This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, and events are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places, brands, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, whole or in part, without permission, in writing, from the author.
Dramatis Personae
Cpl. Dennis “Smiley” Clemente: Team Leader. Small guy of Filipino ancestry. Always has a toothy grin pasted on his face.
LCpl. Steven “Cat Chow” Cornwall: SAW Gunner. Tall, lanky black goofball who thinks he’s a comedian. I’m his best friend and even I don’t think he’s funny.
LCpl. Felix “Throb” Hart: Asst. SAW Gunner. Short but built like a frickin’ troglodyte. Must be drunk before he’ll speak in multiple-word sentences.
PFC Douglas “Java” Belfountain: Rifleman and all around super-hero. Great looking guy that all the girls love. And I would know, because he’s me—and my momma tol’ me so.
Glossary of Terms
ACOG – Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight
FLC – Fighting Load Carrier. Vest designed to carry ammo and other gear a grunt will need in a hurry.
FUBAR – Really messed up situation
M16A4 – A grunts best friend. Fires the 5.56mm NATO round. Has a selective fire switch that that can be set to semi-automatic, three-round burst, or safe.
M203 – Grenade launcher designed to attach under the barrel of a rifle
M249 SAW – An automatic weapon firing the 5.56mm NATO round
MTV – Modular Tactical Vest. Body armor. Hot and heavy piece of outerwear that gets even hotter and heavier when the SAPI plates are inserted into the pockets.
Oorah – “Understood” among about 50 other meanings
Ruck – Rucksack.
SAPI – Bullet resistant plates that are inserted into pockets of our MTVs in order to protect us from bullets and to make grunts miserable.
Stew – Stage 2 infected, a.k.a. S-2, can, zombie, zif, zook, zed, etc.. Second stage of the zombie affliction, where the fungus has started to infiltrate the victim’s brains and make them into a drooling idiot. Sort of like my buddy Cat Chow when he’s had a few too many brewskis.
Rifleman's Creed
This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.
My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will.
My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit.
My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and my heart against damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will.
Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life.
So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy, but peace.