Not Forgotten – SGT Kisseloff

Combat is a machine unlike anything 98% of the world population will ever experience.  I say machine because it has no life, no heart, no soul. Humans may more often than not be involved, but it’s too sickening to be considered anything man-made. It’s a machine of its own making. A beast.  And An unwelcomed one at that.  When you you’ve completed mission after mission avoiding mortar attacks, IED attacks, RPGs, small arms fire and more… you kind of develop a God like complex even though after mission after mission you tell yourself not to let it get to your head.  It’s almost an unavoidable feeling / sensation. But in less than a second, combat can make you feel quite literally like every single organ inside your body is being torn out slowly when “this firefight”, is the one that takes one of your buddies, a brother or sister in arms… and the only three things you can muster together are:
1.“why” 
2. “it should have been me”
3. “it’s not fair”

I cannot believe it’s already been a year since Sergeant (SGT) Denis D. Kisseloff was killed in Logar Province, Afghanistan.  I haven’t taken off his memorial bracelet since I received it a couple weeks after our loss.  It’s entirely too easy for me to get angry about some of the events that took place that day.  But May 13th isn’t a day to be angry, SGT Kisseloff was too much of a happy person, and anyone could tell this simply by looking at any photo of him.  It’s a day to remember, and honor the life of a Father, Brother, and Son.  I frequently think of the Kisseloff family, and his two children who lost their mother entirely too soon, and now father.  I pray for the family frequently, and ask that everyone reading this take at least a minute of silence for this man who laid down his life for our country.

You are not forgotten.