He Was My Best Friend

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Jan, loved by all.

Well for a brief moment in time this man was my best friend. We grew up on opposite ends of the world. I grew up in farming country in the Midwest and he grew up in the middle of hell in war torn Afghanistan. Different languages, different cultures, religions, you name it nothing on earth would have brought us together. Nothing except war.

I was a young boy of only 19 when we met and he was already in his early thirty’s fighting in the 6th year of his second war.

The first time I met him I wasn’t very nice. To be honest, I didn’t respect him at all. I was an arrogant elitist paratrooper in America’s guardian of honor, the 82nd Airborne Division (if you're a U.S. Army Veteran, you know the type) and he was just a lowly Aghan Haji.

Surely he was ignorant to the world around him...

What little did I know?

I was surprised when I first conversed with him. His English was on par and his many years serving as an interpreter for our armed forces had given him the hardened slang of any American grunt on the frontlines.

He took shit and gave it just as quick. Be that I was the Commander's gunner, he was assigned directly to me and it only took us a short time to become close as any of my battle buddies out there in the shit together.

This man was tougher than most and he was funny as hell too. I wish I could share some of the jokes he had on Steemit, but those belong on the battlefield and nowhere else.

One thing I can share though is when we first met I went from disrespectful punk kid to karate kid and he was my Mr. Miagi. He was enlightened to the world I was only first getting to know, combat.

He had seen it all and lived to tell about it. I had the honor to learn everything I could from him.

He fought alongside the Mujahideen against the Soviet Union, and now fought against many of his former comrades with us.

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Remnants of the Soviet War still seen on the battlefield.

Shortly after we met we had a long serious talk about politics, the people of Afghanistan, and ways that could possibly help them out of the eternal war they have been in.

I asked him how he learned English and why he chose to help the U.S. when all it seemed to me was we were causing more problems for the country.

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Small village near his home.

After I had asked, he looked at me with a very serious face and said “Mr. Badger (he used my real name), when I was a little Shepard boy in field the US man came and he save me from evil Taliban. He save my life and I love him. He teach me English?”

I looked at him with wonderment in my eyes ”really? Woooooowww!”

”No, you idiot! I took the money from the army and went to college in Kabul! You're such a racist!”

That was his favorite insult for me, racist. Being a recon unit we had our share of hard work cut out for us and even though he was my best friend out there, I was never easy on him.

”Get your ass up that mountain your slowing us down!” I would order.

”Ah man, you're such a racist! Why are you such an asshole man.” He would shout back.

I miss our long nights on watch together drinking tee, telling ghost stories, talking about women and life.

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He shared his world with me. Perhaps the greatest honor of all was meeting his family and having dinner by his house.

You see, for a foreign white devil to meet an Islamic man's wife and children is a big deal. I knew that then and I am so grateful for it. I will never forget it.

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That’s me on the far right.

He served by my side, always faced the enemy with strength, and saved our asses many of times.

This guy also liked to tell the country people that Americans will eat their babies and things like that. So much for winning hearts and minds!

On one a rare occasion he rode in a different truck than mine. I don't remember why anymore, but it just so happens the truck he was in hit an IED (Roadside bomb) and he was sent home to recover from some minor wounds. Before he made it back to the front I was shipped home and never got to say goodbye.

He was ripped from my life as fast as he came into it. Our time together felt like an eternity and it was over in the blink of an eye. I miss him dearly and hope to one day meet him again.

That is war for you, it can make best friends, take best friends, it will scar you forever.

-@balticbadger



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To listen to the audio version of this article click on the play image.

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Interesting how the crucible of war can forge unlikely friendships and bring people, who would otherwise not connect, together. Of course, as in your case, it can sever those same bonds just as easily. Interesting also to see your description of yourself as a young devil may care paratrooper from your perspective many years later.

The wheel turns my brother, and we with it.

Thanks for the thoughts mate, a nice post.

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Yeah, we were pretty full of ourselves that's for sure! Sure do miss those times. Thanks for your comment!

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Memories always stay with us - That's the good part.

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We became friends with our interpreters and many of the locals during deployment. You find out that they are real people too, and not the bullshit you hear on TV. Man I miss the food sometimes, looks like you got the full shebang!

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Loved that flatbread stuff with some sugar on it! I got pretty sick after this think it was some bad goat yogurt 🤣

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He sounds like a cracker. Nice propaganda skills. Lol.
I wonder if there is any way you'd be able to meet him again.

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One of our interpreters was on Facebook for a while then I'm not really sure what happened. I am not on FB anymore but maybe one day I will try and get back into contact with some of my buddies maybe they know how to find him.

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He is still alive as far as you know?
Tragic and beautiful story. This is a part of you I had no idea about, and you write wonderfully about it

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As far as I know, yes. His brother was killed that I know, but we were trying to get my interpreter to us and they denied him (after promising he could). Thank you very much 😁

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A sad story but all to common, I hope he is still alive and prospering. One day all this war will end and theses kinda of friendship for differing cultures will benefit humanity 💯🐒

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Howdy sir badger! Excellent story about Jan, was there no way to stay in touch with him by mail or anything? I hope you get to see him someday.

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