Sacrifices: An Iraq War Story

Chapter 3: Arrival

April 12, 2009. Iraq-Kuwait border

Well apparently the plane had to make a stop for fuel so we have to spend the night here in Kuwait. It's hot and I'm gonna have to deal with heat like this for a while now. Perhaps I should have signed up to go to Japan instead, at least it's not as hot there as it is here. No Alex, you signed up to go here for a reason and there's no backing out now.

April 13, 2009. Umm Qasr, Iraq

Well I've finally arrived but I'm not gonna be here for long. I have to be picked up by a helicopter and then flown to base to get to where I'll be staying, if I'm even gonna be there often.

Later that day. Al-Asad AB

After a a few hours, we had finally arrived at base. I expected it to be a small FOB but instead this place is an airbase. I stepped of the heli along with a few other guys who are arriving, I remember one of them from basic, Dave. Not long after, we were approached by a man names Colonel Schaffer soon after he called for a nearby a Marine. "Sergeant Hinata!" The man quickly approached him, "Yes Colonel?" Colonel Schaffer pointed at me, "Show this young man around the base" "Yes sir!"

The man seemed a bit older than the other Marines, at least his late twenties-early thirties. He was tall but had the look of horror in his eyes, as if he had seen something horrifying happen while here. "R-Right this way" He showed me around and the look of horror seemed to fade away a bit. He laughed "The base is called Al-Asad but most of the guys around here refer to it as 'Dreamland' but I think we all know that's a lie." I laughed at his remark "So what do you guys even do around here? You know, besides fight" "Basically anything we can find to do, maybe prank the guys that are sleeping, work out, etc."

He quickly jumped "Oh crap, I completely forgot to introduce myself. I'm Haru Hinata, a Staff Sergeant." I laugh "I'm Alex Ichijou, a Lance Corporal." We soon talked about ourselves and I later found out that he was from the same area as me and has a wife and kids. He said that he enlisted shortly after 9/11 and was deployed to Iraq in 2005. I explained how I haven't been in the service long. I think I'm gonna get along pretty well with this guy

Name: Alexander Ichijou
Age: 19
Branch: USMC
Rank: Lance Corporal (E-3)
Unit: 2nd Marines
Awards: National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal

Hey guys hope you enjoyed chapter 3, Chapter 4 should be up tomorrow. See you then!