The Thousand-Yard Stare.

It is not a natural act.

It is not a natural part of life to be shot at. It is not natural to take another's life. It is not natural to be placed in harm's way every moment of each day of your life. It is not natural to be 18 years of age and killing someone is part of your daily routine instead of playing football, going to college, working at the corner store, or learning the ropes of the family business. Let's be honest folks, it is not natural.

It used to be called, "Seeing the elephant", facing the enemy, shots being exchanged, people screaming, death, destruction, devastation, bombs raining down, missiles flying, the rocket's red glare. People bleeding, gore, body parts and that sound no person ever forgets, the crack of a bullet breaking the sound barrier as it is flying past your ear. It pops! Then you see the flash of the weapon firing.

It is not a normal part of a teenager's life to patrol areas, weapons locked and loaded, taking fire while on patrol and having to kill another human being so you may survive the night and write to your family the next day. Moments packed with adrenalin, people screaming, explosions, gunships flying overhead, rockets flying, doors being kicked in or blown down with prima-cord. Kevlar, helmets, gear, packs, boots, 9 mm automatics, M16's, these are not part of the normal dress for a teenager. Mine wear pants down to their butts; headphones glued to their ears and once in awhile will actually make a sentence structure to ask for money. They live in the real world, not the other side of the looking glass where the white rabbit is trying to kill you. The mad hatter just set a roadside bomb to take out your vehicle and you distrust every person you see not wearing your uniform.

It is not a natural act.

Seeing your buddies die. Seeing other's die, being responsible for some. So, how do they cope? Easy, with black-humor. Humor based on death. Instead of keeping it inside you it is let out in the form of insanity. You take pictures of the destruction; trade them for porn, anything of value. Sex is constantly on your mind. Why, it is a release from the devastation you see. It is the proverbial warrior thinking about their mate and what they will do to them after the battle. A release. You are Achilles, slaying ten or twelve trojans. You want to go back to your tent, and have sex with three women. You just survived hell. You made it. You have to cope somehow, someway. So, it's sex. It's anything that will make you feel better. If you don't let it out of you it stays there. It eats your soul.

It is not a natural act.

You see it is not like the movies. In the movie we see the hero, anti-hero, charging into battle with a machine gun on his hip. They never die. Those around him do. They always go out in a blaze of glory. Movies are great, but that's not how it happens. Normally they cry, their last words are of their mother. That's life, truth. That's what our kids are seeing.

So they stare into space. They see what has happened, not what is happening. They are reliving it. Shocked by it. Coping in the only way they can. They stare. Looking into infinity. Staring for a thousand yards.

Our brave military, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters have been seeing the elephant far too long. After awhile it is no longer an unnatural act to see it every day. After awhile it becomes part of you. It defines you. Worse, you become it.

It is not a natural act.

To the brave brothers and sisters serving in harms way. The thoughts and prayers from your brothers and sisters of another war are with you.