Hot, bloody fight proves soldiers’ mettle

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Hot, bloody fight proves soldiers’ mettle
By Allison Batdorff, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, October 5, 2007


FALLUJAH, Iraq

It was hot. Over 130-degrees hot, soldiers said.

When talking to members of Apache Troop about July 26, the heat is a character in the story in its own right.

The heat fried the precision of some memories, as they tell the story two months later at the dusty, no-frills Command Outpost Viking, where Apache Troop, 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry hangs its Stetsons and spurs.

~snip~

“We had about 65 percent come back with PTSD last time; I bet we’ll have 75 percent this time,” Mason said.

Fink agreed that it could be an issue, saying that the Army should mandate time for soldiers after something traumatic happens in the field, instead of making it voluntary, he said.

“Mental health doesn’t get to places like this enough,” Fink said, referring to COP Viking’s 10-latrine, outskirts location. Here, soldiers eat what’s served, and it takes five days to get a clean uniform.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=49272