Vanity Fair has an article about “Russ Crane”, a sniper in the Texas Army National Guard. (h/t TFB)

It’s an interesting read into the life and mind of a military sniper.

An excerpt:

He told me he believes that the overwhelming majority of people in the world are good, but that they are as vulnerable as sheep to the wolves who prey upon them. His role, he said, is that of a sheepdog with the training and temperament to intervene. We were sitting at his kitchen table. There was a plaque on the wall reading, the future is as bright as the promises of god. Crane said, “There is good and evil in the world. It gets so you yearn for a righteous fight. Personally I believe there are bad people, and God put people here to shoot those people, to let other people live peaceful lives. David was a shepherd boy who became king. The Philistines had their giant, Goliath. The Lord said to David, ‘I’m on your side. Go out and fight.’ David did. And you know, David killed Goliath as dead as Elvis Presley. He was a shepherd, a king, a follower of the Lord. But first and foremost he was a warrior. God understands that we have to have soldiers. Soldiers are part of God’s plan.”

I said, “Do you mean that literally?”

He said, “I know that God has been with me actively in battle.”

“You’ve been fighting Muslims who believe the same thing.”

He said, “It’s a conundrum. But Jesus was resurrected after three days, and you can visit Muhammad’s grave.”

Sheep, sheepdog, and wolves. He’s not justifying the war as righteous, as a Christian vs. Muslim battle. Merely, seeking to find peace in his own mind for why he was put on this Earth to do what he does.

There’s a lot in this article. Crane’s own history and journey, discussions of how the military evolved, support, betrayal, and what life is really like… the indelible mark left upon your life. It’s a long article, but worth the read.