When I first heard Robert talk about his grandfather during G Gordon Liddy episodes, I was both impressed and perplexed by the idea of someone who wasn’t relieved about not getting to fight on D-Day. Who wouldn’t take the time to oversee training instead of fighting in an incredibly bloody battle?

I am currently a member of a conservation corps (one of the many successors to FDR’s program. While I did join out of pragmatic reasons, I also joined out of a genuine desire to help others and help the planet.

While I am not a member of a permanent fire crew, I am basically a trained forestry aide, working long hours and weeks away from homes to build burn piles and be on fuel reduction projects to protect state parks and forests from the total wrath of a wildfire.

However, during spring and summer, I spent the majority of my time at the office due to a caretaking situation.

I ironically was able to get more certifications by being in the office and constantly available for class work. This culminated in me helping to train and teach various classes to new recruits to the program.

Today, my crew was told to get ready for a wildfire. However, at the last second, I was told to stay behind to train and teach classes.

I was incredibly disappointed to not only not get the opportunity to fight a fire, but to stay behind while my friends got sent out.

There is an immense feeling of shame, sadness, cowardice, and embarrassment of being told to stay behind while those whom you care about go out into danger.

I know I am not in same situation as Robert’s grandfather, a wildfire is nothing compared to D-Day, but I feel I do now feel a bit of what he felt.

I apologize if I said anything inappropriate by comparing my situation to Robert’s grandfather.