"FIX BAYONETS"

The air is thick with dust and noise, the Taliban has engaged you in a fierce firefight, as you run into cover you breath in the coarse thick air which bites at your throat, constant rounds landing around you throwing up yet more dust .
bullets crack through the air inches away, some slam and thud into the wall you are pushed up against and even though it is 4ft thick you feel every round that hits it.
Different noises fill your head , the different tones as rounds pass you or hit different things, static in your radio earpiece bursts into life only interupted by voices shouting directions and orders through laboured breath .

As the initial shock subsides reality and instinct kick in and you look around to see your oppo already stood and firing shots, his empty cases landing around you. You crawl to the end of the wall and look around exposing as little of yourself as possible and there through the dust and heat you see the enemy position , its close , around 100 metres, inches above you two rounds disintergrate the corner of the wall, you flick your change lever to automatic fire and take aim, suddenly the noise in your earpeice becomes relivent , its your call sign , as you listen through the constant thud and crack of rounds you hear an order directing you to lay suppressive fire, you know that you are to keep the enemy engaged while another call sign executes a tactic that will hopefully give you an advantage, you re-aim and squeeze the trigger, only allowing bursts of three rounds at a time . As you and your section fire on the enemy position you hear "MAN DOWN MAN DOWN ", unable to break cover you must allow the medic to work even though you want to help and protect them, you must maintain fire.

The Taliban have moved to another position to your left , the section commander orders his team to adjust position in order to properly engage them, you are directed to another wall, there is about 20 metres of open ground between you and it, your head is thumping and sweat rolls down your face from under your helmet. wiping the sweat away from your eyes with your sleeve you get up into a crouching position still pressed hard against the wall, the wall that is offering so much protection. you must now give up that protection and run in open ground, you will be exposed and vunerable.
Your moment has come, you break into a run pushing off the wall with your left hand, 20 metres suddenly feels like 2 kilometres and your destination doesnt seem to be getting closer, the fire fight intensifies, you can now no longer distinguish between the enemy fire and that of your cover.
Pumping your legs as hard as you can and your lungs burning you fall the last few steps into your new cover, your heart racing so hard you feel it might jump out of your chest, quickly checking yourself for blood you have no time to waste you take up a fire position and begin firing so the remainder of your section can move to their new cover.

Your first few shots are directed in the general direction of the emeny, then as you settle and search for targets you realise the enemy are only about 50 metres away, constantly moving amongst rubble and buildings, the radio static pierces your ear , your callsign is being ordered to pull back to a position 30 metres behind you, you can only assume the Taliban have moved and are able to attack, another short burst of static broken by a voice breathing heavely and now shouting...

"FIX BAYONETS .. FIX BAYONETS"

Without hesitation you reach round and draw your bayonet, fix it to your weapon hearing the distinctive click as it locates.
Your commander joins you and shouts through the noise and dust that your section are to follow the wall and attack the compound harbouring the enemy.
This is it... Bayonet fixed, you are about to come face to face with the enemy......