Many times a mission took them to the mountains, and they would carry mosquito netting, machetes, canvas tarps, and extra bug juice, to keep them from being bitten and catching diseases (O' Brien 641). According to the story, these men are marching up mountains and walking through swamps to keep themselves alive. Often times, the land was mined and booby-trapped, and it was SOP for each man to carry a steel-centered, nylon-covered flat jacket, which weighed 6.7 pounds, but which on hot days seemed much heavier (O'Brien 638). All of these factors coincide with the mental state of a person. Having to constantly carry arounds a lot of extra pounds when the weather and terrain is difficult, can be not only physically exhausting, but also mentally exhausting.
One of the characters that develops through the theme that the war is a physical and emotional burden is Jimmy Cross. Cross's character represents responsibly and leadership within the group of men. "As a first lieutenant and platoon leader, Jimmy Cross carried a compass, maps, code books, binoculars, and a .45-caliber pistol that weighed 2.9 pounds fully loaded. He carried a strobe light and the responsibility for the lives of his men (O'Brien 639)." When he is first introduced, the first thing that is said about him is how he carries the letters and a photograph of a girl named Martha. Martha's letters and photographs are used as a distraction for Jimmy, because Martha never talks about the war. Later on in the story, Ted Lavender is killed, and this greatly affects Cross. Because Cross is the Alpha man, he felt as if it was his fault for Lavenders death. "He pictured Martha's smooth young face, thinking he loved her more than anything, more than his men, and now Ted Lavender was dead because he loved her so much and could not stop thinking about her (O'Brien 644)." All Cross could think of is Martha and how much he loved her, he used her as something to look forward to and as a distraction from anything around him.