Roadifer DTC354 September 20 2015 He could not recall a more perfect day to be a father The SUN was finally SHINING after a long dreary winter and not even the scattered rain and dark clouds that were typical of a Northwest springtime day could dampen his mood ID: 272201
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Slide1
Cindy
Roadifer
DTC354September 20, 2015Slide2
He could not recall a more perfect day to be a father.
The SUN was finally
SHININGafter a long, dreary winter, and not even the scattered rain and dark clouds that were typical of a Northwest springtime day could dampen his mood. reminded him of fond memories of his own childhood. For eight years he had waited for his son to start Little League baseball, for when he found out he was going to be a father, he celebrated by purchasing a baseball glove for his future son or daughter. Finally, the little boy with the beaming smile, was using the glove that had been lovingly bought and saved for this day.
Playing catch with his young sonSlide3
disrupted their game of catch. He knew he had to protect his son from the onslaught, so he grabbed him, ran and leaped into the bushes for protection.
Piercing screams came from the frightened boy. Slide4
Springtime weather
in
Iraq
brought respite
from the piercing cold of winter and a “pre-relief” from the .
Springtime also brought days upon days of sandstorms that turned the sky into a hue of reddish-brown.
searing heat of summerSlide5
It was not unusual to hear
gUnSHots
and
BLASTS
from IEDs from behind the perimeter wall. Mortars and grenades launched from the other side of the wall used to
time alarm him
, but as time ticked away on his deployment, so, too, waned his nerves
.
The caution and and cooperation for the protocol of taking cover during incoming fire lasted only until his first encounter with an IED. Thereafter, he seemed to enjoy tempting fate by ignoring the alarms to “duck and cover.”
His relaxed attitude changed, however, when he ignored the “incoming” warnings and the yelling of his 1SG because he was enjoying some downtime tossing a football with his much-younger PFC. He heard
the rocket propelled grenade launch but he did not see it coming. An earth-shaking explosion quickly followed the flash of light. He could not hear anything immediately after crash, but through the dirt and smoke he could see the young PFC on the ground, writhing and screaming as he reached for the source of his excruciating pain. Rushing blood and tattered pants were all that remained of his lower leg and foot.Slide6
and the cries of his son, jolted his mind
and he realized he was in the
shrubbery of the neighborhood park.
Slide7
I T H U R T S