The smell of death stole my morality and my innocence. br About the time I turned twenty; almost overnight br I’d forgotten how to play peaceful like…. br the weapons were real. br Having been trained to kill or be killed br in fewer than three months br by our nation’s best, I had known br from the outset of the war; br I didn’t want to wind up like grandpa’s br Uncle Bob. The toothless br part with the missing teeth I could br handle but paralyzed br from the neck down and my gun shooting blanks; br there was no way br if I could help it, br that was ever going to be me. br But as sure as I’m sitting here today….. br It was always a possibility..... br and a sacrifice I was willing to make br along with my band of brothers br for a free America....