At the tail end of SOI in 2004...Alice gear and gortex. There is a twisted feeling of excitement when you turn 18 years old, only a few months before going over to the sandbox. What's even more twisted, is the complete lack of knowledge of the different faiths and outcomes that awaits everyone going there; much different from what normal life throws at you. The tall guy im standing next to, we deployed together to Iraq, same time, different units. While we were in Fallujah, him and another good friend of mine from the same class (not pictured), went on with Lima Co. 3/25. That reserve unit got hit hard during those days. In one rotation alone, they lost 46 Marines and 2 Corpsman. They lost 14 Marines in one single action in Aug of 2005. Still remember hearing the news of that event right after coming back from a patrol, and the heavy sinking feeling you felt because there was nothing you could do about it, not knowing if two of your best friends were gone or not. Luckily, they both survived and we linked back up when we got home. Again, much different from what normal life throws at you. #stayzero #zerofoxtrot #marines #military #infantry