This is Jocko podcast number 492 with Echo Charles and me, Jocko Willink. Good evening, Echow.

Good evening. The dealer NCOs carefully placed Lanzerens remains into the ambulance for the final 100-yard ride to the helipad.

First Sergeant Shaw commanded order arms, and in unison, the salutes dropped.

Wordlessly, the formation closed ranks behind the ambulance and followed it into the darkness to the edge of the helipad

the chopping sound of two marine c h forty six c night helicopters in the distance soon replaced

the constant hum of generators powering Camp Ramadi.

As the whir of the rotors grew louder, the members of the silent crowd stood a little straighter.

As the helicopters flared to land, a dust cloud of sand and pebbles filled the air,

prickling the faces of the assembled soldiers.

The back ramps of the sea night dropped

and two crew chiefs moved swiftly across the helipad,

came to attention, saluted,

then led the dealer NCOs to the aircraft

for Lanzarans' trip back home.

Colonel McFarland and I stood next to the ambulance in silence.

Within minutes, the back ramp rose.

The assembled crowd snapped to attention.

As the wind of the engines increased, First Sergeant Shaw's voice filled the air again. Present arms.

With the blades spinning faster, the lifting helicopters prop wash, blue, sand harder into the faces

of the troops gathered in formation, this time holding their salutes until the birds were out of sight.

Again, Shaw commanded the formation order arms for Staff Sergeant Lanzarin it was the beginning of his journey back to his grieving

family for the rest of us it was time to continue the mission.

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