I was born to be of service
Basic training just felt like home
I had honor, I found purpose
Sir yes sir, that's what I know
They sent us to a place
I never heard of weeks before
When you're 19 it ain't hard to sleep
In the desert on god's floor
Close your eyes stop counting sheep
You ain't in basic any more

We were taught to shoot our rifles
Men and women side by side
Thought we'd be met as liberators
In a thousand year old fight
I got this painful ringing in my ear
From an IED last night
But no lead lined humvee war machine
Could save my sergeants life
3 more soldiers 6 civilians
Need these words to come out right

God of mercy, god of light
Save your children from this life
Hear these words
This humble plea
For I have seen the suffering
And with this prayer i'm hoping
That we can be unbroken

It's 18 months now I've been back now
With this medal on my chest
But there are things I can't remember
And there are things I won't forget
I lie awake at night with dreams
The devil shouldn't see
I want to scream but I can't breathe
and christ I'm sweating through these sheets

Where's my brothers
Where's my country
Where's my how things used to be

God of mercy, god of light
Save your children from this life
Hear these words
This humble plea
For I have seen the suffering
And with this prayer i'm hoping
That we can be unbroken

My service dogs done more for me
Than the medication would
There ain't no angel that's coming to save me
But even if they could

Today 22 will die from suicide
Just like yesterday they're gone
I live my life for each tomorrow
So their memories will live on
Once we were boys and we were strangers
Now we're brothers and we're men
Someday you'll ask me was it worth it
To be of service in the end
Well the blessing and the curse is yeah
I'd do it all again