The Chameleon

When asked how he felt about the deaths of 9 /11, Pablo Sequera , a 22 year old US army soldier in Iraq said "I wanted to bomb the fuck out of every single one of them towel heads". Now fighting in Iraq he says he has grown more sympathy and understanding toward Middle Eastern people. "Actually being up close, watching how they live every day in violence, has given me even more ambition to help them gain freedom" said Sequera. War will always change a person whether it's physically or mentally, a soldier never leaves the way he came in. The smells of gunfire, the loud ping of bullets bouncing off of metal, the vibrations of grenades exploding nearby, and the taste of their own fear climbing up into their throat will always remain close to a soldier. The memories of war will haunt a soldier for the rest of his life.

Pablo Sequera grew up in Houston, Texas with his grandmother. His mother and father died in a car accident when he was only 3 years old. He Graduated High

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school and went off to work at a local video store. While Sequera was working at this video store one of his fellow co- workers, Sam Canton , was a war veteran. Canton would constantly talk about his experiences in the army, and encouraged Sequera to enlist. Finally, feeling useless in this world, Sequera decided to enlist in the army. He thought that since he was not wealthy enough to donate money to charities to help the people of his country, the next best thing was to actually protect and fight for it. Sequera enlisted in the army when he was 19 years old and was sent to Iraq a year later.

Sequaras first day in Iraq was horrible he was petrified but at the same time excited. Sequera said he had actually almost fainted because he was so nervous. He missed his grandparents a lot but most of all, his fiancй. The first couple of days he was not allowed to talk to any outsiders, so to pass time he started writing letters to family and friends about his first week. It took Sequera 3 weeks to become totally use to his surrounding. After those 3 weeks he totally loved the army. "I love the rush of not knowing if I am going be alive for the next morning, and when I awake and see the bright sun shinning I know its all worth it. Sequera says when he is actually in combat , even after 3 years, he still " shits himself " . Sequera compares his

experience in combat to having sex in a parent's car. " you know that u shouldn't be doing it but the rush you get from knowing that, makes it all the better". Sequeras

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enlistment was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Sequera says "I thank God everyday for giving me the strength to enlist, if it wasn't for the army I would not be the person I am today.

Before the army Sequera states that he was a stupid teenager without any direction in life. "The army has shown me a lot of discipline and meaning to my life" says Sequera. Sequera believes that every man should enlist in the army. Sequera says that the army is a great place to get to know oneself both phsically and mentally. "Everyday I learn something new about myself whether it's me learning how fast I am

Capable of running to me learning how to cope with some one getting killed right in front of me".

Although Sequera loves fighting for his country he also has a hard time coping with death and injuries of fellow soldiers. Sequera says "Even though death is looked at as a bad thing, experiencing someone's death can also make a person stronger as well as helping a person realize how important his or her life really is". After having to see his friend die right in front of him Sequera says that it has made his fight for freedom more meaningful as well as prepared him for the realities of war. Before the war Sequera thought he was useless. Because so many of his friends passing, he

realizes how important his life really is and how much he is needed. Sequera recalls the first time he saw death up-close and personal. One hot night around 10:00 he

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was about 25 feet away from a fellow soldier, a friend he had met in service, when out of no where a grenade was thrown directly at his friend and