I just finished watching some video from Canadian Forces of a firefight in Afghanistan. I learned a few things.

First, I would be quite happy to be defended by the Canadian military.

Second, I’m reminded of how terrifying the battlefield is. Soldiers crouch behind a wall and occasionally pop up and try to shoot at something before diving back. More often, they just hold the rifle up above their heads and shoot in something like the direction of their enemies. Veterans had told me this, but there it was again. Pantsfilling fear in action.

Third, there’s always that one person, in this case a couple of sergeants, without whom everything would be fucked. He’s the one saying “No, stop, don’t shoot yet, our guys are there” and “Get behind something right now” and “You got to move that way, no that way, immediately” and most of all “Go over there and reload and be sure the barrel is pointed THAT way while you do so.”

I know that military situations are extreme, but I feel that most groups of 25 people or so should have someone like that. Everyone halt, we’re going to the Chinese place and not Arby’s. Put your credit card away immediately, there is incoming consumerism. No no no, negative on the strip club repeat negative, get your ass back behind this wall.

Finally, one of the guys in the press conference part of the video is clearly mendel. I had no idea that he’d served, but apparently he was in Afghanistan. He looks exactly as I would imagine mendel to look if he found himself in Afghanistan after a firefight with Taliban assholes. Tell us all about it, Rich!

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