dismissed,” Said he. Sonofbithch . This is going to be fucking suicide.
I went back to the company area. And told the Sgt Maj; a tough grizzled ol' son, that I was the CO and get everyone together cause we had some brainstorming to do. And Sgt Maj we are the tip of the spear again. Not exactly by the book. When everyone got there I explained the situation, and that we needed to come up with a plan that pounded the shit out of the Germans. Funny looks from; what the….. to, I don’t believe it. I said, “yeah I know I am sure if Battalion had a better idea they would have chosen it. I am going to list for you the reasons why I know we can do this. When this war started two month ago we have been in the middle of the hottest fights and have always come out on top. We are not just the best company in battalion but the best in the whole fucking division because were smarter and badder than anyone else. So put your doubts aside and get me some ideas and let’s get started because the whole country may end up depending on us kicking some more shit”. We Are Going To Win, do I make my self clear. Twelve men shouted as one, “ARROOOO”.

I showed them what we were getting for back up and they started out with a joke. “Yeah maybe if I was a fucking tank”. I had heard a rumor. I said,” private you may just get to be one”. After the briefing I headed for the motor pool and tracked the rumor back; pulled some strings and viola, got me two brand new Exo-suits. Two tons of walking fire power and armor. Each had a 40 millimeter chain launcher with a hundred rounds, a 7.62 mini gun with a thousand rounds of ammo and an AT13 on the shoulder.

I gave one to Mr “yeah if I was a tank” and the other one to someone the Sgt Maj picked out.

Their angle was to get in our rear and rip us a new one. The rest of the division was deployed covering St. Louis and south all the way to Sparta. Divisions task? Delay, destroy, attrit.
We were One division against the whole damn German army, spread thin. And they needed that bridge head. We were in for it……again. The Brits are good but the Germans are the best in the world next to us and the Israelis, and arguably had the best equipment. But then again we are the Rock. The best infantry division it the whole U.S. Army.




*(more on this later)



We had a hundred regiments the length of the Mississippi. We had been in a fighting retreat since the German spear head had landed near Philadelphia with the whole combined European army. And that was not all The Russians came marching out of Canada, the Chinese and Far east Asia Armies had Landed in California and an African contingent landed in Florida and the Gulf coast. The Africans were bottled up and largely destroyed. The Russians were different and raising hell in the northeast and along the great lakes, additionally had taken Alaska. The reason they hadn’t moved South further is because all those liberal ass Northerners turned out to have a serious problem with the Russian methods. Especially after the Soviets had indiscriminately leveled several small towns and slaughtered every living thing in them. Two million hunters pulled out their rifles and hit the woods, and the Ruskie had been too busy trying to put down the guerrillas.

Amazingly instead of them getting weaker they were taking a higher and higher toll of the bear. The army sent a third of the Green Beret up north to fight and train them and the Yankee pussies were turning into some of the best goddamn fighters in the world. The Chinese had already pushed to the Rocky Mountains where we had them stopped for now. The Chinese were even more ruthless and gone through places like LA and San Francisco and killed everything that moved. Those that survived were hiding out in the western Rocky mountains. The Armed forces had set up hundreds of impromptu training bases and several special forces units were building large guerrilla battalions, which the were playing hell with the Chinese ability to prosecute further. Intel figured that they were waiting for the Europeans to gain the Mississippi. Where the Euros controlled mainly north of Georgia on the East coast, was no friendly haven either. The Southerners of Virgina North and South Carolina were just plain old mule stubborn and defiantly hell no to the invasion and used the more congenial European methods of pacification as a weakness and with the appalachians for cover, relentlessly sabotaged and ambushed their convoys and outposts. America was pissed. These ungrateful suns-a-bitches had invaded, And we were not going to let them have one goddamn inch of American soil with out a fight.

For about two months we had been at it. Even before the recall orders went out, men returned to units when the news hit the airwaves. That’s gonna be one of those; “where were you”, when you heard, moments in history. I was sitting on the edge of my bed at 4AM EST, April 6th. The radio alarm had just gone off and I was listening to my favorite radio station when the music was cut with the familiar, ” we interrupt this program for an important emergency broadcast”. Unknown forces have just landed Near Washington DC and Philadelphia, we are under attack. It is reported that the White House is trying to communicate with the apparent belligerents but as yet there has been no response. One eyewitness account states that he saw ” a cross on the side of military vehicles like the kind the Germans had”. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing crisis or turn to channel 88.4 AM for further instructions. All Military personnel are immediately ordered to return to their units.

