LT McDonough is quickly thrown into the mix of things at LZ North English, leaving him little time to assess the men and the situation. Instead, he relies upon his prior knowledge and experience from training and establishes a plan to implement daily patrols. Next, he conveys this to the Sergeants upon his initial encounter with them, conveying his ability to decisively lead and delegate. A vital element of his plan was his own involvement in the patrols. The lieutenant knew that it was not safe to go on every patrol, yet he realized the message he would convey if he hid away like his predecessor. His goal was to establish order, earn respect, and learn about the environment surrounding his small base. I think that the action that stood out most during this reading was his decision to intervene when SGT Donne nearly had two Vietnamese villagers killed off: despite McDonough’s inexperience, particularly in Vietnam, he went with his instinct and insisted the men not shoot and continue onwards. While the tendency in unfamiliar situations is to take the back seat, as a leader it may sometimes be necessary to go against the current, to fight the status quo.