Page 34 - Total War on PTSD

When the General was finished, the group broke up, and I left the hospital alone. Instead of walking toward command headquarters, I began to walk the other way. I wasn't headed anywhere in particular, just walking and thinking. I needed some time to myself.
After a while, I realized that I was about to walk into the Canadian section of the base. I had been there several times before with my boss as a guest of the Canadian General.
There was a Tim Horton's Donut Shop in the center of the compound. I went there, bought a cup of coffee, and sat outside at a small table under the shade of a scraggly palm tree to think. I was ashamed of what I had done, or rather I should say, what I hadn't done. I wished that I
had gone beyond that curtain when I had had the chance and spoken to that young man. To this day, that still bothers me. Talking to him was the least I could have done. I didn't even know his name!
The following day, as soon as I could, I went back to the Role III Hospital and found the nurse from the day before. I asked her if I could visit with the young soldier in the Special Care Unit.
She just stared at me for a few seconds before she answered. I immediately knew that something was wrong. "He's not here Master Chief," she said. "He expired late last night, and his body was placed on a plane early this morning before dawn. There wasn't even time for a Ramp Ceremony. I'm sorry.”
Sometimes, at distinctive moments in your life, you only get one chance to do the right thing. I had missed my chance to make a difference in that 'expectant soldier’s' life.
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