Back when I was an infantryman in the Vietnam War, I came across quite a few brave soldiers, and although it’s true that most heroes are not made in heaven but simply cornered somewhere on earth, it’s also true that in times of war, there are always selfless and courageous warriors willing to go far beyond the call of duty, and it was my experience that they were often medics.
The job of a wartime medic is inherently dangerous because they are called upon to go to the aid of a wounded soldier who is usually lying in a kill zone, meaning that whoever or whatever tried to kill the wounded soldier now has the medic in his sights, too. And my 30-man aero rifle platoon never left on one of our combat missions without at least two medics, knowing that they would be invaluable to all of us should we make contact with the enemy.
As I have mentioned before, I have a longtime pen pal in Ukraine named Inna and she has been very good about keeping me updated on what is really going on in the seemingly endless war that is raging in her beloved country. She lives in Northwestern Ukraine, near the Belarus border, and her husband is off doing what he can to win the war. She has been volunteering since the fighting started, collecting funds and helping get everything from food and clothing to handmade camouflage nets to the soldiers at the front. She has met lots of interesting people along the way and recently had a lengthy conversation with Oleksiy Kushnyer, a decorated Ukrainian medic who has been saving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers since the full-scale Russian invasion began, and their conversation went something like this:
“For me,” said Oleksiy, “the question of what to do did not even arise, and I just wanted to beat the enemy, and I really wanted to get to the front. I am a medic, so my task was defined immediately. I do what I am good at and know. As for the conditions where the fighting is the worst, Russia is using scorched earth tactics. This is continuous bombing of our positions. We strike back, they roll back and start shelling the territory again with large-caliber ballistic missiles, tanks, and aircraft, because they can’t do anything else. If we are forced to retreat, then this is a tactical decision. There is nothing in these territories anymore, but before that there were living people, who held their positions until the last. The Russian fascists did not capture Mariupol, they did not capture any of the other cities, because they actually no longer exist and were razed to the ground. They take territories that are completely destroyed. Tens of years will be needed to simply clear them of shells, not to mention rebuilding them.”
Oleksiy and his partner, whose name is Taras, work in the very hell of hostilities, where everything burns and many people die, and Inna asked him how his evacuation crew goes about doing their dangerous work.
“We choose a tactic where we try to be in the kill zone where the projectiles land for the shortest possible time. We stop the bleeding, load the wounded and provide further assistance while moving, trying to save time in this way, to spend less time under fire and leave more time for professional doctors in the hospital to provide emergency and surgical assistance. In almost five months, we evacuated more than 200 wounded soldiers and transferred all of them to the hospital alive. Speed is our ally. We save life for ourselves and the wounded. In general, we are lucky so far, because when we drive under fire, the shells have exploded behind us or in front of us, and this is some kind of good providence. And sometimes we see that the place where we are going is hit, but we press the gas pedal even harder, because there are people there who really need our help. And sometimes we have only 15 minutes, because after the arrival there is a moment for recharging, so during this time we have to stabilize and load the wounded as fast as we possibly can.”
Inna asked Oleksiy how he can keep smiling and joking in such terrible times.
“Well,” answered Oleksiy, “it makes little sense to be sad, nervous, and stressed, while I can be smiling and happy. So, I choose to be smiling. It’s easier for me, and for my sworn war brothers, my wife, and everyone who knows me. I want to be remembered like this, and maybe it will add some mental health to the people who are waiting for me at home. Many wonderful people I knew have died in this war, and here, like nowhere else, I understand the value of human life. And even if I die, I will know that I did not live this life in vain. I did a lot, implemented a lot of projects, saved lives, destroyed the enemy. To die for such a just cause is a very dignified death, and even a way to be remembered longer. Plus, I am a citizen of Ukraine, and it is my duty to protect the motherland. It is an honor for me. Not everyone is ready to do it and not everyone needs to go to the front, but if you want to feel like a citizen of the state, if you want to do something for the state, this is a very good way to realize it. I am very happy about American aid and all the weapons that are coming to us, because they are already working. And there will be even more, and we will have an advantage, and therefore victory.”
Oleksiy carries the flag of Ukraine in his breast pocket, and the prayer of a Ukrainian Nationalist is written on the back of his bulletproof vest.
“Maybe this flag and this prayer are what have saved me until now,” said Oleksiy. “We must all appreciate life, love the land we live on, rejoice in every moment, and give thanks for the day we have lived. Thank you for the contribution of every American, every ally, and together we will win. Glory to the Armed Forces. Glory to Ukraine!”