Veterans

I was involved in a situation where one of my Soldiers shot a kid for one reason or another. I personally was the guy who found the kid after the firefight and I personally have a lot of feelings of regret over that situation, but I feel some level of peace knowing that I was able to look the parents of the kid in the eye and tell them I was responsible. I'm sure they hated and despise me for hurting their child, but I was at least able to give them the opportunity to address me.

Startlingly, the father hugged me and kissed me on the cheek.

I would like nothing more than to go back to Iraq and visit that family again - this time without a rifle in my hands and the distance created by having a platoon of Infantrymen standing to your left and right. I think I owe it to the family to allow them to confront me with their anger on equal terms.

I don't know if the kid ended up surviving or dying.

As human beings and supposedly moral people, our leaders need to allow these families of drone strike victims to vent their grief and anger to them as well.