Bravery

Mark sat down at the table, "Daddy" mark said,"Yes Mark" I said.

"When do you think you have to leave to go into Viet-Nam for Battle. "With-in they next week" I said to

  my son. I was just a Soldier who had never been put into any sort of fighting until now.I just put up

with the Extreme training that i needed in order to help my Country when It needed help. "Promise

me You will come back Daddy",

"Mark", "I will come back as soon as i can", "For the most part I wont be fighting, I will just come in if

they need me". "Are you sure", "Absolutely" I said.

"OK i understand". "Mark if you have any more questions you can feel free to ask me OK".

"I will write you guys every week OK". Just as I said that my wife walked in. "Good morning" I said.

"Good morning James". she said. "Are we still going for breakfast",mark said.

"Yeah just let your mom get dressed" I said. "OK" mark said as he trudged toward the television.

A few minutes later we pulled up to the restaurant and walked inside and sat down in a booth.

I heard a nearby tv talking about the troops in Viet-Nam and then i heard something. I walked closer to

the screen and heard the reporter announcing, "Many American soldiers are pronounced dead

including one pvt. John Ramirez". At that moment a tear fell from my eye. John Ramirez my brother

my friend pronounced dead. The man continued, "his body has been returned to the united states

by the U.S. military and the soldiers family will be informed". I slowly walked back to the booth by

now there was tears flowing down my face. As I sat down my Wife and my son asked whats wrong

I simply replied. "i-its John he-he's dead".The drive home felt like days instead of just minutes

"James do you how it happened", "it said his arm was shot off and he later died of the infection

caused by it". After I said that everyone was silent for the remaining part of the drive. When we got

home I saw Mark run into his room. Then the phone started to ring undoubtedly i picked up the

phone and said "hello", "hello" the voice said, "Hello this is United states military commander Sean

Jackson I'm sorry to inform you that John Ramirez is- I hung up the phone Then I walked over to

the living room and flopped onto the couch expecting the Military to call back any second, But they

didn't i sat there for hours and hours doing nothing But think then before i knew it Mark came Out of

his room and asked "whats for dinner dad", "I think were just going to have chicken" I said. So I got

up off the couch and trudged toward the kitchen. The remainder of the day was quiet.

                                                                                 1 WEEK LATER

I woke up at About 5:00 Put my pants,lightweight shirt, beret and my private 1st class badge onto

my shirt. grabbed my keys and walked out of the door. I walked into my car and put the key in the