Rising Tension
During our time on the island, tensions began to rise between the military and local groups.
We started avoiding predictable patterns of our comings and goings to avoid becoming a target. We were told not to wear our uniforms off base. Protests formed at the gates. Security increased, and you could feel the tension anytime you left the base.
One morning, a call came in—a soldier had been shot just outside the gate.
Moments later, a car pulled up to the clinic. An officer I knew was slumped in the passenger seat. When I opened the door, he said, “I’ve been shot.”
Everything moved quickly after that.
We rushed him inside, treated his wounds, stabilized him, and transported him to the VA hospital. My team performed flawlessly. They saved his life.
But the impact didn’t end there.
For weeks afterward, the tension stayed with me. Every trip off base felt uncertain. I found myself watching constantly, expecting something to happen.
I even told my daughters to get down on the floor if they ever heard gunfire.
Not long after that, we left Puerto Rico for our next assignment.
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