My name is John McMillan but the soldiers know me as Sergeant McMillan. I am 32 years old, 6 feet tall, 250 pounds, and am married to the most beautiful person on the planet, Jess Lynn McMillan. We have a daughter, Sarah, that was just born last month. I enrolled into the U.S. Military at the age of 21. After having a month back at home, I have come back in order to serve again during the time of a War. This War was to be against Afghanistan, since the United States has been angered by the 9/11 attack on the twin towers in New York City. Walking to the battle sight in which we begin to attack from, I think about my daughter and wife back at home. Suddenly, two scenarios come to mind before the attack started. Either I’m going to get to see them very soon, or they will soon see me, in a coffin, saying their last goodbyes before my body is put into the ground. Although I am very worried of these thoughts, I must stay strong, not only for myself but for Jess and Sarah. With a crucifix in one pocket and lock of Jess’s hair with a picture of her and I in my other pocket, I am ready to begin, knowing I’m being watched by God and thought of by loved ones. 
Our attack begins right away and instantly people are falling down from both sides, as if it’s rain falling from the sky, fast and right before your own eyes.  The weapons being used were so much more advanced than we had expected. I run behind a large rock to take cover and shoot when I see a target. We are now about 5 hours into the attack with many people dead yet so many still alive. My strength is weakening and I’m beginning to fear for my own life. As I am shooting, I suddenly begin to hear a faint cry and I look over my left shoulder to see a young female child, about 5 years old, hiding behind a bush crying. I take a quick look around and sprint across the way, over to the bush where the child was crying. She looks at me with the fear that I will hurt her, but I sit down wrap my arms around her to keep her safe and make her feel protected. There is no where to take her, guns are everywhere, she will get shot if I try take her to a much safer area. Then with a quick glance, I see a small shack knowing that if I take her there and she stays inside she will be safe. It is a long ways, but I am wasting too much time just thinking about it rather than doing it. Still holding her in my arms, I stand up put her face in between my shoulder and collar in order to keep her from seeing anything that might frighten her even more than she already is, and I begin to run. We make it to the shack, I open it and place her in there. Once I close it and turn around there’s a man running straight at me. I pull out my knife and as he comes running onto me I push the knife straight through his clothing, through the skin, and into organs. I pull the knife out and the man falls to the ground.
I have been on many attacks through my years of military experience, but I’ve never experienced one this frightening. I don’t know where to go now, I’m lost, it is quiet and I see no other US military men around. Before I knew what had happened I heard one last gun shot and I went down to the floor. Now I was beyond scared, because this was not just a gunshot wound into the arm, but it was on the side of my chest. I was shot right above where the bulletproof vest began. As I placed my hand on the wound and lifted it back up, I saw red liquid, and right then I knew it was blood and tears began to roll down my face. The tears were not from the pain of the wound, but from the fear of dying. I knew this was a wound I would not be able to survive from. I took the lock of Jess’s hair, the picture of us together, and the crucifix out of my pockets that I had used for my strength and protection. As I stared at the beautiful blonde hair and Jess’s beautiful smile, I realized something so many people take for granted. This is that I would never get to see that beautiful smile again, I would never get to hold her or kiss her again, and most of all I would never get to tell her I love her to her face ever again. I would never get to see my little girl take her first steps, graduate from high school, or walk down the aisle on her wedding day. When things like that hit you, it makes you fear for survival and for your life because there’s so much left to live for, yet someone takes that opportunity away because they believe you’re better off dead than alive. During my last few moments I held the crucifix, my picture and Jess’s hair and spoke to God, “Lord now that I am soon going to be entering your Kingdom, I need you to give all my strength to Jess and Sarah to go on with life. Together we shall protect and watch over my lovely girls, because since I shall not be able to be with them in person I will stay with them in spirit and with that I will watch over them and protect them so no harm shall ever come their way…..” As I said those last few words I looked up at the sky, looked at the beautiful sun and clouds, and then closed my eyes ready for my new job of protection.