Day 6 - Four Suits

Each night after endlessly working in the office, fatigue normally sets in at 5pm. Being deployed is hard, working seven days a week, 12 hours a day. Somehow, the holidays have found a way to lessen the pain. As the days pass, we here find more ways to ease the stressors of everyday life.

A common activity that took place during the late evening hours at my unit was card games. Hearts was typically the game of choice. Involving strategy, deception, and occasionally handing out punishment, it was a game that we all enjoyed. Sitting by a burning fire pit for warmth, it was typical to see a group of warriors at 2am, yelling and laughing, movies playing in the background.

As we sat outside that Saturday in December, surrounded by decorations we planned to set up in the coming days, we would forget, for a brief moment, that we were in a combat zone. Free of weapons, wrapped in warm clothes brought from home, we gathered around a table, pen and paper in-hand ready to keep track of the score. Jokingly eying each other, tossing playful insults at each other, the mind games started early that night.

As with most decks of playing cards, Hearts is played with four different suits. Cards represented by numbers and members of the royal court represent a rack-and-stack amongst themselves. Much like the military, each suit of the deck is different, serving a different yet vital role depending on the situation. When used in the right situation, each one has the capability of gaining an advantage even in the face of adversity. In some instances, combining the efforts has the greatest impact, increasing the chances of overall victory.

Every branch of the military has made tremendous contributions to the war effort. Whether flying above, marching below, typing behind a screen, or sailing out at sea, every service has done their part to ensure a decisive victory.

As planes patrol the skies above, we here are not weary of surprise. We can perform our duties during the day, relax during the evening, and sleep well at night knowing that the Air Force provides us with a blanket of aerial protection. Fast yet agile, planes circle above with a watchful eye. Helicopters whir on the horizon, able to spot the slightest movements of all, large or small. With painted sleights and photos of Santa on their sides, the come bearing gifts for all: the gift of promise. As we sleep during the hours of darkness, they have made a promise to protect us as we rest our eyes these chilly winter nights.

As armored vehicles prepare for evening missions, Marines stand proudly beside them, performing checks of equipment and weapons. Some, in place of their standard covers, wear the familiar sight of a red cone with a white ball attached to the end. Santa hats had been passed out the night before, sparking the holiday cheer within each of them. Jokingly, they load their equipment into the large vehicles. “Timmy, were you good this year?” asks one Marine to another as he tosses his gear. Vehicles ready, gunners manning turrets while braving the harsh temperatures, they roll out into the darkness of night, leaving behind a lingering cloud of dust. That night they make a list, checking it twice. The only thing on their agenda: make it back safely so they could safely return to their family, both here and back in the States.

Powering around in an endless convoy of Humvees, the Army does their part this holiday season. Completing tasks during all hours of the night, working tirelessly to ensure the mission is complete. As the days grow nearer to December 25th, they patrol outlying areas ensuring we are safe for another day of celebrating. Insides of vehicles are sparsely decorated with ornaments, miniature wreathes, and candy canes. They too have found a way to keep the holiday spirit.

The Navy, as they guard the coasts just off shore, keeps us safe for maritime attacks. As piracy becomes more of an issue this side of the world, they step up to be the watchful eye for those in need. Removing large cutouts of turkeys from Thanksgiving, they replace them with sleighs and reindeer, gliding across the waves with ease and grace. For here in Iraq, reindeer don’t fly - they water ski.

With most game of cards, there are typically four different suits, each different from the next with different strengths and weaknesses. The military too, with our four suits designating our respective service, has our strengths and weaknesses. But when combined and used at the most advantageous point, we become a force not to be reckoned with. Whether we are fighting a war or celebrating the holidays together as a family, no other combination of suits in the world match the power, or brotherhood, of the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, or Marines.