I popped to my feet And whipped on my ACU’s, grabbed my mobility bag and slammed out the door just as the phone rang. I didn’t stop to answer it; I figured it was the recall, I hit speed dial on my cell phone to the unit clerk, when she answered I told her I was on my way in. Just then I saw a flash on the homes across the street from me and heard a muffled boom echo behind me and the phone went dead. I threw the bag in the back seat fired up my Camaro and stomped on the gas. The tires broke loose and burning rubber filled my nostrils. The car careened backwards recklessly as I slammed it into forward not waiting for the car to stop; busting traction again swerving sideways racking the wheel hard right to regain control and rocketed down the base side street. I could see similar reactions from my fellow neighbors in officer housing; one with his mobility bag over his shoulder running to his car, underwear and bare feet. I hit fifty before the stop sign to the main road not even slowing down whirled the steering wheel to the right lock, skidded hard right and headed towards our command offices, and that’s when I spotted the smoke rising up, big billowing ball with flames at its base. Holy crap! Base headquarters has been hit. I slammed on the brakes and swung the car around and headed for my unit area.

That’s when the blast hit the back of my ride. I saw multiple flashes and huge thundering’s. The back window blew out and I was hit in the back of my head with glass spray. I was cussing now. God damned we were under attack right the fuck here in little ol Georgia. I got get to the conference room now. I need my rifle, I couldn’t make up my mind up, orders are to report to your command briefings-fuck it I’m getting my CAR4 first.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK! Fuck are those fucking parachutes. Fuck! The base sirens started to scream, wailing code black. I was like, noooo Shit! I knew I was one block away from another armory in fact it was just across the parking lot behind that chain link fence. I racked my baby hard right and plowed right through the fence and aimed for the door. It was shut and I knew it would be locked this time of day, I stamped on the gas and smashed right through it. I tried to open my car door but it was jammed, so I started slamming my left shoulder into it, it gave in inches. I kept hitting it until it opened enough for me to squeeze out of the door.

I sprinted the short distance around the front counter down the hall, left through a door to the cage wondering how the hell I was going to get that fucking door open, when I heard a shout from down the hall. Are you the maggot bastard that just took out my front door? “YES”, I shouted back. We’re under attack, and if you didn’ fucking know it there are chutes in the air and they ain’t ours. “Break me out a weapon and load out now Sgt;” I glanced at his name tag, Johnson and grab one your self cause what ever the fuck is going on we better get ready or we are dead”. Just then I we heard the bang of gun fire. Not the familiar boof of the AR’s but a strange new one, but I couldn’t remember where I had……….The Sgt unlocked the padlock and we darted inside, unchained the rifles, grabbed a case of empty clips and cracked open a case of 6.5′s and started feverishly loading clips. I got the first one loaded and slapped it in the receiver and told the Sgt, bring more I was going out to stand guard, I turned around just in time to see a shadow slip the wall apposite the cage door. I tapped Johnson and pointed at the shadow. He slapped the clip he was working on in an AR, and grabbed the couple of extra he had already finished. I snapped around the corner of the cage and came face to face with a strange site.

Time suddenly slowed. I could see the leopard spot jungle Cammie’s and the painted face, even the pores in his skin. His eyes grew big and he flinched the barrel of his FNL towards my chest. My AR was already pointing at his abdomen. My trigger finger twitched and three rounds walked from his belly button up to his solar plexus. Cammo face jerked violently backwards and then collapsed. I put three more rounds in his chest for good measure. I checked my back and Johnson was turning to check the front door where my Camaro was now parked. I told Johnson to go back and get some more clips loaded up and use that damn auto loader.

