I looked at the cover with mixed feelings at first, apprehensive about reading it. The platoon is then attacked by Mortar fire and Knight is hit by shrapnel, damaging his eye, but Sergeant Roach applies first aid. Only to have the world and all its pretenses ripped apart the second you hold a man dying from violence in your arms. He returns, now fully respect by men and superiors. At best, it's sincere!" As an instructor for the Swiss Armed Forces in the 21st century, I was initially quite critical when this book was recommended to me as particularly suitable reading for my officer cadets. Knight finds Pike's demeanor disruptive and sends him to Sergeant Roach's mine sweeping detail. This is a great book I had to read in college." More than any other book I've read about the Vietnam War, I really gained a sense of what life on the ground would be like as well as an understanding of what the job of an infantry officer entails in terms of tactical and operational decision making. Please try again later. . The men have the same experiences, fears and hopes., Cross told himself that it was his fault because he was busy daydreaming about Martha instead of looking out for his men. Lt. Knight's actions are also frowned upon by all of his men except for Pvt. If Poem Summary and Analysis 2022-10-28 . The other. But I fought.. Strong ability to train and motivate subordinates to learn new tasks and accomplish company goals and timelines. 2004. Parker, the radio operator. An air of loneliness have also been created throughout the whole story as platoon men shared their piece of sufferings, fears and yearnings both in their military and personal lives. We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. The first leadership lesson I gleaned from the book is the concept of absolute responsibility for all who follow me. SFC Colvin would not demand us to stand at parade rest or refer to him as Sergeant but would point it out if we did not and talk with us about the importance of courtesies., This bond that the soldiers formed helped them to survive, and helped the men of Alpha Company to cope with the war after they returned to the United States. https://www.wowessays.com/free-samples/book-review-on-platoon-leader-and-leadership-lessons/. Vignettes and lessons from current and former platoon-level leaders allow newly assigned leaders to learn from those who have . Department Of Justice - Maintenance Platoon Leader Glendale, CA 02/2012 - 07/2012 Determined the most cost-effective procedures and routes for shipments. Get it. The smallest unit is called a fire team and consists of 4 soldiers. , //]]>. Knight confronts Bacera and dumps out the drugs he found and personally leads the patrol the next day, keeping a close eye on Bacera. The CJO Platoon Leader series is focused on giving new LTs the tools and insights needed to develop high-performing teams, take care of Soldiers, avoid some pitfalls, and ultimately thrive as a leader at the tactical level. Well email you the instructions on how to reset it, Reflection On Service Learning Critical Thinking, Meaning Of Human Requirements Article Review. The book takes place in and around a fort near a Vietnamese village in Binh Dinh province. With the help of his own experiences, I find myself being able to conquer these hesitations and lead with a stronger resolve. Therefore, Britain's people could classify him with trust and understand his vision. That is not really a critique of the book, actually the shitty ending was a fitting end to the mess that the Vietnam War became. And the last note reminded me that many of the test approaches that I see teams adopt overly emphasize the defensive. One soldier, a small boy named Bean is very quick and good, and Ender picks on him, asking him for answers that the other soldiers do not have. Even when they act without orders from you, you are held accountable for those actions. In that same month, Austin Trunick of Under the Radar Magazine wrote a similarly mixed review of the film writing "Do come in prepared for some of the usual chest-beating and flag-waving of the subgenre; the Viet Cong are treated mostly as faceless baddies only there to be blown up and shot up en masse in gratuitous slow motion. This work feels more genuine and relatable than many other better-known classics in the genre. !function(d,s,id) A remarkable memoir of small-unit leadership and the coming of age of a young soldier in combat in Vietnam.' "Using a lean style and a sense of pacing drawn from the tautest of novels, McDonough has produced a gripping account of his first command, a U.S. platoon taking part in the 'strategic hamlet' program. Mc Donough journeyed through a difficult period of founding leadership. Roach then kills the remaining VC easily. Late at night, Knight wakes to find an enemy in the camp, killing him and alerting the men that the outpost will be attacked. And as he was readily equipped, he was brought to the Strategic Hamlet Program formed by the US armed forces in the 1960s to weaken the Viet Cong through civilian control, which, failed in the 1970s. This book presents some of his experiences as he grows as a leader. They are wraiths, half-seen in the foliage, their presence scented on jungle paths, evidence of their passage unearthed in ammo dumps buried beneath villages. In his mind, the other members of the platoon existed for only one reason: to protect him, to keep him alive. SFC Colvin was the extreme opposite with his attitude, demeanor, and he required military courtesies be observed immediately upon his transfer into the unit. your own essay or use it as a source, but you need (O'Brien, 192) This bond of friendship helps the men of Alpha Company survive on a day to day basis. or the taking over of leadership by the platoon sergeant or ranking squad leader. Later, while Lt. Knight is recovering