The drill instructors, I remember them telling us that we should look around our unit because,

you know, at least five Marines in our unit would be killed in combat.

There are some of us who refuse to give in, who stand tall in the face of adversity against overwhelming odds.

By the time I look over, I see him raising his weapon in two in our direction.

So Castro, he says, Doc, I'm hit, Doc, I'm hit.

I look at him, I said, move your hand, his hand was like on his cheek area.

And then he has a little blood trick going out at the side of his face.

And then so, at this point, I don't know that I'm shot.

There are some of us who fight, who stand strong, who endure both the war outside and the war within.

I found, and I still feel this way, but that I wished I had my legs amputated,

or I wish that I was missing an arm, or I wish that I was missing my eye or my hand was blown off

because I felt like people would automatically understand and maybe just approach me differently.

If my outward presentation somehow reflected this inner experience that was happening.

From Wondery, an incongruity media, a show about the true heroes,

who put their lives at risk to keep us all safe and free.

The first time I went there was very scary.

The second time was terrifying.

I can't put in the words how difficult it was to be looking for these roadside bombs and not knowing where they were

and knowing that people you've known have been killed by them.

This is bravery.

A explosion goes off. It was an IED that was buried too deep.

So it just blew up the earth.

...