I slipped around the corner camo face had come from and followed the hall to the back door. It was open and I could see where bullets had ripped the lock cylinder out. I eked out for a peek and saw a supply troop laying on the ground in a puddle of blood. I could hear gun fire now; regular, I looked up at the sky and it was black with parachutes. I saw a leopard dressed man staring off in the distance. So I looked in the direction he was, and saw a group of men low running towards the armory. I snapped my attention back to leopard suit, drew aim and fired just as he raised his assault rifle. I nailed him in the ribs and he went down like a sack of potatoes. I dropped down in combat stance just as a burst of gunfire shredded the door jamb where I had been standing. I leaped back when another burst hit the back wall low, only this time I saw the flash. It came from a clump of bushes 100 meters across the street from where I was. I cranked out two bursts, and moved. I put two more bursts into the bushes and then aimed left and right to keep em ducking. The men had arrived. I counted seven. I ordered them to get some rifles and told the corporal to get a SAW and bring it back here and cover this door. He ran down the hallway just as another burst hit the building. I switched to single fire and banged out a couple of shots at random then slammed the door shut and grabbed a filing cabinet from the closest office tipped it over and jammed the door shut. I moved down the hallway just as the corporal came running back with a Squad Automatic and a couple of 100 round belts. I told him not to get settled in, that it wouldn’t take long for them to realize that someone was in here and to be ready to move. “Yes Sir”, he said. “Set up here”, I ordered. “Yes sir.”

I ran back to the cage and saw several men working their ass off. I told them to grab an extra rifle each and get a MS{1} on each one of them pack every clip and grenade and 40 tube they could carry cause we were getting out of here in a hurry. I heard one man grumble; Always a goddamned whiner I thought, “Pack it up soldier and stop fuckin bitchin; mens lives are at stake”, Fuckin idiot, I thought. I asked Johnson if they had transport in the garage? "No!" I said, “to the back door”. You, you; I pointed, cover the front door as I grabbed my load and 2 more hundred round belts for the SAW. Move out and said to the front door men, “wait two minutes and follow after us, we will secure other side of the road”. I got to the door and slid the file out-of-the-way, then said “Johnson get up stairs and give us some intel. You got one minute.” I opened the door and the sound of gun fire and explosions were constant now.

I positioned the men for efficient egress when I heard Johnson yell “bogeys 10 o’clock, 150 meters”. I ordered the corporal, “lay down some cover fire”. I then peaked out the door and fired off some three round bursts and ducked back in and was immediately answered with a long burst from two or three rifles. You get that corporal. “I saw them” he said. I said, “Take em!” The corporal sprayed the area. GO! I yelled “two at a time”. I heard a long burst from the upstairs window. The SGT had grabbed M60 chain gun, good. I saw the tracers head straight across the road into the bushes. The first two men ran across the parking lot through the gate and made it to the bushes. I heard their rifles go off. And a yell, “clear”. Our two guns were hammering away in steady bursts now. GO! I Yelled again. I ran back to the cage and told private Ramie (name tag again) bring ammo for the guns here at the door and to Johnson up stairs “Now”! scrambling back to the rear door I hollered “Johnson what you see. “We got a cluster fuck; 1000 meters and headed our way, I estimate 50 or more,” he says. To the next two I shouted, “Go”! Then to the Corporal I Say, “Go, I’ll cover you”. Ramie, Johnson get down here and bring your load out. Bullets were slapping the building steady now. “Johnson, I said get down here”, I yelled. Just then Ramie comes round the corner and yells “Johnson’s gone”. “Took one right in the nose. ” Snipers! Fuck! Ramey had the M-60, good. “Get your buddy, give me the gun and get across the road.” I grabbed the M-60 and fired a long burst angled down the road from the hip, this fuckin thing is heavy. They made it across and then I was next. I put the sling over my shoulder and lumbered the hundred yards with bullets cracking by and chipping off the black top, I felt the sting of shrapnel on my shins and could hear my ad hoc troop firing for cover. At the far edge of the road I dove into the bushes and rolled into a 6′ deep drainage ditch. I took quick note that corporal Ryan had them spread out in the ditch in good order. “Ryan get over there and check on those shitbirds what gave us trouble a minute ago”, I said. Ryan took private Varlin with him through the culvert to our left when I heard the SAW burp. Private Varlin came back through with the all clear sign and then threw up.

The ditch ran perpendicular to the group coming at us and I had to choose, stay and fight or slip away. I had no idea what the sit. was; only that I was here with 7 men and surrounded by a shit load of enemy combatants.

Just then I heard the whoosh of rockets. BAM! BA-BAM! BAM! Four RPG’s hit the armory. Yeah we were sitting ducks in that armory. We need more people and more fire power. Suddenly I heard the low whine and felt the rumble in the ground, distinctive to only one vehicle in the world. A wave of relief swept over me as I turned to look, the Abrams turned the corner and I yelled to the men get to the road and lets see if we can save the armory. BOOM!, went the big 120 mm smooth bore as we sprinted down the ditch to cover the flanks of the tank.

