Cemetery Street

The waiting is a killer. The Germans perfected Blitzkrieg; we're perfecting Sitzkrieg. Sitting, training and waiting. Everyone, including the Iraqis, know that they have to January 15th to bug out of Kuwait. It's obvious we're not going to do anything before that. Saddam would have to be a fool to try anything now. If he wanted to attack, he would have a lot earlier when we weren't as strong. That doesn't mean we don't think he could pull a terrorist attack or something. If a terrorist attack gets through, it ain't Saddem's fault, it's ours for letting our guard down. God knows how Peay drills that into everyone's skull.

Don't get me wrong, this place drives me batshit, but I can't think of a place I'd rather be. It's my chance to pay my dues, like the old man did in 'Nam. I know it sounds fucked up, but if I was anywhere else, I'd be itching to get here. But once this is over, when my hitch is up, I'm out! I'll know I did my part. I'm going to get a place, get that mustang and live the good life. Even if I have to dig graves the rest of my life, there ain't nothing wrong with it.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all that shit.

Count

***

Shannie, January 7th, 1991 The days wind down and we're still training. We're ending our latest stay Fort Camel, tomorrow morning we're heading north. Being at Camel is like being in the locker room before a fight. It is tense here, everybody knows what's up with the deadline. Everyone in my squad agrees that the deadline makes it all confusing. In one way, we basically have a heads up for when the shits going to hit, but in another way, Saddam could pull out, and if he does that, the fight's over before the opening bell. Part of me hopes it is cancelled. Another part of me wants to step into the ring, wants all this firepower to be unleashed! Fucked up ain't it? Even though the idea scares the shit out of me, I find myself rooting for carnage. It's like this ultimate test. We've been here going on five months - training and sweating, sweating and training; I'm telling you, if this fight's called off, the past five months, if not the previous three odd years would seem like a big waste of time.

Anyway, like I said we're moving out tomorrow; headed for Bastonge. It's kinda cool to know that we'll be up north if and when the fighting starts. At least we won't be SCUD fodder.