Brett Penwell

This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my
life. I must master it as I must master my life. My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle,
I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill
me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will...

My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our
burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit...

My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its
weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will ever guard it
against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and
my heart against damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each
other. We will...

Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the
masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life. So be it, until victory is America's and there
is no enemy, but peace!

My rifle is a .308 caliber Soviet-Russian sniper rifle from WWII. It holds many secrets
never to be told. I remember the day I got it; it was just sitting there leaning up against the table
just waiting to be knocked over. I was at a garage sale somewhere in my neighborhood I had
never been. I picked it up and the second it was in my hand, I knew I had to have this rifle. I can
still remember opening the bolt and how smooth it felt, looking down the scope and picturing a
deer just waiting to be dropped.
This was MY rifle. It was the perfect tool for me. I needed a gun and it was exactly what
I was looking for. I walked up to the man selling it and asked how much he wanted for it. “$50.”
was the answer. My jaw dropped, it was the perfect gun for an excellent price. I instantly handed
the man $50 and walked back to my house with this new treasure just waiting to be put back in
the hands of a true marksman.
I still have the amazing rifle and have restored it back to its original state. It is a very
beautiful piece of history I own. No one will ever know how many confirmed kills the beast
holds under his belt but it is a guarantee that he killed many American soldiers. I salute every last
man who fell under the wrath of the monster called war, I can never repay those who have given
the ultimate sacrifice but will try my best too.