In Kuwait, they joked and bantered with nervous energy and a cocky swagger. A two week pissing contest between the men of the replacement group had been held to determine which of them was most eager to draw blood. All had claimed to have been the victor. In each man’s mind, he held his own desire for combat to be the greatest.

Ridicule met them at their new unit. None of the veterans respected them or were impressed by their enthusiasm and excitement. Few responded to the recruits at all, and few of those who responded were polite. Rather than discourage them, the behavior only encouraged the green soldiers to prove their worth.

“Now we’ll show them.” Hollingsworth said, smiling at the others during the approach for the assault. They agreed that their chance for valor was coming.

Hollingsworth lay in the street, blackened and burned from the waist down, his face twisted in frozen horror.

One of the others hugged a wall nearby, soaked in his own urine.

Another one sat in shock as his green wore away.