That's a really sweet story! :D
I think that the prompt really suited this story.
There, I reviewed! ^_^

Very nice - topical, but you don't push an opinion either way on the war, which is nice. I love the idea that youth belies age. The argument is wonderful - real - and... yes, soppy ending, but then the sentimentality of it is a nice contrast to Carl's future, and so it works in that context fairly well.

I'm really getting into the original stuff at the moment =) funfunfun

I really like this! It's sweet, with just the right amount of poignancy- it captures the tragedy of the war. It seems like an old fashioned idea, a soldier proposing to his girlfriend just before leaving for battle; but I think that's why I like it, because it shows that old romance continues to live, and people are still just as passionate and naive as they were back then. Not sure if that actually makes sense. It did in my head. Anyway, it means that I really love the story. It's going on my favorites list.

Hullo Cuba :) First of all, very sweet, touching, cute and well-done fic with a touch of sadness to balance it out nicely. Very well done.

You might want to fix these though:

[“And now, I can leave for Iraq a husband or a fiancé, not a boyfriend.”]

Should be: "And now, I can leave for Iraq as a husband or a fiance, not a boyfriend."

[Carl, nods solemnly gripping the ring tightly in his hand, and wondering why everything has gone so wrong.]

Should be: Carl nods solemnly, gripping the ring tightly in his hand, wondering why everything has gone so wrong.

Or: Carl nods solemnly, gripping the ring tightly in his hand and wondering why everything has gone so wrong.

[Carl had found the quote ridiculous at the time, but now, it makes perfect sense.]

Should be: Carl had found the quote ridiculous at the time, but now (the comma isn't really needed) it made perfect sense.

Other than that, I really liked it :) Very nice work!

-Defier-