from his wounds in an Army hospital, Major Flynn asks him if he is able to take command again and Knight agrees. Knight realizes that he must take a different approach to have his men's respect. Whoa, this was heavy. Captain Killinski tells Knight that a company of VC slipped through and are attacking the village. This is a brutally honest self assessment of one infantry officers performance as a platoon leader in Vietnam. I received the book from my commander as I was transferring to a new unit to start as a platoon leader. It was a man trying to do his best to lead men in combat. This memoir details McDonough's experience leading a platoon of about twenty men, charged with defending a key village as part of the US' Strategic Hamlet Program. Wow, this book is a must read for anyone within the military. In a conflict, a team should be accountable to both itself and its members. Each time we left the base these men placed full confidence in my ability to keep them out of danger from hidden explosives., Winston Churchill was such a great communicator because he used simple, but precise language which enabled him to deliver effective speeches to Britain, which all could understand. Gathered, logged and monitored all shipping data. Platoon Leader was a book my dad gave to me saying, "Here. The things they were able to accomplish in Vietnam were due to not only his leadership, but his ability to create a sense of family and loyalty between his men. Platoon Leader May 2015Present US Army Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA - Led an artillery platoon consisting of 35 soldiers - Ensured compliance with annual and quarterly maintenance schedule Fire Direction Officer Apr 2014May 2015 US Army Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA - Led a Fire Direction Center consisting of 10 soldiers What propels young men to combat is not the draft. The three things this memoir might embed in the readers mind might include: Doing the right thing in the right time and with the right reasons; James McDonough taught me about myself in this book at least as much as he taught me about himself. When everyone treats each other like family, and sentimentality is encouraged, people are willing to work harder and invest more of themselves in the work and the group. McDonough seemingly did not find it necessary to delve much in the morbid images of the war, rather, on the relationships that developed throughout the story. It is not a boring book on tactics and how they work in theory. . ?>, Order original essay sample specially for your assignment needs, https://phdessay.com/book-review-on-platoon-leader-a-memoir-of-command-in-combat/, Richard Rodriguez- Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood Essay, Company Aytch: A Confederate Memoir of the Civil War, get custom He gave much flexibilities to the staff and freedom to make the decisions by themselves. I'm reading this book for my husband who is an officer in the Army getting ready to deploy to Iraq. We only work with verified PCI DSS-compliant platforms that ensure customers' confidentiality and absolute security of their data. Platoon Leader (First Lieutenant), 01/2011 - 02/2012. Leaders who are excellent communicators also need to be capable of inspiring others. Leadership came to me early, as I excelled in every duty that was assigned to me. James McDonough was hands on. They moved faster than before. Tips to Read More Books in 2023 with the Goodreads Reading Challenge. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. He sufficiently weighs the main effort for each mission (for example, machine guns and antiarmor weapons) to ensure success. (2) The platoon leader assigns sectors of fire for each squad using his laser pointer. The unforgiving minute summary.This book should be read, certainly, by everyone who has a loved one who is serving in the military, has served or might one day serve. Are you bilingual? Two veteran sergeants clash when one of them precipitates a massacre of villagers. Need urgent help with your paper? The pool of human resources is vast, and the number of riflemen is small. As a leader, I know I will have to be accountable for the actions, both good and bad, of the people I command. ), graduated from West Point and served in Vietnam as an infantry platoon leader in the legendary 173d Airborne Brigade.A military theorist who has helped shape the post-Cold War army's thinking, he is also the author of The Defense of Hill 781 and The Limits of Glory.Now retired from active duty, McDonough lives with his family in Tallahassee, Florida. West Point graduate lieutenant Jeff Knight meets cynicism when taking command of sergeant Michael McNamara's tour veterans platoon in a Vietnamese trench camp. missions (PowerPoint). This book helped me have a much better understanding of our soldiers and a greater appreciation of their sacrifices. . Lt. Jeffrey Knight, a new officer from the United States Military Academy, is airlifted to an outpost in Vietnam, where he meets his platoon, a group of tough-witted veterans of the war. The person who wants to avoid the draft will avoid it. Organizational structure from the field army to the fire team consists of corps, division, brigade, battalion, company, platoon, and squad. Knight and his squad fight to reach McNamera and bring him to an LZ to evac him via helicopter. LT McDonough was, as a rule, very successful in dealing with intellectually challenging problems. Never forget the sacrifices made so that we can live as we do. Average Platoon Leader Salary $47,908 Yearly $23.03 hourly $25,000 10 % $47,000 Median $89,000 90 % What Am I Worth? Wed love your help. James R. McDonough once stated that his story is not a comprehensive documentation of the Vietnam War, but a mere account of an American platoon leader in battle. Type of paper: I read