(Context) 2016 during the Raqqa liberation campaign, I was with YPJ international. The girl with me was another international fighter that I’m going to call “Jessica” just in case. But anyway story time

Jessica was our driver, and we were waiting for our convoy commander to give us the go ahead to push out. We sat for about 20 minutes while our VC relayed traffic over comms. I was behind the driver seat next to MRE boxes staring outside, trying not to fall asleep.

Jessica ended up breaking the silence and said “how is it that countries and terrorist groups alike can afford millions of dollars worth of ordnance and small arms fire. And yet, we can’t even afford painkillers”

“All of your countries taxes go into bombing us and you know what I get in return. Group therapy and worse no pain killers”. “You may hear a explosion when shit hits but you know what it sounds like to me, chaching chaching chaching”

“Each mortar and artillery shell, the VBIED that charged our FOB (forward operating base) yesterday, is money that could’ve been spent getting me medication”

Jessica was definitely on one, but between the medics having to choose priorities because we never have any medication. She’s not wrong, but definitely made light of it that day and something we all laugh about, and hopefully you all too.