Member-only story
On an April 2007 evening in Bagdad, I changed my clothes to go work out at the gym on base. I had just left work.
It was a normal day like any other.
Rocket attacks were common but I never thought much of them until this day.
A little after 6 PM, I walked across the field as the evening sun was close to setting.
The Iraqi skyline was starting to turn to absolute darkness but it hadn’t reached that point yet.
I figured this would be another gym routine for me like any other day.
Suddenly, I see a flash across my eye about 200 meters away.
Once I finally realized what it was, it was an Iraqi rocket that the local insurgents were using to scare and possibly injure the US and coalition force.
This time the rocket missed hitting anyone.
When I realized that a rocket attack had occurred I tried to get cover.
When I looked at the left side of my stomach, I realized I was hit as red blood cover my gray Army T-shirt. A small piece of metal about the size of a US quarter hit me in the left side.
I knew my roommate was still in the room I shared with him and took off sprinting to my room.
