Page 41 - 100 Hours to Destiny

“Roger Delta Two, stand by as you are about three hours out for
your assets to start moving through the FARP. When I call, be ready to move!
Three hours running backward at this time.”
“Solid copy. Three hours running backward, mark time.”
I took my helmet off for a moment just to kind of clear my head from
all the radio transmissions that were taking place. I looked at all the
incredible jumbo supply trucks to my left and said, “wow, this is
extraordinary.” No doubt millions and millions of dollars in assets were there
on behalf of Delta Company. We were getting the attention necessary to
outfit the tip of the spear. This moment was a cliché in my own mind, I said
to myself, “This means business. No one in the world could ever have so
much firepower and resources handed over in one night, unless…. this….
was…. truly…. GO TIME.”
I felt so proud to be standing there and seeing all of this unfold….
When suddenly the familiar sound of approaching LAVs snapped me back to
the task at hand. It was Red 5 with vehicle Commander Sgt Kyle Reynolds
coming in first to the FARP, of course, accompanied by his wingman and
longtime buddy Jacob Vaetoe. What a cast of characters these two crews
consisted of, some of the most experienced, deadly, comical group of
Marines ever put together. The ringleader of the traveling comedy show was
Jacques Moreno. The constant bantering back and forth between Moreno,
Jacob Vaetoe, Johnny Norsworthy, and Sgt Reynolds was like a flowing river
of near comedic insanity. So, I naturally grinned anticipating their arrival to
the FARP, never knowing what to expect.
“Delta 7, Delta 7 this is Red 5, over. We are requesting permission to
enter the FARP. We are 100 meters out, and we see you.”
“Roger Red 5. Bring it on in. We’ll make contact at the LOG which is
on the first left. Be ready to pass your mail off to Echo 3 Witcher as you roll
through.”
Red 5 suddenly appeared, with LCpl Baker behind the wheel. Mikey
Flores was in the Gunners hatch… suddenly Kyle Reynolds was heard over his
internal radio comms to Baker, “Solid Stop, now!” Baker slammed on the
brakes right in front of Gunny and me, jolting Kyle and Mikey. Which
warranted a lambasting from Kyle, “Baker, don’t slam on the freaking brakes
like that, you’re going to throw Marines around and get somebody hurt!”
Baker was in his elevated driver's position with his head up above the hatch
and looked at me and grinned like a Cheshire cat. I couldn’t help but laugh as
this lightened up the intensity of the moment.
“Witcher, here’s our mail. Take good care of that, I spent a lot of
time writing that letter to my wife; Make sure she gets it. Copy?”