Sitting Sideways

I feature this as a wonderful way to begin the New Year:

I found this post at Write On The Right when Just John made a comment on one of my recent quips. I know that perhaps I should have consulted him first, but I felt the statement he made was too powerful and deserved broadcasting in as many dimensions and venues as possible, as quickly as possible.

Once again, I shake my head in wonder at our American Soldiers. Where do we ever find men such as this? There isn't a draft, people; these are volunteers. And moreover, I only hope we deserve them in our future.

And another reason why I so frequently find myself despising the diminution by Demorats of our fine fighting forces.

SITTING SIDEWAYS

by Just John:

When I was in Iraq, I rode in a Humvee (short for HMMWV, or High Mobility, Multi-purpose, Wheeled Vehicle). My driver and I grew to be very close. We found ourselves in a common hell, and vowed that we would do whatever it took to make sure that we both got home in one piece.

My Humvee was of the "high-back" variety, much like the one in the picture above (with the fuel and water cans on the back). It was not the ideal vehicle to fight from. The doors were vinyl, as was the covering over the cargo area of the truck. The doors simply kept the wind and dust down a bit, but nothing more. They certainly offered no protection against enemy fire.

Any time that we were moving into a new area (or moving around in a current, known hostile area), I would remove the door from my side of the vehicle and sit sideways in my seat, facing outward. The doors were very easy to remove, as they just lifted straight up from the two posts that they were hung on. I sat sideways for two reasons, only one of which I told my driver about. I had told him that I sat sideways so that I could more easily employ my rifle in time of need. There was more to it than that.

Had my driver really thought about it, he would have realized that sitting sideways isn't exactly the perfect position. It reduced my field of view significantly. I had to look to my left to see where we were going, and could see nothing on the driver's side of the vehicle. It did, however, provide one additional benefit.

I never told my driver that one of the main reasons that I sat sideways was because I could more effectively block any enemy fire coming from that side of the vehicle. I could more effectively shield him that way. I justified that by thinking that my vest, with ballistic inserts, would stop most enemy fire. I also knew that if he got hit, we'd be completely screwed. Our vehicle would probably end up in a ditch on the side of the road, and we'd be immobilized in a bad spot. I also knew that I didn't want anything to happen to the young Corporal; I don't know what I would have done if he got hit while driving my butt around.

It was indeed much easier to aim and fire out of the vehicle by sitting sideways, but I'll always remember the other reason for doing it. The young Marine that was my driver now has a young wife and a new baby. I wouldn't have it any other way.

God bless you John, and God bless all American Warriors for their sacrifices.

BZ