The one standing man, the platoon's senior sergeant, finished his last-minute briefing of the three squad leaders, then moved, combat rifle in hand, down the center of the aircraft toward Chase. The other men were seated against the sides of the aircraft, all of them garbed in mottled black and gray battle dress hung with matte-black equipment. Because they sat with the face shields of their combat helmets up, their faces were visible. They seemed relaxed, jovial, and continued the round of banter that had begun a few hours ago on the ground at the air base. Chase remembered only too well both the tradition and the anxiety it concealed.