A Soldier Burden

In this deeply personal reflection, the author explores the invisible weight soldiers carry long after leaving the battlefield. Though he never fired his weapon in combat, he recounts a moment during a patrol in Iraq when he came within seconds of doing so facing a life-or-death decision as a civilian vehicle approached the convoy. That moment, though it ended without bloodshed, left a lasting emotional scar. The chapter emphasizes that the burdens of war are not only physical but deeply moral and spiritual. Through it all, the author leans on faith not tied to one religion, but a belief in something greater to find strength, compassion, and a moral compass. This enduring faith becomes his anchor, helping him carry the heavy emotional weight of choices made and those narrowly avoided in the fog of war.