Why it’s important to stay awake on post
Staying awake while on post is important for many reasons. First of all, I could endanger not only myself, but also the rest of my platoon. Should an enemy slip by while I was sleeping, they could detonate an IED or kill many marines though any number of other means. Families could be destroyed because of my mistake.
Every family would be hurt when they were forced to read the words; “I regret to inform you that your marine has been killed in the line of duty.” Another marine or myself would have to explain to everyone that it was due to the carelessness of one marine who fell asleep on post. If only he had not fallen asleep on duty, this whole terrible event would have been prevented. My own family would feel ashamed of my actions.
That is only one event. There could have been a breach of security. Most of the information the government has right now is classified and could easily be stolen if just one person fell asleep on duty. If the enemy were to get a hold of the right information, the results could have been disastrous. Hundreds if not thousands of lives could have easily have been lost. I and I alone am solely responsible for my actions, I must insure that nothing I ever do can or will jeopardize the mission, my marines, or myself. What if other professionals fell asleep while on duty? What if doctors or nurses fell asleep while they were on call? Who would dispense medicines or give examinations to the sick and injured? What if pilots fells asleep while piloting large passenger planes? Hundreds would be killed and the airline industry would fall. Or better yet what if Police Officers fell asleep while out on patrol? Burglaries, theft, murder, or worse; all of these would be able to happen without anyone to stop them.
A marine is called upon to remain alert most of all, for upon his shoulders rests the fate of an entire country. How can he do so if he falls asleep while on post?