TSgt. Sylderon, 27th HOC

During the summer of 2005, I served a tour in the 27th Heavy Opera Company, based in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Our mission was Faust by Charles Gounod. I was promoted to Technical Sargeant based on my engineering studies, but was wounded while clearing mines. I got off with only flesh wounds and a broken leg; I spent all of Act III on crutches. Before it was all over, three of my buddies were dead; at least we got Sgt. Wagner back home, so he could see his wife before he died. Valentin, our pretty-boy Marine Captain, made it through without a scratch, only to get shot by his sisters boyfriend. Perhaps all is fair in love and war, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with.