My earliest thoughts when I first found out I was going to Afghanistan was mostly excitement and a little bit of apprehension.  During pre-deployment training my apprehension grew a bit as I struggled with the weight of the equipment.  At 5’2 and 115 lbs, I was carrying over half my body weight in gear.  I was unsure if  I was strong enough to overcome the physical demands of being a patrol medic.  I was usually the only female on the patrol but did not want to be identified solely by my gender.  First and foremost I wanted to be regarded as a competent and capable soldier and medic.  I believe I achieved this and enjoyed the comeraderie that comes with being accepted as member of a team.