In every war there are sacrifices.......
598177
The end is near. The battle for Earth can't go on much longer. One side is going to win. One side is going to lose. And the Animorphs fear they may be the losing side. The Yeerks have declared open warfare. They are herding thousands of people into subway trains at gunpoint. The trains travel through new tunnels direct to the Yeerk pool, where mass infestations are being performed. The Yeerks are building an army of controllers. The Animorphs know that soon the Yeerks will be far too powerful for them to have even a hope of defeating. So they are about to do the unthinkable. They are about to question everything they have always thought was right, and challenge the morals they have always fought for. They are going to attempt to blow up the Yeerk pool. And in the process, thousands of innocent people may die. This was one of the most powerful Animorphs books ever. If you're a fan of the series, you definitely will not want to miss this book.
4378977
This was a heartbreaking and incredible story of what the soldiers in Afghanistan had to deal with on a daily basis.  The Outpost, Camp Keating, situated in a location practically impossible to defend but the army brass didn't see fit to move it to a more logical location was outrageous.  Too many men at the top making judgments from afar, much like in Britain in World Wars I and II, where the powers that be made decisions from the comfort of their offices nowhere near the fighting with little knowledge of what was happening at the front.  I found myself getting angry with some of the idiotic rules and regulations the men had to adhere to.  And for them to be trying to help the villagers when the villagers themselves were afraid to be seen to be helping by the insurgents just made a lot of the projects seem meaningless.  On a side note the one Afghani who was upset because his wife was injured was nothing to do with sentiment, it was that she wouldn't be able to help with the harvest and he was paid $400.00 to offset the inconvenience.  I wondered if the women mostly did the child rearing, the cooking, the harvesting, what the heck was it that the men were doing?  This book will stay in my mind a long time.  I wonder how much effect fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan has on stopping terrorism on a domestic level in the U.S.
2139890
Whether it is presented as a mere peace keeping exercise or an all-out aggressive offensive, lives can and will be lost. It is as hard on those of us who are on the sidelines waiting for our loved ones to return as it is for those in its midst. This is a story of a man who has not only seen friends die around him as he fought but one who also loses a child to the madness that is war.

Now the government is seeking to enlist his son, the only one he has left and he is not happy with this. He decides to re-enlist himself to avoid losing another son to the gristmill that is war. It is an emotional time for not only Retired Army Ranger Thomas Lane but for everyone involved. The wife is torn because as much as she doesn't wish to lose her son, she also doesn't want to lose her husband in yet another act of war.

I really enjoyed the pace and the way the author, "Judith Sanders", captured the true raw human emotion that comes when you deal with loss. If you are looking for a book that packs an emotional punch this is the one to buy.
4790347
What bravery and sacrifice. For our NFL players who feel they must kneel it should be required reading......or have it read to them perhaps.
3938660
The war to end all wars ... great warning.
341015
War is senseless. There are no winners, only survivors. And those who cause them are rarely held accountable.
For the uninitiated, I'll add to this excellent summary of close infantry combat, an observation of my own, from the Nam and the middle east: war is butchery. There are no rules but to win by any useful means. And humans are capable of acts of horror beyond imagining.
There's just the living with it afterwards...
Better not to go to war in the first place, except in self-defense. There's no other reason.
1075024
A true grit story of so many that went through so much. War is a terrible thing for all  involved on all sides, is there really a "winner" or do all involved loose more than anything gained? I appreciate the service of all of our Veterans as well as those that serve for us now. For one to have suffered so much to be able to give so much to others provides hope for all in such a troubled time. My prayer is for Peace and yet as humans I don't believe we will see that until we pass over to Life Everafter.
3694393
Each story is told by a marine or a soldier, mostly marines, one is by a priest.  Some are told by veterans about their time in Iraq, others by marines while on tours of duty.  War isn't pretty.  Mr Klay doesn't attempt to make it so, but tells it as it is.  No heroism.  The book contains twelve stories about men at war in places so far from home.  Men coming home to wives who have deserted them.  Dear John letters being sent.  Best friends being killed or maimed.  Military wondering why they are in Iraq.  Is there a reason for the war?  It seems the answer is no. Picking up dead bodies from the ground.  Killing people who have nothing against Americans.  Families, children, young men who have barely begun to live.  Why!

I could only read these stories slowly one at a time.  They are so bleak, so brutal, so strong.  This book is a shot of truth as to what is going on in this war.  Mr Klay writes of PTSD, of veterans committing suicide, going crazy after getting out of the service.  Of being homeless, of beating wives, of divorce.  Soldiers and marines killing just to be killing.  Kill them before they kill us.  It is an honor to kill hadjjis.  Much writing about prejudice, of hating those different than we are.  The book is hard to read, it leaves much to think about.  This is a rough, tough, gruff way of writing.

Vets talk about coming home badly wounded, but grateful to all the medical people who kept them alive.  More thankful to be alive.  Why am I alive when men better than I am are dead?  He died to save me, to save others.  Questions with no answer.  These stories travel back and forth from the war zones back to New York City.  This book is so timely with the trial of the marine who killed the sniper and his friend in cold.  blood.  There is much to say about the war, yet so much that can't be said.  This is another sad book, but stories of war and killing always are.  The book is a painful read.
2285095
There are atrocities committed in war - why does that surprise us?  We train young men and women to kill and to risk their lives in the process; it is no wonder they become calloused and even act less than human.  And the more efficient we make them at their jobs, the more it is likely to be true.  It is amazing that there are not more attrocities in light of attempts to make them more efficient at their work.  David Grossman's research in this matter comes to mind and the story in this book is really nothing new in warfare.  It is, after all, one of the reasons war should be so hideous to us - not just for what it does to our enemy but also what it does to us.  War and the war fever that accompanies it brings out the worst in us.

