January 7th was the day of my war experience. I was embedded with the U.S. military in Afghanistan, advising the Afghan border police. We returned to our combat outpost at 3:20PM after a supply mission. Right away I noticed that the local border police we lived with were all but gone and my police instinct immediately told me something was wrong. My partner and I were talking to the Lieutenant and Sergeant outside our building and decided to change into cold weather gear for the night. Just as it got dark, we started receiving heavy enemy gunfire; it was relentless and was all at head level. I could hear the Sergeant yelling, “Incoming!” A suicide bomber drove a 4,000lb vehicle-borne improvised explosive device into our compound wall injuring 13 US soldiers. I ran to those who were calling for help and found the Sergeant I had been speaking with moments before; he was severely injured and later died. My partner and I ran back-and-forth across the compound under heavy gunfire to get medical bags and stretchers, and to give combat aid. More than a dozen Taliban tried to breach our compound throughout the attack but the team held them back. The rush of emotions throughout was unbelievable – the highest of highs and lowest of lows. The carnage of war is horrendous. The valor of warriors is inspiring. We should all be grateful to the members of our military who defend our enduring freedom and I am honored to support them in their mission.