When I was a young soldier, with a chip on my shoulder

  I set out to prove myself to those who were older

  Op Broken Gunner we joked, "no doubt we'll be smoked"

  I never thought that I too would be broke

  We took up our cannons and let bullets fly

  We vented our hatred, imagined foes they did die

  Our first week had passed us in the blink of an eye

  With not a single cloud hung in the summer sky

  We held the defensive, We made our great stand

  Then an elderly officer came up with a plan

  We abandoned our water, sleep and food can

  So we could prove we were hard to this elderly man

  We mocked battles, across open fields we fought

  We skirmished for days, almost fifty degrees hot

  And the first troops were claimed by foot rot

  We made for the forests, hopeful for a cot

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  Instead by a friend, I was nearly shot

  We were dragging on, half dead on our feet.

  We couldn't believe it was only two weeks

  Grimey and beaten, lucky for hour's sleep

  When the Colonel came by, he said "What a reek!"

  Our numbers nearly halved, the cannons were short staffed

  In grim humors we gaffed "At least we weren't draft!"

  The last week of the shoot, our complaints became moot

  Our bitterness took root and we, grimly resolute

  We would see it through to the end, our duties not shirked unto friend

  We would cry "Full Send!", unbroken despite the starts of a bend

  I was a man of iron, convinced I'd not break

  My pride as a soldier now fully at stake

  That night we took up our rifles, bullets none to fake

  And made for the forest, searching for enemies to take.

  I was still new to the gear called 'night vision'

  While I donned the monocle, I did listen

  To the wisdom of veterans' many a mission

  I was tip of the spear, I'd lead this incision

  I'd outlasted many others, I'd been taken by none

  Not dehydration, hunger, exhaustion nor burning sun

  I can do this, I thought as I took up my gun

  One day, this leaf would make a fine champion

  So in that dark forest I took off half at run

  My questing foot found a root left unseen

  And just like that, it shattered my dream

  I went to the ground without so much as a scream

  Twisting as I fell to protect an expensive machine.

  We laughed and joked about my potent youth

  Adrenaline and bruised pride, both hid the truth

  T-6,7,8 had all slid from their booth

  I pressed on headless, my life changed by this sooth

  Before dawn I lay down to rest, proud to be one of the best

  I though upon my knowledge gained, later I awakened pained.

  I tried to stand but could not, I checked my feet, finding no rot.

  At dawn's light to my Sargent I say, 'I'll sweat it out, I swear I'm okay"

  But he saw I was not, so I was taken away.

  The pain was great but fleeting, yet it destroyed my pride

  Taken from my team, I croaked out my goodbye

  It is an ugly thing to see soldiers cry

  Nobler by far should I simply die

  I longed for that, for a time.

  Five years ago now, my service long ended.

  I think back to the fine soldiers I've befriended.

  All faiths and creed, from which they've descended.

  I'd thought us all invulnerable, a fact now contended.

  I was but a man, and a man can be rended.

  take care of your backs!