There seems to be a fine line between warriors and war criminals in that no one can predict which will become which.  One person is affected by the horrors of war to display new heights of valor and another, from the same culture and the same training, descends to the depths of evil.  Otherwise normal everyday individuals can become heros or villians in a matter of moments.  It is, after all, adversity that tends to bring out the best or worst in us and there is no hotter crucible than war.  Politicians and their bosses (the people...us) should not be amazed at this dichotomy and we should not close our eyes and pretend it does not happen.  We should plan for it to happen and not let it catch us anew everytime.  We should be ready to forcefully respond to such incidents that lets the world know we, as a free people, will not tolerate such actions in our ranks.  If we do not demonstrate our sincerity, then we risk losing the moral high ground and draw into question our real motive for fighting.

Others have pointed out the real war crime of the American way of war - massive indescriminate firepower.  Adding my further comment would amount to little so I will just acknowledge my agreement in that matter.

The writing in this book was, at times, a bit dramatic in its approach.  I fear that detracts some from the serious points it makes.  And, I fear the idea of small semi-autonomous units to counter insurgencies will be the scapegoat in the end.  It is, I think, a good idea that will be thrown out due to the bad implementation.  It is not the idea of small units that creates this problem since it is a problem not limited to such units.  The non-imaginative bureaucracrats in the military and civilian leadership will likely use stories such as this to justify their micromanagement tendencies.  Yet, despite that, it is very important the story not be covered up and ignored.  It must be told to remind us what we should already know from bitter experience, "war is hell."
1208937
This is a great documentary about war and its cost.  The only people who will always think about and miss those men are the families; wives, parents, brothers and sisters.
535530
Let me start by asking a question. What are the costs of war for country and its people?
These include not only the money spent for the thousands of troops, battle weaponry, and bombs, but also the lives of the soldiers lost in defending the country's ideals and independence. However, one cost that is routinely ignored is the impact the war has on soldiers returning from the line of duty, their memories forever tainted by the horrors experienced there.

This is the story of such a soldier, who after two stints is hounded by the terrible images and nightmares he experienced during the war. Having returned to his family, injured and broken, Aaron faces difficulties in facing his demons as well as his disability. His wife, Candace tries her best to help him gain a semblance of normality, but fails in her attempts. Finding the going tough, Aaron becomes overwhelmed and he takes his own life.

There are two distinct parts to the story. Being an army wife, Candace had been prepared to hear the bad news. But her husband's suicide was never something contemplated or prepared for. Candace breaks down and is hounded by the images of her husband's blood everywhere, has nightmares every night, where she relives the incident leading her to be scared all the time. But, she has to steel herself for her kids and over time she begins to accept it. This first part of the story is about her journey along the five stages of grief. Along the way she is helped by a number of concerned friends. Particularly helpful is Everett, a cousin of one of her friends. He does not give up on her, even though she constantly pushes him away. This finally develops into a budding relationship and adds a romantic angle to an otherwise serious book.

Everett is a freelance journalist and has another motive to try to get close to Candace. He wants to publish her story about the struggles of having a disabled husband and getting him the help needed to make him better from a government which does not care. This brings us to the second part of the book. This depicts a government who has forgotten its promises to the very people who protect the country, and are willing to sacrifice their lives doing it. Candace becomes the poster-child for these issues because of Everett's article and is asked to testify in front of Congress. The issues here have been clearly laid out (without it turning into some kind of literary article) and the politics involved is brought to the fore.

There is a paranormal undercurrent to the whole story, from Candace seeing ghosts in her dreams at Arlington cemetery where soldiers are buried, to her dead husband acting as her guiding light.

I really liked the writing style of the author, who was careful not to overdo any particular theme. She admirably refrained from turning the novel into a psychological drain or a political rant. The romance was extremely well woven into the story and does not interfere with the message coming across clearly. Het experience in the US Air Force helped her in writing a well-researched novel.

This is a novel where the ending is tied up in a bow and everyone walks way `somewhat' happy. I would however, not recommend this to people who are not willing to accept the paranormal, as it is constantly present during the entire story.
823038
Very powerful story...shows the terrible consequences of human destruction of war, both for the victims and caregivers.  Pray for lasting peace everyone!!!
779046
It is the ultimate soldiers story. Anything that a GI could go through he does. It blends religious aspects with down to earth s*** that a soldier does go through. I would know, I've been in a lot of them. Not necessarily the time or weapons, but the situation.
2579366
Rather than the defeats and victories of war Bill Honaker reveals the ultimate sacrifice of the warriors. Bill provides an intimate insight to the compassion and dedication required to return the fallen to their loved ones. As you read Bill's account of how he accomlished his compassionate mission in Vietnam you will have an understanding of what the term "No Man/Woman Left Behind" demands of those who have served recovering our lost heros.
2061125
Required reading for every American, this is written in a narrative form that humanizes the sacrifices that are incomprehensible to anyone! God Bless the Marine Corps and the brave men who have served and given us the freedom that we take for granted.
2006537
The heartbreak and suffering of these soldiers should be read and understood by all who believe their sacrifice was worth it--- it was not, and we will pay for this folly for at least a generation.  But, how amazingly brave they were.
2467939
Its good to be reminded of how hard it was for our soldiers in War.  War is never good and the pain and suffering of those who are so crucial to our safety, freedom and unrivaled lifestyle are always the ones to pay the highest price.  We hear about the "Fallen Heroes' and there is no greater sacrifice, but the mental and physical injuries are no less damaging.  God Bless our Military.