Part 34 (1/2)

Huh?

I had already told the Army command on the radio what had happened, but I got back on the radio and repeated it. I was surprised-they didn't believe me.

A tank commander came out and interviewed the dead man's wife. She told them her husband was on his way to the mosque carrying a Koran.

Uh-huh. The story was ridiculous, but the officer-whom, I'm guessing, hadn't been in Iraq very long-didn't believe me. The soldiers began to look around for the rifle, but by that time so many people had been in the area that it was long gone.

The tank commander pointed out my position. ”Did it come from there?”

”Yes, yes,” said the woman, who, of course, had no idea where the shot had come from, since she hadn't been anywhere nearby. ”I know he's Army, because he's wearing an Army uniform.”

Now, I was two rooms deep, with a screen in front of me, wearing a gray jacket over my SEAL camis. Maybe she hallucinated in her grief, or maybe she just said whatever she thought would give me grief.

We were recalled to base and the entire platoon put on stand-down. I was told I was not ”operationally available”-I was confined to base while the 506th investigated the incident further.

The colonel wanted to interview me. My officer came with me.

We were all p.i.s.sed. The ROEs had been followed; I had plenty of witnesses. It was the Army ”investigators” who had screwed up.

I had trouble holding my tongue. At one point, I told the Army colonel, ”I don't shoot people with Korans-I'd like to, but I don't.” I guess I was a little hot.

Well, after three days and G.o.d only knows how much other ”investigation,” he finally realized that it had been a good kill and dropped the matter. But when the regiment asked for more overwatches, we told them to f.u.c.k off.

”Any time I shoot someone, you're just going to try and have me executed,” I said. ”No way.”

We were heading home in two weeks anyway. Aside from a few more DAs, I spent most of that time playing video games, watching p.o.r.n, and working out.

I finished that deployment with a substantial number of confirmed sniper kills. Most happened in Fallujah.

Carlos Norman Hathc.o.c.k II, the most famous member of the sniping profession, a true legend and a man whom I look up to, tallied ninety-three confirmed kills during his three years of tours in the Vietnam War.

I'm not saying I was in his cla.s.s-in my mind, he was and always will be the greatest sniper ever-but in sheer numbers, at least, I was close enough for people to start thinking I'd done a h.e.l.l of a job.

CHAPTER 8

Family Conflicts

Taya:

We went out to the tarmac to wait for the plane when it came in. There were a few wives and children. I came out with our baby and I felt so excited. I was over the moon.

I remember turning to one of the women I was with and saying, ”Isn't this great? Isn't this exciting? I can't stand it.”

She said, ”Ehhh.”

I thought to myself, well, maybe I'm still new to it.

Later on, she and her husband, a SEAL in Chris's platoon, got divorced.