SGT Private RallyPoint Member 814782 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Poem By Robie Odonnell<br /><br />Every now and then, something happens that just can't be explained by anything other than fate. For the past few months I've been working in the real world on several different military and veteran initiatives, many of which center on getting the message of our veterans out to the civilian world. A lot of those messages have to do with explaining how combat veterans feel about their experiences in war. Then, this appeared on a Facebook page dedicated to the memory of a friend's son.<br /><br />The author of this poem is US Army Veteran Robie Odonnell. "Odie", as he is known to his buddies, deployed to Afghanistan in August 2009 with the 4th Infantry Division out of Ft. Carson. It was there he met the son of my dear friend Linda, Ryan Patrick Kennedy. Ryan lost his battle with Post Traumatic Stress on August 2nd, 2010.<br /><br />About Ryan, Odie said "I first met ryan when I got overseas, they had deployed about two months before I got there, and instantly became friends with him and 3 others, we always joked about being overseas, and at a point we were all convinced that we weren't really in afghan, but just on the other side of the mountains in Colorado springs, it made things better and easier for us all if that's what we thought and talked about. ryan was a great soldier, but even better at being a friend to someone."<br /><br />These words of Obie's describe one part of this war too many of our veterans have brought home -<br /><br />ENDLESS WAR<br /><br />TIME RACING IM PACING<br />EYES ARE TRACING<br />IM CHASING THAT HIGH,<br />I WANT TO BE FACING<br /> <br />BULLETS FLYING<br />SOLDIERS DYING<br />BUDDIES ARE CRYING<br />WE ALL TRYING<br /> <br />ONE MORE SHOT<br />ONE MORE KILL<br />ONE MORE SHOT<br />TO FIND THAT THRILL<br /> <br />OUR MINDS STILL IN THIS WAR<br />SOME BEGGING FOR MORE<br />OTHERS ON THEIR KNEES CRAWLING FOR THE DOOR<br />IT WONT STOP<br />CLEANING UP THE BLOOD WITH A MOP<br />GUNNERS UP ON TOP<br />ALL SHOOTING AT THE SAME SPOT<br />THEY LET THE BODIES ROT<br />LOOKING IN THE MIRROR KNOWING THAT WE FOUGHT<br />ONE MORE HIGH<br />ONE MORE SHOT<br />LIVING THE REST OF MY LIFE LIKE THIS ID RATHER NOT,<br />NIGHTMARES AND COLD SWEATS<br />HEARING A FIRECRACKER WONDERING WHAT COMES NEXT<br />THANK GOD FOR THE BULLETPROOF VEST<br />WAIT<br />TRAINING VEST<br />SHIT MINES NOT LIKE THE REST<br />IM DEAD IF I GET SHOT IN THE CHEST,<br />LOOKING AT THE CLOUDS IN THE SKY,<br />PRAYING TO GOD THAT TOMORROW ILL BE ALIVE<br />TIMES RACING<br />IM PACING<br />EYES ARE TRACING<br />IM CHASING THAT HIGH I WANT TO BE FACING,<br />ANYMORE THOUGH I DON’T<br />TODAY IS A NEW DAY<br />SO I WONT.<br /> by Robie Odonnell 2015-07-14T17:55:10-04:00 SGT Private RallyPoint Member 814782

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Poem By Robie Odonnell<br /><br />Every now and then, something happens that just can't be explained by anything other than fate. For the past few months I've been working in the real world on several different military and veteran initiatives, many of which center on getting the message of our veterans out to the civilian world. A lot of those messages have to do with explaining how combat veterans feel about their experiences in war. Then, this appeared on a Facebook page dedicated to the memory of a friend's son.<br /><br />The author of this poem is US Army Veteran Robie Odonnell. "Odie", as he is known to his buddies, deployed to Afghanistan in August 2009 with the 4th Infantry Division out of Ft. Carson. It was there he met the son of my dear friend Linda, Ryan Patrick Kennedy. Ryan lost his battle with Post Traumatic Stress on August 2nd, 2010.<br /><br />About Ryan, Odie said "I first met ryan when I got overseas, they had deployed about two months before I got there, and instantly became friends with him and 3 others, we always joked about being overseas, and at a point we were all convinced that we weren't really in afghan, but just on the other side of the mountains in Colorado springs, it made things better and easier for us all if that's what we thought and talked about. ryan was a great soldier, but even better at being a friend to someone."<br /><br />These words of Obie's describe one part of this war too many of our veterans have brought home -<br /><br />ENDLESS WAR<br /><br />TIME RACING IM PACING<br />EYES ARE TRACING<br />IM CHASING THAT HIGH,<br />I WANT TO BE FACING<br /> <br />BULLETS FLYING<br />SOLDIERS DYING<br />BUDDIES ARE CRYING<br />WE ALL TRYING<br /> <br />ONE MORE SHOT<br />ONE MORE KILL<br />ONE MORE SHOT<br />TO FIND THAT THRILL<br /> <br />OUR MINDS STILL IN THIS WAR<br />SOME BEGGING FOR MORE<br />OTHERS ON THEIR KNEES CRAWLING FOR THE DOOR<br />IT WONT STOP<br />CLEANING UP THE BLOOD WITH A MOP<br />GUNNERS UP ON TOP<br />ALL SHOOTING AT THE SAME SPOT<br />THEY LET THE BODIES ROT<br />LOOKING IN THE MIRROR KNOWING THAT WE FOUGHT<br />ONE MORE HIGH<br />ONE MORE SHOT<br />LIVING THE REST OF MY LIFE LIKE THIS ID RATHER NOT,<br />NIGHTMARES AND COLD SWEATS<br />HEARING A FIRECRACKER WONDERING WHAT COMES NEXT<br />THANK GOD FOR THE BULLETPROOF VEST<br />WAIT<br />TRAINING VEST<br />SHIT MINES NOT LIKE THE REST<br />IM DEAD IF I GET SHOT IN THE CHEST,<br />LOOKING AT THE CLOUDS IN THE SKY,<br />PRAYING TO GOD THAT TOMORROW ILL BE ALIVE<br />TIMES RACING<br />IM PACING<br />EYES ARE TRACING<br />IM CHASING THAT HIGH I WANT TO BE FACING,<br />ANYMORE THOUGH I DON’T<br />TODAY IS A NEW DAY<br />SO I WONT.<br /> by Robie Odonnell

2015-07-14T17:55:10-04:00 2015-07-14T17:55:10-04:00 SGT Private RallyPoint Member 814804

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Brought tears to my eyes knowing this brother is hurting so much, he couldn't handle it anymore. This shit's real. Not to be downsized as weak, doesn't happen, can be fixed easily. Read my words, There but by the Grace of God, go I. Please, no negative feedback. This really hurts to see him suffer so much, he took the easy way out. I say easy because living is the hard way when your sick with PTSD.

2015-07-14T18:01:23-04:00 2015-07-14T18:01:23-04:00 SPC Jeffrey Bly 814916

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Very touching and a perfect way to convey the message. My condolences on your friends loss. I had a buddy that took his life. Not the same as this, but none the less, just as tragic. I hope many many people get to see this poem.

2015-07-14T18:48:54-04:00 2015-07-14T18:48:54-04:00 2015-07-14T17:55:10-04:00