Rotate too late,
Exactly. My son was a grunt in Helmand during the "surge", lost his best mate to a .50 while next to him, came back a changed man. Air had no assets to support during an 18 hour (yes, 18 hour) engagement. I feel as though I've lost someone who was my pride and joy as well as being proud of himself.
In my day Northern Ireland and the Falklands just didn't feel as shabby.
NEO