I spent 20 years in the military. So I have seen some shit in my day. Horrible things. And I have known of people dying in horrific ways. Rollovers, drowning, snipers, IEDs etc.

One example is people I knew, that were burned aligned in a helicopter crash. I obviously know several people that have died in helicopter crashes (why I never ride helicopters). But getting burned alive?? That never leaves my mind. The passengers were literally having a hard grip on the rails, because they were alive after the crash, but a fire spread quickly and trapped/killed everyone on board. Including a 2 Star General I had a meeting with just 3 weeks before the crash.

When I hear the Star Spangled Banner or go somewhere like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, I have a roledex in my mind that start rolling those names in my head. I don't judge people that don't take those things as solemn as me, I know they could never understand. A little Survivors Remorse I guess, but mostly I just want to keep their memories alive. And dealing with death from the time you are 18 to 40 years of age, is not natural. Not when we were so young. I also taught Military Science at a major military school. I have to think about basically kids, that died before they even started living their lives. I was just recently talking to them about going back to their rooms to shave, and they are dead.