Chapter 31
0345, 10 November 2004
4th Division Headquarters
Camp Baharia, Iraq
Mike Beck reached for his watch to turn off the alarm and cursed the sharp pain in his shoulder. The pain got worse each day, and he started to worry that it might be serious. He remembered the date, November 10, the Marine Corps Birthday, but no one at 4th Division would be celebrating.
When he crawled out of the rack, the room remained clouded with dust from the rocket attack two hours earlier. He slipped on a pair of gym shorts, t-shirt, and shower thongs. Next, he put on his flak jacket, attached his 9mm pistol, grabbed his helmet, and started the five-minute walk to the showers in the dark. As he walked, he remembered that he was here on the seven-month rotation plan: arrive, learn a little, and leave.
