The LT did not make the right decision because the right decision would’ve been pursuing his suspicions and filing a report. However, with the unorganized state of the war in Vietnam, I understand that this course of action was either taboo or entirely unheard of and as such, I think removing the problem soldier was necessary in maintaining the focus of the group as a whole. Any breaks in the chain impact the entire chain and eventually the soldier’s behaviors– whether directly or indirectly– would have set a negative precedent.

A comment on the mountainside mission LT McDonough was sent on– CPT Rainey had mentioned in class that when directed to send a few soldiers, always send the best as opposed to the easier option of sending the problematic characters just to get them off your chest. Had the leaders of the other platoons sent their best, McDonough more than likely would not have been accidentally shot at in the dark of night by his fellow comrades. Send the best to get the job done right.

Chapter 15 was interesting in that the government provided the men alcohol. Situationally, this seemed to be less damaging to integrity than the local prostitutes. I believe the current standards regarding the maintenance of a dry zone is, while an inconvenience, also a necessity because nothing good can come from mixing high-stress environments with alcohol.
A question to my classmates: do you realistically think you would have interfered in the incident with the Vietnamese family and their treatment by their own national guard members? Could the LT have chosen a different tactic to addressing his discomfort?