A diploma issued at a separation brief, signed in three places, with a reentry code nobody explains. The quad NODs went back to the arms room; the beard came back the first week out and has not been asked to leave. The dues went in as night rotations, 0400 range days and a deployment that ran six weeks past its date. The receipt is the DD-214: box 12 has the dates, box 13 the ribbons, and box 28 a narrative reason written by someone who never met you. Original in the fire safe, copy in the truck. The alumni meeting is a driveway with a grill on Veterans Day, and the first story starts before the burgers do.

THE DEBRIEF

A crest with no circle: DD-214 ALUMNI arches across the top, DUES PAID IN FULL across the bottom. In the middle, a bearded operator in a high-cut helmet, quad NODs down over his eyes and a headset boom mic at his mouth, over two crossed suppressed carbines with weapon lights. A star at each side. Engraved line work, distressed lettering.