Looking left and right checking the position of the boys and then down the street, Feeling pumped with power; I yelled…..”Engage”, I pressed the trigger and felt the satisfaction of a full hundred rounds roll through as I clipped two enemy running from cover to cover, everyone opened up. I heard the bloop of grenade launchers, burst fire of 6 rifles and the long strings of fire from the SAW’s. They were already within 300 meters. Must of be a company. We had drawn their attention. BOOM! FUUUCK that hurt! BOOM! BRRRRRRRRRRRRT! BRRRRRRRRRRT went the Abrams coaxial 50! AH God, I grabbed my head. The Abrams was moving forward but I held my guys back, I couldn’t hear, fuck! I could feel the blood running out of my left ear. I covered my ears and turned my head to shelter them from the noise, only to see a leopard fuck lining up on the Abrams rear with an RPG. I Yelled and brought the 60 up and let one long burst rip. Leopard fucks vibrated noticeably as the 7.62′s ripped into his body. He collapsed. Still facing our rear I sent another guy through the culvert to bolster the Corporals fire. Boom! The Abrams had moved 50 meters up the road. From off to my left; out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement. I jerked around ready to drop what ever, and stopped. Twenty of ours were coming through the next culvert over. Only four or five had rifles.
There was a Captain among them. I hollered, Captain! He came over and I had the guys hand out the extra rifles and grenades and rounds, I bet grumbler was happy. I asked the Captain who the Fuck were these guys and what the fuck was happening. the first thing he says is Lieutenant?, watch your language when you are talking to me. What the fuck?……I know my face showed surprise. Yes Sir, I yelled. And Lieutenant?, you don’t have to yell so loud. Yes Sir. Sorry sir, I was a little too close to the Abrams when it started firing, I can’t hear too well right now. Captain says, That’s Ok. Get over to the Armory and secure it, I am sure there are plenty of boys that still haven’t got any weapons. Yes Sir!
Corporal! YES SIR! The Captains going to take over here. Get back in that armory and secure it with the men. YES SIR! The Captain says, “And lieutenant?, Good work”. Yes Sir and thank you sir. “Grumbler Get over here. Get up on the roof of the armory, and give us knowledge. Find a radio and see if you can talk to that tank”. “Yes Sir.” Captain what is the situation? The Captain says, “as far as we can tell they are elements from Africa. I says, “What the f…. Africa”? “Sorry Sir”. The Captain gave me a stern look. “Yes”. That’s all I know right now. We have a job to do lieutenant, we will worry about the who, what, when and where later”. “Yes Sir”, I said.

Other guys kept filtering in along with a couple more Abrams and a Bradly to the armory until we had an over sized company of mixed troops from different squadrons. We became a lighting rod and for the next eight hours the jokers kept trying to storm our position.

Saving that Armory made big difference. We cut up a couple of battalions from there and the strategists said that helped save the Regiment from being destroyed. Our 3rd Regiment was then able to relieve the rest of the division. We kicked ass but it cost us. Division lost over 900 men. We killed, wounded, or captured over 4500 and were in pursuit of the remnants of two airborne divisions from Africa that were hauled in on a conglomerate of air transports from the European Union, Russia, North Korea, Ukraine….fuck….. everywhere. What the hell had happened, I had some idea, but I did know that all of sudden the good ol’ US of A was in a world of shit. Literally. Surprisingly, instead of being demoralized we seemed to be angry. These one worlder fucks have no idea what kind of buzz saw they decided to mess with. Divisions extemporaneous AO was looking good. The rumors coming in from around the country did not. Don’t get me wrong the other divisions in the army and marines were doing just as well in the kill ratio they were facing a different enemy. The Russian and Chinese were two separate hordes. As many as were killed were replaced. The Chinese especially came in with fifty divisions. We didn’t have 20 divisions let alone 50. Maybe during the cold war when we maintained 100 divisions could we have thought to have fared better. The Europeans were technically our equal and had the benefit of decades of exercises with us. They knew us like the back of their hand and even shared much of the same weaponry. The only thing they don’t really know is how determined we can be in battle. The Brits and Germans seemed to have forgotten the lessons they had learned and the French as well.

