No matter where you are stationed in the world, duty is one of many common things most United States Marines dislike during their time in active duty status. It required two or three Marines to stand a full 24-hour shift while the others work a regular 8-hours shift, afterwards, they are able to go home, lay their cheeks on their cool, velvet pillows, and let their consciousness envelop them in the shadowy world of dreams. As a civilian, we have always been told that a well-rested mind will have the sharpness to make the kind of decisions that could be the difference between a promotion or being fired, but for those of us on post, it's a privilege.

Boot camp was a different story. Duty was called Firewatch which usually takes place after hours when all the female recruits were in bed. When you stand watch, you have 11 general order to follow which are ingrained into our heads by screaming it at the top of our lungs until it became second nature when asked:

1. To take charge of this post and all government property in view.

2. To walk my post in a military manner, keeping always on the alert, and observing everything that takes place within sight or hearing.

3. To report all violations of orders I am instructed to enforce.

4. To repeat all calls from posts more distant from the guardhouse than my own.

5. To quit my post only when properly relieved.

6. To receive, obey and pass on to the sentry who relieves me, all orders from the Commanding Officer, Officer of the Day, Officers, and Non-Commissioned Officers of the guard only.

7. To talk to no one except in the line of duty.

8. To give the alarm in case of fire or disorder.

9. To call the Corporal of the Guard in any case not covered by instructions.

10. To salute all officers and all colors and standards not cased.

11. To be especially watchful at night, and, during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post and to allow no one to pass without proper authority.

We had multiple posts during the late night, and we were put on a very strict schedule that gave us very little to no sleep like a car, always close to running on empty. Waking up was no longer pleasurable. Sleep was the only bit of freedom we had, a moment when we would all feel whole, but then evaporated faster than summer rain off the burnt earth when the screams from Drill Instructors raspy voices begin to pollute the air with rage and tension. Though we understood the purpose it serviced, not many of us understood the reasoning behind it until one day, duty finally called.