 That that day I mean at the end of the day what I did I was either gonna be a hero or a zero I Was either gonna go in there and find them all dead and get them out Or if I'd have went in there and it hadn't been as bad as I thought it was I'd be going to jail for Disturbating of direct order over about five minutes. I asked three times So what was it that you could hear on the radio that made you want to go in? Well, everybody was saying that they were trying to get out And lieutenant Johnson came over the radio and said that or not lieutenant Johnson Gunny Kenefeck said that he's pinned down so bad He can't even shoot back Because they're in the house right next to him shooting at him and then Lieutenant Johnson Caught in a grid or caught in a fire mission Perfect fire mission, you know, it wasn't like it the mission was Messed up or there's any reason they shouldn't give it to us gave a 10-digit grid and immediate suppression on an on-call target And they told him They told him that uh That his fire was denied he's too close to the village And then he said If you don't give me the rounds I'm gonna die And they said try your best and that's when everybody knew it was time for me to go in That was the last transmission I heard from him and as I'm going in what confirmed it was is Gunny Kenefeck started trying to call in a grid that he was That someone had had he had he was trying to get a medevac in So So you're sitting in in a gun truck how far off and you're listening to all this chatter about a mile I looked at uh That's how I figure this job is Sad. Hey, let's go He went in there with me He drove me Maybe see if you can get a screwdriver off the back truck. Is it hard to relate to people back here? It is especially people my age Imagine trying to do that I can't I can't get along with I mean I can hang out with them a little But they just have no goals in life. It seems like Just difficult you think because of all you've done already and such Short amount of time No no common ground no common language I think that's what it is You know like they just Their priorities are somewhere else, you know, they'd rather be worried about how they're gonna drink their next beer or You know, their parents are still paying for their stuff So, you know, we just can't really relate I have goals and I got stuff I want to do, you know I want to be successful so I can't really I don't have time to Hang out and let my parents pay for my stuff Just forget I say goals No, I mean I want to be on my own business probably something in this field I'm gonna have to get another one of these Yeah, probably Or wherever wherever the money's at Just that kind right there I miss the guys I miss some of the guys that miss like The discipline like one thing is you come out here And it's just like with my cousin's job If not if the boss usually stops working, but everybody else thinks they need to stop working You know, the Marine Corps is not really like that. So it's just the discipline. I think You know, actually having a structure, you know, there's so many laws out here that people can really do what they want They can tell you they don't want to work and you're gonna have to pay on me You got to have a legit reason to fire them. There's so many loopholes, you know I mean the Marine Corps is not like that. So Um leadership be fair. Um I guess one thing I did with all my guys that I would do Is I wouldn't try to act like I'm better than them just because I'm the boss, you know I try to make sure they know that I'm at their level, but You know and get off and work So I wouldn't just be on the on the bobcat like just to be an operator the whole time while somebody else is out Doing the work outside. I would if I was done doing that I would get off and do it with them and stuff like that If they're up at seven o'clock start work Well, I'm gonna be there at 6 30 to let them know that I'm more dedicated than they are So I always had one thing While I was in the Marine Corps, if someone always corrected me for something I would always look back at them and see how they were, you know, it didn't matter what rank they were at I got into a huge argument outside of uh, I don't know. Kanyoi Bay With a a bunch of staff stars. They came in on the Mew and um You know they they yelled at me I just got out of the field. I've been there for a week and a half My feet were all messed up. So I didn't have socks on in my shoes And it's because they were so blistered. Well, this staff star stopped me just for the sole fact that I didn't He stopped me for Something he was trying to quote a reg to me and I looked at him and I said well staff star you didn't shave this morning And you could only imagine what that did three other staff stars come over and I was like, well, you didn't shave either this morning And so they're like who's in charge you this net. They're like, oh look, you don't even have socks I'm like, you're right. I don't they're like, I can't believe you're so nasty with your long hair this and that so They're like who's in charge and I told them I was like Gunner started Soto Rodriguez So, you know, of course, they always pull that one. I'm going to call your commander this and that I would that's how I was I would always call people out. I mean, what's right, right? You know if they're gonna call me out for it then their leadership. I'm a direct reflection of you staff star You didn't shave. I didn't shave either That got me a lot of I got in trouble on bagram right after this incident Not right after but as I was going home It's freezing cold. It's middle of december on bagram, you know, and I'm walking around my hands in my pockets And there's that that's an ongoing argument inside the Marine Corps of He'd have your hands in your pockets And this first one comes up to me not not a marine first time But a army first time and goes hey marine get your hands out of your pockets I'm like show me the regulation that says that I can't have my hands in my pockets He said well, why are your hands in your pockets? I said because they're cold And he said uh He said well, you can't walk with your hands in your pockets. I said that's that's that's crazy So you show me a reg and I'll do it He said why don't I have to show you reg? I'm a first one. I was like, well, that's not good enough So, you know, I'm just small stuff like that