May 22 2012, 5:00 AM

I looked up from scope and mused about finding the Barret and a hundred rounds of match grade ammo at the gun shop. It had the standard 11 round box and I was going to make good use of this. I was no sniper but had scored tops on the range more than a few times. Still I took the time to sight it in and fire 20 rounds for practice. I decided that I could hit what I wanted to up to 800 yards but I didn’t know enough and wasn’t too good beyond that. I knew guys that could cut a butt at 1500, 2000 yards but they weren’t here right now. I didn’t even know if they were still alive. This would be plenty for the game plan we had cooked up for them. We figured we could take out the lead company before they knew what hit them. After that all hell would brake loose. We would become not much more than fire control. But first we had to get them out in the open. We were the bait. Goats tied to a stake for the ravening beast that would come over that distant hill. Only this bait had some teeth. Not enough to live through it but enough to make them pause long enough to blow the bridge to our rear.

I didn’t have anything to lose, My family was dead. They had been killed in the first month. The rest of the men....I could see it in thier eyes. Blazing anger and resignation. They just wanted one last piece of ungrateful ass befor they died.

How the hell did snipers lay in a single position for as long as I had heard they do. I put my eye back in the cup.

April 8th, 2018

Third Division got orders from newly formed Comcen. Move west and intercept an African infantry Division that was heading toward the Montgomery Alabama ostensibly to control the state from there. The whole division picked up in record time and moved out. 3rd regiment was tasked as point and we were commanded to move with all speed. Third Regiment Airborne elements were already on the way and likely had landed. Our movement was covered by Air Assets out of Florida F15′s and F16′s. We had been hearing Rumors of Fifth columnists wreaking havoc in nearly every city town and village so our flanks would also be covered the by air transported infantry. Additional company and platoon sized units were landed in several municipalities en route to gain intel and assist if needed in subduing so-called infiltrators.

(note: Air battle as seen from the ground. )

Besides the Barret I had my AR to my right, next to that I had 2 AT13′s. We had time to sow the freeway and fields with mines and had built bunkers. In fact everyone had some of the new At13′s , the big 130 mm hyper velocity rockets that could take out a Main Battle Tank. We had just received a brand new ballistic vest called the MHF or magnetorheological fluid . I didn’t really get how it worked but it had something to do with magnetizing a fluid making it behave like a solid. Two of my troop got brand new exoskeleton suits and I had them posted on the ridge parallel to the demo charges each side of the freeway with two men acting as fac and arty fire control. That way when we sprung this trap they would cover their flanks and open up on what we hoped would be un-arsed and exposed troupes that may escape the kill zone and scythe them down with the mini-guns and auto bloopers. Then to further delay them, string demolish the freeway. We were going to destruct a one mile zone, them for fun we were going to deny access permanently with 10,000 anti- personal and anti vehicle mines. The Germans were going to have to go another way or build a whole fucking new road. I could feel a maniacle mirth building in my guts. I suppressed it. “I am going to need some serious counseling when this is done….if I live“, I thought.

Then for good measure saturate the area with CBU’s from the 410th and mlrs plus bats if there is any armor left. We know the first company is dead. The weakness to this plan was simple. If we couldn’t get a look beyond that hill and they had follow-on units which they will have, they would simply out flank us in a hurry and we would be dead. If we could though maybe just maybe some of us might live, because we would just keep walking the fire right on through their file until there was no one left. We were running short of drones. Most of our satellites were down and other battlefield surveillance options were not available to us. The Rec birds were tasked with keeping an eye on St Louis. To that end I had stationed two op’s on the ridge overlooking the cut and when the Zoots finished with mopping up the lead company they were to advance to the ridge and cover the flanks of the op’s. The rest of us were to shift positions and cover the back door. Spec. op’s coved the bridge abutments with snipers.

(note: expand)

This is what I was born for,

This was what I was raised for,

This is what I studied for,

This is what I trained for,

For this day have I lived for,

For I am……Gaurdian.

I recited the gaurdians creed to my self.

I know why I am here. I know why I wake up every morning with the satisfying feeling that I am a part of a greater glory. I walk this path because it is what I have chosen. I walk this path because any other would not be a viable option for me. I am on this path because tyranny has forced me here.

