Running Head Rough Draft 1 And 3 Quintarean Lawrencel

Running Head Rough Draft1rough Draft3quintarean Lawrencel

Rough draft 3 Quintarean Lawrence Liberty University 6/5/18 The Ultimate Survival I felt that I had been abandoned in the desert, but when it came home, I also felt very lonely as well. Perhaps, part of me had been left dead in the deserted wilderness as my brothers died. We deployed to the deserts of Iraq to extract an American who had been captured by a group of Taliban while patrolling. January 1st, 2005, we were dropped off at 00:00 hours. I could hear the pitch of the helicopter changing and the voice of the pilot counting, “five, four, three….‚ Everything was electric, and I remember that experience as it were yesterday, it is situated on my brain making me unable to forget.

As the alpha element, I was tasked with leading the rest of my platoon members through the route that was given to us by our intelligence officer. We were dropped off near the village that was the hideout of the group. First, it occurred to me how dark and cold it was. Around this village was a wall. Stan, our weapon expert, would take the lead from this point on.

He would walk about 10 meters ahead of us to ensure that the path we took had no Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). Finally, we got a break at the wall; Stan had to let me take the lead. I was astonished by how deserted the village was. Our combat controller communicated with our commander who for some combat reasons instructed us to wait until morning. We found a haven behind a specific hut and decided we would rest there as we expected further instructions.

First light was beginning to come out on the eastern horizon. Everything was going on well; we were having a chat with my fellow alpha element Tory. All of a sudden, I looked up to my left and saw two individuals on the roof of a building. “It’s not good! Tory look up!” I told him murmuring.

It seems like they had not seen us. I knew that if anything went wrong, these troops would be on top of us in minutes. All of a sudden, I heard a deafening thud! It was a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG). Soon, this village turned into an inferno.

All I could hear was a crackling thumb. This was definitely a kill zone. “Everybody rebound!” the commander yelled over the radio. I led the way out of the break in the wall, and we began running towards our drop-off point. After a short while, I turned back—Stan was there, Tory was there—and no one else.

It couldn’t get any worse. Before I could even fathom what had happened to us, I saw Stan fall. Before I could take another step, I heard another loud thud! Somebody had stepped on an IED. I tried to lift my weapon as if in a tactical position, but I couldn’t. Blood was oozing out of my left arm.

It looked as if I had been bleeding for a while; I was now beginning to fade away. From afar, a sound I was familiar with reached my ears — they were Cobras throwing missiles and firing their machine guns. “Alpha element found!” That was the last thing I heard over the radio. The next time I came to, my mother, father, and younger brother were beside me. I had survived, but what was killing me was my friends who weren’t coming back and the devastation on their families.

Paper For Above instruction

The narrative ‘The Ultimate Survival’ by Quintarean Lawrence reflects an intense and harrowing account of a soldier’s experience during combat in Iraq. This story vividly captures the chaos, peril, and emotional toll of wartime, emphasizing themes of bravery, loss, resilience, and the traumatic aftermath of warfare. By analyzing the personal recount, we gain insight into the psychological and physical realities faced by soldiers in combat zones, and the profound impact these experiences have on their lives post-conflict.

The story begins with an evocative description of deployment, emphasizing the mechanical and sensory stimuli—such as the helicopter's pitch and the soldier’s vivid memory—that anchor the narrative’s immediacy. This evokes a sense of déjà vu and trauma rooted in the soldier's past and present. As the story progresses, Lawrence details the strategic movements against a hostile environment, including the precautions taken to avoid Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and the decision to wait for daylight to proceed. These tactical steps illustrate the careful planning and heightened alertness characteristic of military operations in hostile terrains.

The narrative’s core is marked by sudden violence and chaos, symbolized by the rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) that transforms the village into a battlefield inferno. The soldier's instinctual commands to recoil and escape demonstrate leadership amid crisis, underscoring themes of duty and survival. The narrative intensifies with the loss of comrades, particularly Stan, and the soldier’s personal injury, which signifies the physical toll of war. His attempt to maintain tactical composure while bleeding out highlights the endurance and resilience demanded by combat.

Beyond the physical violence, Lawrence’s recount vividly portrays the psychological scars inflicted by war. The soldier's reflection upon his friends' deaths and the devastation wrought on their families underscore the emotional trauma that extends beyond the battlefield. The ending, where the soldier wakes up with family around him, symbolizes both the fragility of life and the hope for recovery amid destruction. The story underscores how wartime experiences continue to haunt soldiers long after their physical injuries heal, emphasizing the need for psychological support for veterans.

From a broader perspective, this narrative underscores the importance of storytelling in understanding war’s realities. Personal accounts like Lawrence’s serve as vital testimonies that remind society of the human cost of military conflicts. They offer insights into the bravery, fear, and grief that soldiers endure, which are often overlooked in media portrayals focused solely on strategic or political aspects.

Furthermore, this story aligns with scholarly discussions on combat stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies show that soldiers exposed to life-threatening situations often endure long-term psychological consequences that require comprehensive mental health interventions (Hoge et al., 2004; Smith, 2013). Lawrence’s account encapsulates many of these experiences, from acute trauma to the ongoing emotional burden borne by veterans.

In conclusion, Quintarean Lawrence’s ‘The Ultimate Survival’ offers a compelling glimpse into the brutal realities of warfare and its aftermath. It emphasizes the importance of acknowledging both the physical and emotional tolls faced by soldiers, advocating for greater awareness and support for those who serve. Such personal narratives are essential in fostering understanding and empathy, bridging the gap between wartime experiences and societal recognition of their profound impacts.

References

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• Smith, J. (2013). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and military veterans: a comprehensive review. Military Psychology Journal, 25(4), 285–301.
• Bradley, R., & Greene, J. (2018). War and trauma: Psychological consequences of combat. Journal of Military Ethics, 17(2), 105-118.
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• Vogt, D. S., et al. (2011). Deployment-related mental health problems and barriers to care among military personnel. Psychiatric Services, 62(6), 601-607.
• Schwarz, B. (2012). Veterans’ experiences and mental health outcomes. Journal of Combat Trauma, 6(1), 35-49.
• Shnaider, P., et al. (2019). PTSD among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans: A review of risk factors and intervention strategies. Psychological Reports, 122(4), 1384–1400.
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• Moore, A., & Davidson, P. (2017). Strategies for managing combat stress and trauma. Military Medicine, 182(11-12), e1708-e1714.
• Williams, D. (2015). Personal narratives of war: An exploration of soldier stories and their societal implications. War & Society, 34(1), 66-82.