He's Still Ugly and Ten Other Things I Learned in Our Visit With Andrew

1. Brothers don’t shake hands. Brothers gotta hug. And whimper a little. Perhaps sniffle.

2. It’s clear that there were two types of soldiers in Iraq. Those who were prepared for what they would see, and those who were not. Sadly, those who were not prepared far outnumber those who were. Just listen to my brother’s story about the attack in which he got injured and the difference between his reaction and his gunner's.

3. A part of Andrew wants to get back to his guys, but the further he gets from Iraq the harder it is to find the motivation to return.

4. For a family as active in the community as ours, it’s sort of remarkable to see how private and protective we are when it comes to the people we love.

5. The “exploding pound” may have to be retired as the Rockwell brothers’ high-five of choice.

6. From a purely aesthetic perspective, Andrew’s wound is unimpressive. Blasted nerve damage. It just doesn’t even provide you with cool scars.

7. Any conversation, regardless of how seemingly unrelated, can turn back to the Cubs in a heartbeat.

8. Though I’m sure their medical expertise is exceptional, the most impressive thing to me about the way the Army treats its injured soldiers was the hidden room with the magical filing cabinet filled with every candy bar you can imagine. My diet when to hell with a quickness last night thanks to the US Military's Willy Wonka bureau.

9. Everything about Andrew’s physical condition was a relief to us. He still looks like himself -- no severe burns of note. His broken nose was kids' stuff (he still has a Deines nose, and not a Rockwell one. Bastard.) He was surprisingly mobile (though I can’t say how much of that movement was doctor recommended). If it weren’t from the deep hole on the back of his left thigh, you’d be hard pressed to find something out of whack.

10. And finally, my brother and I have now have a very important story to tell, and we intend on telling it together.