Call me Soldier

[1] Goodbye

My name is Rebecca. Rebecca Rose Barnes. My brother, James and I were separated when our mother died. Our father died when we were young-- he was a soldier in the army.

We were told that our dad died saving several civilians from a war zone city. Everyone called him a hero. We were given medals for him, after he died.

After Mom died, James, or Bucky, decided to be a ward of the state and stay at the base so that he could be a soldier too.  He wanted to be just like our dad. I wanted to join the army too, but I was a girl. No one thought that joining the army was an appropriate job for a lady. Sexist pigs.

I went into foster care, but my foster parents already had 10 other children. We didn't have very much money and when I was 13, my foster dad told me that I needed to quit school and work on the family's farm. We had had a terrible harvest, and my dad needed lots of help, since all seven of his boys were at war.

I wasn't having it. There was no way he could make me sacrifice my future and education for some smelly old farm. I mean, I felt bad for abandoning him, but what help could I be on a farm?

I decided to run away.

My best friend, Peggy Carter, let me stay with her and I continued to go to school.

Peggy was much older than me and worked for the army, but not as a soldier. She had many connections in the army, and was well liked, despite being of the female gender.

After a few months, Peggy told me that Bucky had joined the army and was going to be shipped out to Europe. She had access to all sorts of information.

I was worried and also jealous, because Bucky was going to make my father proud and I was just sitting like a lump.

I decided to screw school. There was no way that my brother was going to war without me. Obviously some serious strings needed to be pulled. After all, I was a fifteen year old girl with no experience.

I told Peggy how much I wanted to go. I had to see Bucky and to help him out. Peggy understood my want to help out-- that was why she joined the army, anyways.

Obviously, my age was a problem. I was not eighteen and that was blatantly apparent from my looks.

Peggy had some favors to call in, and was able to have a 'printing mistake' added to my record. I was now eighteen.

The army was desperate for troops, anyway.

In no time, I was at the training base in New Jersey. It was nerve wracking to be in such a large and intimidating place as one of the only girls, but I had a goal. I was going to make the 107th regiment and see my brother again.