Sanders reportedly took condoms with him. For most soldiers, it's so they can meet a girl during the war, but for the general public, it means something else. A condom is used during sexual intercourse to protect both partners against an STD. The condom in the story has meanings, one that comes with sex and one that is protection. In war, most soldiers carry many things to protect themselves from whatever happens to them. Just like a condom, Mitchell wants to be protected