In post 9/11 America, it is not very common to see a book that doesn 't portray the men and women of the United States Military in a positive light. Most Americans regard all soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines as heroes who have a strong moral compass and always try to do the right thing. However the reality can be quite different. The reality of war is that it is dirty, ugly, and rarely, if ever, a glorious affair. All armies throughout history have had their share of incidents that they would rather forget and the modern US Army is no different. The book Black Hearts by Jim Frederick is about such an incident, the rape and murder of young girl, along with members of her family. Frederick delves not only into the murders themselves, but analyzes what happened within the unit in the months leading up to the incident.
Frederick begins the book by discussing some of …show more content…
The command structure in the military is, or should be, rigid. The leaders have great authority but with that authority come all of the responsibility for what happens or fails to happen. This case was different in that in the end it was only the individuals involved who were ultimately punished. As I stated before, an incident like this leads us to believe that the individuals involved were morally corrupt and in the case of PFC Green, mentally ill. It is easy for the reader to second guess all of the decisions and actions made by the leaders, but perception is formed through the clarity of hindsight. I’m sure that the senior leadership was receiving complaints from all units within the BN, so we should not rush to judgement on LTC Kunk or CPT Goodwinn. The reality of war is that people will die. Simply coming back from a deployment with all of your soldiers alive could be more a product of good luck rather than solid
Frederick begins the book by discussing some of …show more content…
The command structure in the military is, or should be, rigid. The leaders have great authority but with that authority come all of the responsibility for what happens or fails to happen. This case was different in that in the end it was only the individuals involved who were ultimately punished. As I stated before, an incident like this leads us to believe that the individuals involved were morally corrupt and in the case of PFC Green, mentally ill. It is easy for the reader to second guess all of the decisions and actions made by the leaders, but perception is formed through the clarity of hindsight. I’m sure that the senior leadership was receiving complaints from all units within the BN, so we should not rush to judgement on LTC Kunk or CPT Goodwinn. The reality of war is that people will die. Simply coming back from a deployment with all of your soldiers alive could be more a product of good luck rather than solid