Campbell\'s Notion of the Heroic Monomyth

Campbell's Notion Of The Heroic Monomyth

Dear Alexander,

I am hope you had a happy seventh birthday. Remember to make wise decisions in your youth so when you get to be my age you will be successful. Anyway, how I miss those days as a White House Consultant for all Optical questions and concerns, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) eye care coordinator and overall Supervisor of the Optometry Clinic, with the Department of Medicine. However, since my stay in the closing days of the Iraq War, it has been difficult.

As you have already seen on the news, I was hand-selected to assist the optometrist who provided VIP eye coverage at the White House Medical Clinic. However, what you don't know is that I was shipped out to the war zone the very next day. I have to admit, my reputation precedes me. As a SGT, I took on the task of developing a system for organizing patient scheduling which resulted in a more manageable patient flow for the army. In Iraq I still have that responsibility. I don't want you to worry about me but our squadron has been up under severe attack by that enemy. In the midst of me leading the clinic staff in deploying a wireless computing system for the clinic which included the selection and procurement of equipment, we were attacked.

The setup; coordination of IT support; security analysis documentation and penetration testing of the wireless network; integration with the electronic medical record system that ultimately enabled the Optometry Clinic to complete a successful prototype wireless study which is now being looked at to be expanded throughout the North Atlantic Region Medical Command was also being done her in Iraq but almost destroyed by the raid.

Some of my men who were helping me on this innovation were injured in the invasion. Oh my younger brother. There is a lot you don't want to know when it comes to war. Let me assure you that it is no walk in the park. I don't want to alarm you but think of everything that you have ever seen about the Iraq war and try to live it as I have. Let me give you a foretaste in to the sand box of war we call Iraq. I have seen everything you have seen in a war movie. I have seen cowardice, heroism, and fear. I have also seen brief moments of relief. I have seen blood and brains all over the back of a vehicle.

Bro, sometimes it is so overwhelming. You cannot imagine the responsibility that is placed on me. I have to be strong -- a leader for everyone. I have seen men bleed to death fenced in by their fellow pals. I have seen soldiers vomit yesterday's breakfast when it was all said and done. I have seen the same shell shocked look in a 35-year-old first sergeant (1sg) as in a 19-year-old private. I have heard the horrifying screams for medic so many times that I have lost count. I have dragged dead civilians out of cars with the nauseating smell of death choking me. I have looked down at my hands full of the blood of a poor Iraqi civilian in the wrong place at the wrong time. I have seen kids with gunshot wounds of their own and I have seen their young friends who have tried to kill me.

I have seen mothers who own children were used as traps -- actually, witnessing a disaster of a few of my own comrades in this matter. I can't describe the horror and terror I felt at the sight of this atrocious killing. Man! Being a leader puts too much responsibility on your shoulders and in some cases I think that it can be more of a curse than a blessing. I got men just the other day that had both of their legs blown off because of the raid. What makes it so bad; there have been several raids in the last two weeks. I am losing soldiers at all ages and sometimes I wonder and I in the right place? Am I making a difference? Does it take all of this? At the end of the day, I have to know that this is what I signed up for. We as soldiers knew exactly what we were getting ourselves into. I have said it a thousand times, "God, I hate this place the country is horrible!" I have heard it a million times more. "This place sucks!" In quieter moments, I have heard more intense things; "Doc Izzo, this is a thousand times worse than I ever thought it would be." The best one yet, "I hope Bush dies. What was he thinking, having us come over here for no reason. Well, we are all sick of only getting three hours of sleep a day, and doing crazy patrols to Baghdad."

Bro! It's crazy seeing Iraq's using their children as human shields. It is so sad to see little kids used as pawns just to win this war. I am sick of my friends shooting innocent civilians just because they are up under disguise. The heat over here in unbearable somedays, you can actually fry an egg in this heat! My comrades are homesick and it becomes depressing seeing them lose hope and at times it feels as though they are losing their minds. I know I am always mentioning in my other letters that our level one aid station always looks like a combat support hospital (CSH) and we are so overwhelmed! Well, it is true. Even our Battalion Commander and Command Sergeant Major, both men whom we admire, were hit with an Improvised-Exploding Device (IED) on the way to Camp Cook (about three hours north of us). They are okay but the Private that helped carry them was hit and was sent to Germany.

I didn't want to tell you that on that same day we were almost taken captive. Yea, can you believe that? Your brother was about to be taken hostage by the enemy. It was close but our squadron fought them off but barely. We came under attack suddenly Bro! It was like a thief in the night but we fought our butts off. Completely caught us off guard. It was a scary time and to be honest with you, I almost thought that day would've seriously been my last.