I am 23 years old, and I have been in the Army for about 3 years. I am in the airborne division and I can show you the tattoo on my leg to prove it. I was in Bosnia and Kosovo, not the easy tours like the guys in Desert Storm. I am from Norfolk, Virginia, and I probably should have gone into the Navy, being from a shipyard town, but my father, his brother and his father were all in the Army. So, when I was thinking about joining the Navy, my father came and talked to me about it and convinced me to go into the Army. But, I want to tell you a story that I have not told anyone before this.

The setting is the countryside in Kosovo. I am patrolling an area with my CO (commanding officer). He is a corporal, and he is my best buddy. We went to jump school, together; basic training; everything. And he is from Norfolk even though I did not know him before I went in the Army.

So, we are patrolling this area together, and we encounter a pregnant woman. And she is getting ready to have the baby. So, I stop my patrol to try to help her. Then my CO, my buddy, comes over and tells me to stop helping her. So I stop. He is my CO after all. And the lady is yelling and crying. And my CO is yelling at her to shut up. She cannot speak English, and she is in labor so, of course she just keeps on. Then I started to tell him that we had to help her. He takes out his 9mm handgun, and yells at her to shut up. Then he points the gun at me, and tells me to shut up.

It was unreal, but he continued to yell at her, then he pointed the gun at her, and he shot. Once to the stomach and once to the head. And I decided that I finally know what it is. I have some thoughts on heaven, but that day I saw the reverse. In fact, I got my degree that day, and I now know the story about my father, and my uncle.

told to me 5Jan00