As I read the first four chapters of the book, I can already speculate the initial encounter LT McDonough had with the baffled Lieutenant he first came in contact with after arriving at Qui Nhon Air Force Base, was going to shape the way he proceeded into combat. The horror stories the LT shared with LT McDonough made him start to think what he had gotten himself into. This hardened Lieutenants experiences, from what I can tell so far, is either going to make or break LT McDonoughs career as an officer. As a leader, it is next to impossible to prepare for moments such as this one, other than personally experiencing it. Personally, I do not foresee any way to mentally prepare myself, nor could have LT McDonough, for the brutality of war this Lieutenant depicted.

On the flip side, LT Rolfe’s actions are something we can prepare for I believe. At some point in all of our career’s, I am sure we will at one point or the other come across a leader that is self-centered, scared, and someone that does not live by the Warrior Ethos. LT Rolfe, rather than placing the mission first, was more concerned with getting home to his family than leading his men. As LT McDonough put it, LT Rolfe viewed his men as “expendable”, and that his life was more important than theirs. This could either simply be his personality, or the effects of the war, either way, it is another attribute we will must become accustomed to.

Respectfully,

William