Part 2/12:
The veteran begins by describing the initial feeling of invincibility that often accompanies new recruits. "I went in like I was invincible," he recalls. Confident in his training and skills, he believed he was beyond harm, only to discover the brutal reality that anyone, regardless of age or experience—including a 13-year-old with an AK—could kill. His first deployment was filled with a mix of energy and anticipation, with excitement overshadowing the lurking dread that would manifest later.