I take up arms against the demons of chaotic evil to remain true to my own values. I ride the edge of a blade and teeter into the depths of peril because it is who I am. I maintain vigilance as a protector because that is my vocation. I exist to serve as the hammer of justice against the enemies of the just. I exist to act as an instrument of restoration of liberty. I believe in the common spirit that unites those yearning for salvation. I believe in the cause and I believe in me.

I am the rogue thorn. I am the elusive difficulty that will never be overcome. I am the infection that sows the seeds of oppression and reaps the harvest of insurrection. I am the festering mortal wound that will render the wicked helpless. I am hope, I am integrity, and I am constant.

I am the guiding light of truth and I am the retribution of murdered innocence. I am the torch of honor. I am the fiery might of valor and relentless defiance. I am the culmination of a thousand fears of villainy. I am the conqueror of darkness and the defender of the weak. I am the pursuer of freedom and I am the stalwart last stand of an ideal.

I am one of many.

I am a Guardian.

I survived the battle and my company in concert with support crippled a brigade of armor. Three of us made it alive across the river. I was told that I was going to get the medal of honor. I just stood there and said “yes sir”. I was also promoted to Major and given command of a newly formed battalion,and I didn’t like it. I had purposely made an effort to not get too close to the men who had served under me. Most of em were dead. I wanted to throw up but I did not have time to be sick. I traveled to the rocky mountains and my new command. The whole battle front had gone quiet. Just the regular patrol skirmishes and probes. This was a reprieve that Americans needed. As Battalion commander I got high level intelligence reports and the news was not good. Our combat forces had been decimated. The only good was that we gave better’n we took. We still had a chance but command had decided on a different strategy. We were going on the offensive. I had weeks to make my new battalion into an effective fighting force. I had to take 600 green unblooded troops and battle hardened cadre. I didn’t want just an effective fighting force though. I had fought with the best. I wanted the best battalion. I wanted to get back into the fight and kill every goddamned enemy soldier who dared cross my battalions path. I had become mean. I looked mean, mad and ready to kill anything that got in my way.

My Command Sgt. Major met me at the mountain air strip that had just been carved out and the look in his eyes was one of approval. I said Sgt Major I have just been given the ability to kill more lets build a battalion that will kill or be killed. I want the best unit in the Army. The Sgt Major just said, I am with your sir but I think you should talk to the cadre. That gave me a start. “Why? Do they have some doubts?” “I don’t think they have any doubts as to the cause just as to whether we can win sir”, he said. Good enough SgtMj I can work with that. Just so you know Sgt Major. We are going to win. I asked him if he had read George Washington’s visions and prophesies. The Sgt Major said he had. Get um together them I’ll talk at them. Take me to Battalion HQ. We went to HQ which was located in a retreat on the side of a mountain where I met with Battalion Exec and command staff. I gave them the order to have training and contingency plans on my desk by 0800 tomorrow morning. We have 8 weeks, I want to be ready in 4. Period. SgtMj? Get some booze I need a drink. “Yes sir”; he says, “and set up the meet with the NCO cadre at o33o tomorrow morning and pick me out a porter and a driver”, ”Yes sir” he answered, “and then meet me over at my quarters at 1800 with the libation”. That got a raised eyebrow from the SgtMj. I said, “What? I can’t have a vocabulary”, I said with a smile? His eyes crinkled in mirthful thought but he just said, ”yes sir”. I saw a lieutenant looking slightly out-of-place and I walked over to him and asked him what was his current assignment was, he said “supply”. I said “ok perfect”, I need an aid, your it”.

It was 1700 and I felt it like it was all a cluster fuck and I hated every second of that. I was no longer the prime organizer but had become the source from whence the direction would come. I was going to have to rely upon those under me to translate my orders into order and I felt inadequate. I know the trick was to avoid micromanaging. I hated that. I wanted to get my hands in the dirt but that wasn’t my place anymore. How the hell I had gone from managing 24 troupes to a full-blown battalion is a mystery to me and just now the shock was starting to set in. I had to get out of there and get some rest. The SgtMj walked in with a young Sgt and says, “this will be your driver sir”. SgtMj which room is mine? He says up the stairs and straight down the hall, I think you will find it adequate. “Thank you SgtMj.”

