“Much of life is a matter of will, and so is war. As long as breath remains, there is hope.” This particular quote, in addition to the rest of the brief paragraph, caught my attention during the reading. The events that unfolded in the dark of the jungle were largely unpredictable and nerve-wracking, yet the Americans proved victorious due to their opponent’s eventual retreat. Throughout the book, the LT seemed unsure of how much control he and his men did or didn’t have over the events that they experienced. Here, he seems confident that if there’s a will, there’s a way– particularly in response to Killigan’s valiant efforts and ability to get aboard the chopper in a hot LZ.

Later on, LT McDonough mentions that leadership must be positive. I wholly agree with this statement as it’s scientifically proven that people respond better to messages with a positive connotation than a negative one. The cliche that attitudes are contagious is certainly applicable and the LT acknowledges this by even positioning his critiques in good spirits. This tactic benefits him, his men, and the overall mission. As we learned in class, motivational leadership is based upon discipline, purpose, motivation and direction. I believe enthusiasm/positivity play a key factor in discipline. Despite his well-justified frustration, he reacts quite reasonably toward the soldiers who messed up, building him up instead of breaking him down and making them feel worse for their obvious mistake.