'Outlaw Platoon': Lessons from war

I read quite a few military history books and many discuss wars from a strategic perspective. My own interest is primarily how the soldiers who do the fighting handle the extreme situations war places them in, and one thing I have learned is there are writers who are able to accurately describe war through those soldiers' eyes.

One such book is "Outlaw Platoon: Heroes, Renegades, Infidels, and the Brotherhood of War in Afghanistan," written by Sean Parnell and John Bruning and published by Harper Collins.

Sean Parnell served as an infantry platoon leader with the 10th Mountain Division during a 16-month deployment in Barmal District, Paktika province, Afghanistan. "Outlaw Platoon" is the nickname the unit gave itself.

Parnell describes life for him and his men at a forward operating base in the Afghan mountains, and he describes the physical difficulties they endure in daily life as well as in combat.

The reader moves with the platoon on patrols and experiences the shock of being ambushed and sees the reactions of the soldiers in the unit.

It will give the reader a new respect for those we have sent to this war, and it will probably change your impression of the enemy forces they fight.

These are experienced fighters using many of the same tactics we train our own troops to use in combat. The violent intensity of the battles will probably be a surprise to those with preconceived impressions of the war in Afghanistan.

Parnell writes from the perspective of a small unit commander in combat and discusses the delicate balance of taking care of your troops while accomplishing the mission. His view of leadership is best summarized in the following quote from the book:

"You cannot lead men who are unwilling to be led. You must inspire them to give you the power to do so. That power comes only from their minds, their hearts, not from discipline or devotion to army regulations. When death lurks, nothing else matters but that bond of trust, or lack thereof, between soldier and leader."

Parnell's book will leave you in awe of our soldiers today, and it verifies my view that there are no small wars when you are the one fighting it.