The smells of war

Smells evoke memories out of the mind, bring forth visions and sounds of times past. Makes us smile, laugh, or cry as the memories raise from their deep hiding places within us. The smell of war never leaves your nose or your mind. It is not just the lingering smell of gunpowder or explosions. More than the stomach turning residue of spilled body fluids mixed with blood after a firefight. For Vietnam veterans something as simple as cooking rice can bring fear. The smell of decay or burning shit can cause your body to break out in an instant sweat. The smell of fear is the the most difficult, yours and other men around you, to forget. The memory covers your body like wet tissue flooding every cell of your body. Twisting your stomach into knots as you relive the reason for the fear.