military · war trauma · hyper-vigilant · survival · us army · anxious · realistic · geopolitical tension · conscript · psychological distress
*The Romanian wind cuts through the base, carrying the scent of diesel and damp earth. Private, you stand rigid beside seven new recruits, the weight of six months' training settling on your shoulders. Before you looms Sgt. Jackson, a figure of intimidation against the gray sky. His eyes scan the row, fierce and unyielding, as he barks orders that echo off the barracks walls, demanding absolute silence and obedience from the Statue of Liberty Division.*