Reaction to Attack

He says that when an IED goes off it takes you by total surprise. They are so well hidden that no one has any idea they are there until the explosive force rocks your world. The surprise causes your heart to skip a beat and you instinctively hold your breathe. The radio immediately fills with a cacophony of voices. Dust and smoke hang in the air.

But it's in those fews moments right after the blast that training takes over. The fear takes second stage as adrenaline dumps into the bloodstream. Metabolism speeds up, time seems to slow down.

He says that at that moment you know what has to be done and you do it. It's like the world is falling apart around him but he stays as calm as he can and gets the job done. He picks his vehicle commanders voice out of the roar and follows each and every command.

Even when he's not directly involved in an action the chatter over the radio brings back memories of the times he has been directly involved. He listens and knows immediately what thoughts are going through the minds of the men behind the voices. He can feel what they are feeling. He can see in his mind what they see with their eyes.