Between Heaven and Earth is a book inspired by the sacrifices of the men and women of the Armed Forces. We show our gratitude for these sacrifices, and sometimes we do not understand all the sacrifices. One sacrifice that helped inspire "Between Heaven and Earth" is the Mental Health sacrifice. Too many times these Mental Health sacrifices are unrecognized. These sacrifices are not just a burden for the service man or woman, but their families carry the burden alongside them. We were scheduled for an immediate medical evacuation mission, commonly referred to as med evac. Prior to this point we had completed a few med evac missions. After each medical evac mission I always had a sense of accomplishment. It gave me great pride to know that I was a small part of a chain to help these wounded warriors to return home. However, this med evac mission was like no other.We landed on a dirt airfield somewhere in northern Iraq, the first six patients walked on board and quietly sat. This was not that unusual since some airlifted patients had upper body injuries. At first glance they did not appear to have any visual signs of wounds. I had thought to myself that maybe they had some internal injuries. I had convinced myself they were in a great deal of pain because when they walked aboard the C-130 they avoided eye contact.After we landed at another airfield in Iraq was when I became aware that this med evac mission was like no other. A blue school bus had pulled behind the plane and around forty soldiers from the army boarded the plane. These forty patients all walked on the plane all avoiding eye contact. When the nurse handed me the patient manifest only twenty names were listed. She then handed me an additional passenger manifest with another twenty names or so. She seen the puzzled look on my face and explained that the twenty on the passenger manifest were battle buddies to help ensure the twenty some patients made it to Germany. The nurse than proceeded to tell me that all these medical evacuees were suffering mental illness and were returning state side. My first reaction was "cowards" I thought this to myself and shook my head as I closed the ramp on the C-130 and we left for Kuwait.The flight to Kuwait was not long at all, but I could not help but think these cowards wasted a mission that could have been better served in a different capacity. I was disappointed and disgusted by those men and women. The rest of the deployment I had not thought about or talked about this mission at all.A few weeks after returning from the middle east I began to suffer from what I know now was depression. I had no idea why I was feeling the way I did. I was sad almost all the time, I lost interest in things I once enjoyed. Everyday was a struggle just to get out of bed. I cried for no reason at all. I was afraid and embarrassed. It took me months until I had the courage to talk about it. I reached out to a friend of mine that I had known went through depression a few years ago. It was her compassion that help encourage me to seek help.Through my process of getting the healed, I often thought about this mission and thought more highly of those wounded warriors. Those patients on the flight did have internal wounds and they were in pain. I had to go through a similar experience before I could understand.Those brave men and women were not cowards. I feel guilty for ever thinking they were. I apologize to everyone suffering a form of mental illness. You are not weak, you are brave. Bartholomew's path into the armed service. Bartholomew's experience in basic training illustrates how military members make their first sacrifice when they leave their families. After basic training Bart is faced to chose how to spend his limited time home. With the love of his life Penelope or his family. Bart's journey from before flight school to his first deployment reinforces how no matter our path in life we do not walk alone.