Platoon Leader by James McDonough because it was a first-hand account of a rookie leader in the Vietnam war. Savage was a dynamic leader This book provides me with an incredible perspective on the leadership process; the platoon as a microcosm for leadership as a whole is very interesting to me. He felt no responsibility for the mission; he felt no compassion for the men. 280669059, Well-researched, fact-checked, and accurate, Eloquently written and immaculately formatted. With these things in mind, I feel as though learning the military leadership experience has helped me enhance my own principles as a leader. [CDATA[ Knight's platoon arrives at the village and kill off the VC company. There are many instances where it seems as though McDonough is truly in dire straits; during his first patrols as platoon leader, he felt as though he was "along for the ride" (p. 47). I am thinking about giving this 1985 book, This book is both a historical insight into the Vietnam War from the perspective of the American infantry and a veritable lesson on leadership. I recommend the book to you. Rating: R Genre: War. Though written from an officers perspective it was very beneficial to me as a mid-level (SSG / E6). Rather than describe each, he chose three men who embodied extremes of soldier behavior. In summary, while the actual fighting is done by the line infantry . Back on patrol, the platoon is attacked by heavy Vietcong (VC) forces and Parker is hit by mortar fire. A lot of sad stories about killing and dying in ambushes and battles but the one story that stuck out the most, the one that still haunts me, is when Lt. McDonough sees that there's a beach nearby one of their positions so he decides to send a small squad of six men to go check out the beach, so that they could get some light R&R and swim and enjoy the sun. Women fighting in combat is a topic that has stirred a lot of controversy in the last few months. The Islamic State, the Syrian government and Russia blamed the United States, but the dam was on the U.S. military's "no-strike list" of protected civilian sites and the commander of the U.S . Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for PLATOON LEADER - Rare 1988 RCA VHS Issue - Michael Dudikoff - Cult War Drama D5 at the best online prices at eBay! One guy said, "I don't need no tan I need some sleep." Summary; Recently Viewed; Bids/Offers; Watchlist; Purchase History; Buy Again; Selling; Saved Searches; Saved Sellers; My Garage; Messages; Collection beta; The eBay vault; Notification. Getting me excited for the real army truly. In the articles Women. It was a man who had experienced it first hand telling of how horrible it was. Many are killed or wounded, some are found unworthy, some receive a practical education in survival and move up. It is an eye-opening description of the reality of combat and its devastating impact on the participants. Platoon Leader A Memoir of Command in Combat by James R. McDonough Book Summary from Google Books: "A remarkable memoir of small-unit leadership and the coming of age of a young soldier in combat in Vietnam." "Using a lean style and a sense of pacing drawn from the tautest of novels, McDonough has produced a gripping {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; js.id=id; Later, Knight finds Private Bacera getting high in his barracks when he was supposed to be leaving on patrol. 48 Vitosha Boulevard, ground floor, 1000, Sofia, Bulgaria Bulgarian reg. He portrayed a wise, humane, tough and firm leader, under the most difficult circumstances. McNamara then arrives with his squad and the group repels the enemy who retreats towards Sergeant Roach, who carries a shotgun and is considered the platoon's toughest soldier. Platoon Leader is a true story that is told by James R. McDonough, a Vietnam War veteran. Captain 2014 - 2016. 2007. Ranked 1st of 4 Lieutenants by the Company Commander. 2-85. (3) The platoon leader positions key weapons to cover the most dangerous avenues of approach. Col. McDonough gives a first hand account of his personal experience being a platoon commander in the Vietnam War. Scholars These are just three of three of the important points presented in this memoir. Often we learn how 'not' to lead by seeing other leaders in. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs); Oftentimes we hear/study the Vietnam War only from news outlets from the time or documentaries that occurred during that time frame; however, very seldom do we hear from those who were actual. Literature, Community, Leadership, Books, Learning, Allegiance, Military, Principles. Ranked in top 10% of class in Mechanized Leader's Course at Fort Benning, GA. Did you receive a bilingual education? Parker then radios for an evac and McNamara orders the troops to move to an LZ for an extraction. We do need to expand our scope and coverage to pursue new areas of risk and new sources where we might find problems. Overall, he led his platoon very well and successfully. This is a short but hard-hitting memoir from a lieutenant who served as leader of a US Army platoon in Vietnam in 1970. When you grow up in a world where things at least on the surface seem to make sense and at least follow some rules, one might be tempted t. One of the things that has always intrigued me about Vietnam War stories is the attempts to make sense of the pure senselessness. The lieutenant he was replacing had spent his whole time in the field trying to (successfully) keep out of harms way; the day the author arrived he found his counterpart literally lying flat on the ground, and there he stayed until the helicopter came to take him back to Saigon and home. The next morning, Knight confesses that he feels that he can't be a leader, but McNamara tells him that he got them this far and can do the rest. 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