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It was a cold March day but one I will never forget. For the first time in the history of the 82nd Airborne, military
wives were invited to participate in training manuevers. There were only a few of us who were asked to participate
in teaching the soldiers what to do in the situation of running into refugees within a forgotten city. Only two of us
ended up participating. I was 5 mnths pregnant at the time, and we all know what it is like during that time but it was
interesting to see how the soldiers actually trained in a undeveloped setting. Our company drove out to the city by hummer
around dusk, we unpacked our stuff and placed it in the old abandoned church and walked around. It was like walking through
a haunted house, never really knowing who or what one would run into next as you turned the corner. Two old Russian tanks
sat out between the buildings, wondering what it would be like to touch a piece of history I climbed up on the tank with JT
and we had our picture taken. we walked around a bit more and watched the sunset over the horizon. Some of the others from
the company got a bonfire going and we cracked open the MRE's to grab a bite to eat and listened as Toe told us what
was going to happen during our venture. We were refugees and was told we were not allowed to speak any English but we
could speak any foriegn language we knew. JT and I had our own special little language that consisted of phrases of Italian,
Spanish, German, Japanese and a few words Lebenese we learned over the years. Jonel and her husband only knew Spanish but
spoke it well. It was late and we all were tired and needed to get some sleep in anticipation of what was about to happen.
Just before sunrise we could hear the cracking of the M16's from a distance and the trucks as the soldiers
neared the city. Purple Haze covered the city from waste high and green smoke grenades were thrown into the buildings to cover
the soldiers progression. Unaware of Jonel and my presence they rapidly encompassed the building grabbing all the soldiers
they could find. They had a rude awakening when they found us in the church, and we were seperated from our spouses and
was guarded by a soldier, M16 in hand the spouses and a few others were placed in the balcony but we were kept
below. Jonel tried a desperate attempt to escape out the window but tore her pants and was caught and brought back. She bagan
to converse with her husband above in Spanish telling him she tore the butt out in her pants but the soldier who was guarding
us started laughing, he spoke fluent Spanish.. JT and I talked back and forth for a bit, inquizative looks fell on the soldiers
faces, they had no clue what we were saying. What started out a teaching manuever soon became rough. Charlie company
was angry they were not made aware of our presence and began rough housing our soldiers from our company. several walked away
with injuries because of them and that was the last time this type of manuever was ever done. It was not only a lesson in
tactical battle but a "what would you do" training manuever. Charlie company failed their manuever and we are left with the
memories of a time once forgotten, a true journey through time.
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