The room was about 20 by twenty with a balcony and nicely appointed. A King size 4 poster bed was the center of the room with oak furniture as accessories. An oak desk was added for the expected admisterial paper work that was a necessary part of the job and I noticed the inbox already had a stack of work in it. I groaned. Paper work, I hate paper work. There are so many other things that I wanted to do besides paper work. I sat down and noticed the personnel files. I guess I came in here to get some sleep……guess not. As I began to note the staff that had been assigned to the battalion when I jumped up from the desk with a start. These weren’t your run of the mill people. From the reports I discovered they were the best of the best. ”Oh my God”, I did not get command of any new battalion. We are going to be the point of some kind of spear. Not just any spear. The spear. What in God’s name had I done to earn the “honor”. I thought I felt inadequate before. I closed the file I was reading and walked over to the patio door that led out onto the balcony and stared out at the mountains. The sky was a deep blue with a few cottony clouds here and there. The mountains had a purple hue to them and I thought of the song God Bless America. I thought of every thing I had just been through. The decisions I had made the long days of fear interspersed with the cacophony of war. The men I had lost, the gore. The fight for survival. I was saved from further post view by a knock at the door. “Enter”, I said. It was the SgtMj and he was carrying a bottle of Rum. Damn glad to see you, I said. He produced a couple of glasses set them on the table and filled them about half full of the clear liquid. I reached down at the table and picked up one of the glasses and waited for the command Sgt to do the same. I razed it in silent salute and downed it I felt the burning fire proceed the length of my esophagus.

I stared at the Sgt Mj for a second and I could feel the mirth grow in me again. I asked him, “what’s your assessment of the current situation in the battalion Top. “ Everything is progressing as ordered sir.” Relax Smith. What is your first name. ”Larry.” Have as seat Larry I just wanted to sit down and get to know you a little. You know that we are not going to be a run of the mill battalion; what I am asking is’ do you think we can get the men ready in time? ” I think what we have here sir is 1100 prima donnas and other than they all have ideas of their own we have the makings of the meanest unit that has ever been created in the minds of men”. I want us to be up the task, but is this a bridge to far?” “I know what you mean”, I said. “Question is do we crush them hard right off to break them or pamper them, because we are not being formed of losers but winners and unless I miss my guess this unit is not being formed so that we can just be thrown away as in a losing cause. We are not going to win or die trying we are going to win. Do I make my self clear. You know by now that I don’t believe in throwing men into a fight without proper preparations and weapons that I believe that whatever it takes to be ready we will do. Now again Sgt What is your assessment? What are your ideas? May I speak freely sir. I hesitated. You may. I think you were chosen to head up this battalion because you will listen the bunch of us bunch of wanna be’s and do everything in your power to see that we have what it takes to get whatever job we are assigned done.” “Ouch” I said. Yeah that is what make me nervous Larry. Now I have eleven hundred smart guys. I want every idea from every man. How do we do that efficiently and quickly and how do we translate that to battlefield. Put your feelers out and get me a report in 48 hours. We are going to turn the unstable area of free thought into a workable force to destroy our foe with dispatch. We are going to radicalize the chaos of battle and add to it. If we create the oxymoron of the field and anticipate the results and be were the results lead to then we will win our engagements and open the door to victory. Every one of the men in this unit are here because they survived. They not only survived but were heroes. We are a battalion of heros. That is fucked up if you ask me SgtMj. Fucked up. We are going to turn this fucked up sity-ation in our favor and the favor of this nation. I think I will probably lean on two weeks of the hardest physical training these men have ever had we will start with that tradition. I want to bend their will towards free will by God. And I want them to believe. I think we can create a special ops battalion powerful enough to take out a division. What do you think Sgt Maj? “I think your crazy Sir.” “Not a bad premise to start on but you better add,” Like a Fox’” I replied. Give everybody but essential personel three day’s leave. A rumor about how hard we are going to work when they get back might be in order don’t you think there Top? I went back to the patio door and said “dismissed”. Send in my aid. “Yes Sir”.

foot notes:

{1}MS: Metal Storm. Weapons in which the barrel is also the magazine. 40 mm grenade single/auto launcher that can fire up to 4000 rpm digitally. The rounds are loaded in tubes of five. The grenade launcher version that attached as an accessory to an assault rifle is on a rod and the barrel of which slides forward then flipped outward pivoting upward for reloading. The grenades come in several versions; HE, WP, smoke, beehive(doubleOO buck) and fragmentation. The tubes are pre assembled which can be disassembled to form hybrid mission specific loadouts.