This last deployment we had a Staff Sergeant who had been hit by a number of IEDs on his previous deployment, and by the grace of God had come out of it relatively unscathed. While on a patrol through a populated area he stopped all four vehicles an insisted that EOD come out and check out a rock. Well the “rock” ended up being a an IED. I got to ask the question since I was doing counter IED work, “How did he determine that it was an IED?” His answer was he got hit by an IED last deployment that was disguised as a rock and got into the habit of counting large rocks on the side of the road. For the previous week there were 10 rocks, that day there were 11.
Experience saved at least a couple American lives that day, as it was particularly dangerous IED.
I knew guys who could “smell” an ambush. I got to the point that I thought I could, but I was never as good as these guys. Your senses get honed to a very sharp edge when you are staring death in the face everyday.
In the Civil War, they called it “Seeing the Elephant”
You have seen the Elephant, my friend, and those who haven’t have no idea what we are talking about.