I was deployed to Saudi Arabia going to war. I was anxious, unprepared, and extremely afraid. We lived and worked around burning oil fields breathing in toxins, burning trash and feces. This is what the devastation looked like in the aftermath of war: burned out Iraqi tanks, abandoned cars and a land left desolate with hungry women and children. Constant sand storms, extreme heat during the day and below freezing temperatures in the evening made guard duty unbearable. Gas attack drills made you feel completely powerless in the face of an unseen lethal enemy. I did not know if I would see the next day or return home. However, I knew I had a job to do because people depended on me. SFC Meadows said stay focused remember your training and you will be fine. God and SFC Meadows kept me safe.