Blog 14

If I were a soldier in Lieutenant Jimmy Cross’s unit I would carry a variety of different items.  I would carry what was provided to me by the military, like a weapon, helmet, boots, and other battle gear because that is what would give me protection and help me better defend myself against the enemy.   I would also carry everyday necessities like a can opener, lighter, canteens, soap, and toothbrush and toothpaste, and ointments, bandages, and antibacterial medicines because I feel like I would really need these little thing to get by in the jungle, especially with all of the diseases and infections they contracted in the jungle.  I think most importantly though, I would want to carry letter, pictures, and the Bible.  While reading this, I thought of my dad who served in Vietnam and what he would have carried during his time in the war. I also thought of my brothers, who are both enlisted in the military, and what they would carry in the event that they were sent off to war.  And while thinking of them and the rest of my family, I realized that having part of them with me would be more important than an extra lighter or an extra can of peaches.  Their pictures would always be a reminder of what was at home waiting for me and how close we all are as a family.  My mother’s letters would remind me of how she always told us to be strong and never give up.  They would remind me of all the times she told me that saying “I can’t” or “I don’t know” were never acceptable and that you always strive to do your best.  The Bible would remind me that through the good and the bad, the Lord is always with me.  O’Brien said that all of the soldiers “carried themselves with poise, a kind of dignity” (O’Brien 1468) and I think that with the three reminders of my family, the lessons in life that I was taught growing up, and my faith I would be able to do the same.