Wounded Warriors

CAB soldiers salute the wounded warriors as they leave Camp Taji.
(Photo by Spc. Roland Hale)

The story I wrote about Christopher Bain is probably my favorite work. It takes more than just the writer to make a good story, and this case I had quite a story to tell. Not only did I get to meet the dozen wounded warriors, but I got to tag along with Bain as he re-lived the ambush that took him out of the fight six years ago.

Before the military, I lived near Ft. Lewis, Wash. I saw wounded soldiers all the time. Sure, they weren't wearing uniforms, but I could tell that the twenty year old without legs had recently come back from combat. When I saw these men and women, I thought, they must be bitter. The mental state of a wounded soldier after a combat injury is something that I won't presume to know. But I always thought that these veterans would be bitter - to the war, to the Army, to the Iraqis. When I joined the Army and two years later met these wounded warriors, I was completely proven wrong. The twelve men I met last week are the most patriotic, supportive and proud individuals I've ever met. If they could put on the uniform again, they'd do it in a heart beat.

Perhaps something that I didn't convey in that story well enough, however, is that Bain is one of nearly five thousand soldiers that have such a story. And I didn't even mention the soldiers that lost their lives.

Spc. Roland Hale

Soldier Series: Sgt. Esenwein

Sgt. Esenwein is the first soldier I interviewed for a personality feature this deployment. My intention is to do at least one of these stories a week. I can’t get to everybody, but I think this was a good way to start things off.

In these couple paragraphs I’ll write about a few things that didn’t make it into the story. I hope to be able to do this for every story.

Sgt. Esenwein is the epitome of a crew-chief. We probably got interrupted during the interview at least five times. Soldiers needed to know where to find parts, what to do with the anti-fold compressor wrench [yes, I made that up] and all sorts of things that make about as much sense as a flux capacitor. The language these repairers speak is Greek to most people. Not only are they turning wrenches, but they’re turning them on some of the most advanced technology in the world.

It’s not the first time he’s turned the wrench, either. Sgt. Esenwein is one of many repairers, many soldiers, who has deployed in all stages of the Iraq war. The CAB is full of soldiers who have seen the war from beginning to end.

Everyone’s ready for the end. But no one is calling it quits early.

Spc. Roland Hale

Welcome Letter

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