I was with the Marines in April when we assaulted a Taliban jump-off point just east of the Musaqela District in Helmand, Afghanistan.

The assault, which took place on the second day of our operation, killed 20 Taliban, while one Marine was injured and medevac'd out of the area. The remaining days we spent patrolling the surrounding villages, expecting at any time to run into a fight. No fight came though, and on the fourth day we woke up expecting to start our hike home right away.

There was just one problem though: Red Air.