Your alarm goes off, wewe hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes.
He stays up for days on end.
wewe take a warm kuoga to help wewe wake up.
He goes days au weeks without running water.
wewe complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
wewe put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.
wewe make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the kuvuka, msalaba hanging on his chain inayofuata to his dog tags.
wewe talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
wewe walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
wewe complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his kofia, chapeo to wipe his brow.
wewe go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He doesn't get to eat today.
Your maid makes your kitanda and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
wewe go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.
You're angry because your class ran 5 dakika over.
He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.
wewe call your girlfriend and set a tarehe for tonight.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
wewe hug and kiss your girlfriend, like wewe do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.
wewe roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet.
wewe criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed kwa their own people and remembers why he is fighting.
wewe hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.
He hears the gunfire, bombs, and screams of the wounded.
wewe see only what the media wants wewe to see.
He sees the broken bodies lying around him.
wewe are asked to go to the store kwa your parents. wewe don't.
He does exactly what he is told.
wewe stay at nyumbani and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is aliyopewa to call, write home, sleep, and eat.
wewe crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 dakika nap, only to be woken kwa gunfire.
wewe sit there and judge him, saying the world is probably a worse place because of men like him.
If only there were zaidi men like him!
If wewe support your troops, send this on.
If it gets to a veteran who hasn't received it yet, it will bring back memories.
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,
Jesus Christ and the American G.I.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.