So, since this will make more sense to you than most, let me share some more detail. We lost him on a Sunday. The rains were HORRIFIC; like flood-like as they so often are in Okinawa and jungle environments.
The safety officer at the Jungle Warfare Training Center said it was just at the level of being hazardous, but not to the point of being too dangerous and forced to shut down training.
Our Captain asked, "So, in war, we'd be expected to cross this?"
And the guy said, "Yes."
Then our Captain said, "Then, we're going to cross this."
I heard all of this third hand, but I'm confident of it's accuracy.
But this was peacetime and this Captain had NEVER been to combat. (He missed our Albania adventures a couple of years before.)
I have SOOOOOOOO often reflected on the weight he must carry. We lost Foster on a Sunday. He could have held off that training for a day. Or even a few hours. But he made the tough call and we pushed the limits -- as you so often do in training -- and we lost a GREAT man in peacetime.
This is the cost of freedom, even in peacetime, which I know you know so well.
Terrible events transpired beyond you and and Foster’s control. In an insane and unpredictable world we do what we can. What is important, is remembering these good people like Foster for who they are. Your podcast yesterday did that.
Thanks for the reminder about Gunnery Sergeant Fisher’s story and Gulf War Syndrome.
Concerning Foster, concur, it is always the good ones. When a Unit loses a good Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airmen it is a gut punch.
And the training losses are the worst....
So, since this will make more sense to you than most, let me share some more detail. We lost him on a Sunday. The rains were HORRIFIC; like flood-like as they so often are in Okinawa and jungle environments.
The safety officer at the Jungle Warfare Training Center said it was just at the level of being hazardous, but not to the point of being too dangerous and forced to shut down training.
Our Captain asked, "So, in war, we'd be expected to cross this?"
And the guy said, "Yes."
Then our Captain said, "Then, we're going to cross this."
I heard all of this third hand, but I'm confident of it's accuracy.
But this was peacetime and this Captain had NEVER been to combat. (He missed our Albania adventures a couple of years before.)
I have SOOOOOOOO often reflected on the weight he must carry. We lost Foster on a Sunday. He could have held off that training for a day. Or even a few hours. But he made the tough call and we pushed the limits -- as you so often do in training -- and we lost a GREAT man in peacetime.
This is the cost of freedom, even in peacetime, which I know you know so well.
Terrible events transpired beyond you and and Foster’s control. In an insane and unpredictable world we do what we can. What is important, is remembering these good people like Foster for who they are. Your podcast yesterday did that.