Summary vs Analysis Ghost Soldiers

Summary
“Ghost Soldiers” began with O’ Brien describing his pair of gunshot wounds and the people that helped aid in keeping him alive. The first gunshot wound was treated courageously and proper by a fellow soldier who was a medic by the name of Rat Kiley. A month after this occurred Rat Kiley was shipped off to another assignment and replaced with Bobby Jorgenson. The second shot happened when Jorgenson was on duty and tended to the wound unsuccessfully. Jorgenson was so shook up he didn’t realize O’ Brien was in shock. The mishap has put Tim in an immense amount of pain and not to mention almost caused him his life.
The lack of knowledge that was used during treating O’ Brien’s wound left him livid with Jorgenson. The thought of revenge was the only thing left on his mind. O Brien was determined to get back at Jorgenson and make him pay for the pain he was enduring. Jorgenson made an attempt to apologize and explain he had no intent on not treating the shock that had occurred it just hadn’t dawned on him. O Brien didn’t want to budge and still wanted revenge. The next step was taken by plotting out a scheme to get back at Jorgensen. O Brien convinced one fellow trouble maker and a member of the Alpha Company (Azar) to participate in his scheme. The plan was to spook Jorgenson by making it seem that there were enemies nearby. The two continue to taunt Jorgenson until he stands up and calls out O’ Brien’s name. Up until this point O Brien thought Jorgenson didn’t have what it took, the pair later reconciles and realize they are now even.
Analysis
“Ghost Soldiers” explains a perspective of O’ Brien before entering the war, “I’d come to this war a quiet, thoughtful sort of person, a college grad, Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude, all the credentials”(O’ Brien 190), and while being in the war, “ I now feel a deep coldness inside me, something dark and beyond reason. It’s hard to admit, even to myself, but I was capable of evil” (O Brien 191). O’ Brien upon entering the war was gentle and untouched by pain, the grueling sites and harsh inexplicable principles of the war took over the person that O’ Brien once was. He not only felt a different man, but no conscious was going to get in his way. Jorgenson mishap threw O’Brien into overdrive bringing out the evil that so badly wanted revenge. O’Brien follows through realizing half way in to it he doesn’t want to follow through. His partner continuing anyways, O’ Brien finds himself distraught beyond belief. Despite the person O’Brien became during war, and as emotionless that he wanted to be, nothing can take away the under layer of the person that was once there.