The frustration LT McDonough expressed in chapter 22, in my opinion, was completely warranted. He knew, even before the mission started, that the PL from 3rd platoon was a weak leader. When it came time to link up with his platoon after LT McDonough tactically marched his section through the woods and a river, in the dark, and got no response…[Read more]

When first reading up to the part where LT McDonough initially developed the idea of sending his soldiers to the beach for a bit of “rehab”, I initially thought, yeah, that’s a great idea! As the chapter unfolded, and he turned his idea into a plan, and his plan into a mission, something stuck out to me that was off. The fact that he had to talk a…[Read more]

In Chapter 14, LT McDonough was faced with a tough decision to make upon return from a patrol. He had learned that his PSG, Sergeant Hernandez, had been violating a female in the nearby town. LT McDonough knew SGT Hernandez was a good soldier, and a good leader, but he could not accept the fact that he had done what he did. Because of his…[Read more]

I completely agree with the actions LT McDonough took during this weeks readings. One vital skill all military leaders must be proficient in is the way they execute decisions they make. More often than not, the decisions leaders make ultimately are putting the lives of their soldiers on the line. With that being said, every single possible…[Read more]

I found it very bold the way LT McDonough inserted himself into the platoon right away. Typically, we are taught to gain an understanding of the oder of operations, and slowly work into the rhythm of the platoon. Instead, LT McDonough hit the floor running. As soon as he took over for LT Rolfe, he took a moment to gather his thoughts, and got…[Read more]

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…[Read more]

-Several Cadets mentioned they do not have time or energy for professional reading during our classroom discussion. Is professional reading an essential element of self-development? Is a leader who reads constantly better than one who does not?……..Reading to me is more of a luxury than anything else. As I’ve noticed from a few posts of other…[Read more]

<p style=”margin: 0px 0px 1.2em; padding: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, ‘Times New Roman’, Times, serif; font-size: 12px;”>-Several Cadets mentioned they do not have time or energy for professional reading during our classroom discussion. Is professional reading an essential element of self-development? Is a leader who reads…[Read more]