Heard from my bootcamp sister : Veterans

I found my best friend from bootcamp earlier this year. It’s been over 20 years since I’ve spoken to her. Tonight she told me that she got some not so good news at the cancer center.

And my heart is just breaking for those innocent girls that we were, full of life and hope for the future. How invincible we felt. This was before 9/11, so we didn’t know how soon we would be used to memorials held at base chapels. But no, that’s not enough. This woman made it through so much in her life, and now she has to deal with cancer? It just feels so deeply unfair.

The reason she texted me tonight is because she remembered how I used to sing this song while we were all quietly huddled in the head, doing laundry, polishing boots, ironing uniforms. (Our DI’s knew, but roundly ignored our violation of rack time – at least after first phase – and in fact would often tell us before lights out that “Those little house elves better come out and square away those nasty uniforms tonight, Six!” (Platoon 4006, Nov Co, MCRD Parris Island, Dec 4, 2000 – Mar 2, 2001))

It makes me glad that all these years later, the song brings her comfort. I’m not religious. Not anymore, anyway. But I am praying for my bootcamp sister. I’m praying for her health, and for her comfort.

But damn if I’m not also angry at a God that let children be sent away to war, and didn’t even deem it fit to take care of those of us who came back.

Thanks for reading if you got this far. I guess this was on my chest and I needed to get it off. Take care of one another. We’re all we’ve got.