military

Following in the footsteps of Black Hawk Down, Generation Kill is a brutally honest account of elite American soldiers in modern war. Evan Wright even surpasses Mark Bowden's work in that he had the opportunity to ride alongside the troops while the events described in this book were taking place. He relates most of the events in Generation Kill from a very personal first hand perspective, whereas Bowden had to research the battle of Mogadishu after the fact. One cannot help but admire Wright's commitment to this project. He rode right in front, at the focal point of firefights and ambushes, and never lost his courage to see it through to the end. In doing so, I believe he won many of the Marines' respect, which is probably a large reason why they opened up to him so much (altho I'm sure a few of them didn't mind being in the spotlight of Wright's story, either).

The unit involved in Generation Kill is the USMC's 1st Recon Battalion. Recon is a special commando type unit within the Marine Corps, surpassed in the pecking order only by its elite wing, known as Force Recon. Recon Marines share the same level of specialization and capability as many of the more generally well known American special ops units. By doctrine of training and mission parameters, they are somewhat of a cross between Army Rangers and Navy SEALs. 1st Recon Battalion was often spearheading the assault and dangling itself in front of the enemy to draw out ambushes during the OIF invasion. They operated very aggressively and willingly put themselves in some of the most dangerous situations faced by any unit during the war.

Generation Kill will undoubtedly prove to be one of the essential accounts of the OIF invasion, and a classic account of American war. What makes Wright's book so engrossing is the fact that it is brutally honest in its depiction of all aspects of 1st Recon's experience. He admires the Marines, but he does not glorify them. Some are idealistic men who believe in their mission. Some are stone cold killers (As one Marine chaplain puts it, the men in Recon "use Jesus as a door mat"). One particular marine sees himself as a "tool of the white man". In one instance they are struggling to give emergency medical aid to injured civilians. In another instance someone recites gangsta rap lyrics as he ecstatically sprays machine gun fire on the enemy. Although Wright praises 1st Recon's victories, he pulls no punches in relating some very serious mistakes and internal failings within the unit as well. There are several instances where innocent civilians are mistakenly killed in the fog of war. Some of the Marines seem to lose all confidence in their leadership. Many of the officers in 1st Recon are fine leaders who enjoy the trust and affection of their men. On the other hand, one company commander is a trigger happy glory hunter who would have his men search for random fights and conduct unauthorized raids rather than regroup with the battalion, as they were ordered. Then there's an officer in another company who turns out to be a sadistic imbecile, and his incompetence and instability in the field earns him the contempt of his men.

All in all, Evan Wright's perspective is detailed and truthful without being judgmental. He succeeds in creating an honest depiction and well rounded depiction of one unit's experience. Wright does not fabricate heroes, nor does he vilify the military. Generation Kill is an insightful account of modern war, and a valuable study of the internal dynamics of an American combat unit.

I'm glad to read a story about the Marines that is uncensored - with the high expectations of the American people set by the greatest generation that ever lived I found it impossible to live up to Steven Spielberg's version of "Band of Brothers". Being a Marine in 1st Recon Bn, Evan Wright's interpretation of our daily lives and experiences are extremely accurate. While reading the book almost a year later I had forgotten some of the details of my own experiences that Wright brought back to life. It was almost like I was living through the war again. Simply put, if you want to know what it is like to be a Marine during this campaign there is no better book at this time. It seems to me that Evan Wright was influenced by nothing but the experiences and the personalities that he absorbed during the war. No one is over exaggerated.

I am a 12-year veteran of the Marine Corps and was in Beirut with two different infantry Battalions. I am not a fan of the Iraq war and I despise George Bush. However I am still very connected to the Marine Corps and follow their activities. This book is a must have for anyone interested in the Marine Corps or the Iraq war. Its an excellent first hand account of raw combat. For the big picture buy "The March Up".