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 to assume that life should and is that way. You can use it as an example when writing This is a great book I had to read in college." Selected to serve as personal administrative assistant to the Chief of Staff of Fort Rucker, AL. McDonough's 'Platoon Leader': A great memoir by a Vietnam War lieutenant I first read James McDonough's Platoon Leader about 17 years ago, as I was watching then-Col. McDonough train up his. The commander of the friendly unit was lost and had failed to notify anyone of their mission before leaving. As was said before, since the beginning, the troops in the 918th were able to do Summary. Type of paper: can use them for free to gain inspiration and new creative ideas for their writing 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. A remarkable memoir of small-unit leadership and the coming of age of a young soldier in combat in Vietnam. Good platoon leaders must enforce Army standards for readiness and cleanliness consistently and equitably to maintain discipline and respect and hold troops accountable. Nearly everyone knows that the Vietnam war was awful. This is a brutally honest self assessment of one infantry officers performance as a platoon leader in Vietnam. It was a compilation of the view and experiences of war by different people. If anyone can read this book and not feel utter gratefulness for our vets especially our combat vets and especially our Vietnam War combat vets well then that person would be truly blind. Over 2 million developers have joined DZone. Plot summary. The isolation of leadership was truly felt at that moment, and at times he felt ill-equipped to lead his men - he did not know the things he felt were expected of him to know. But wow! The Transportation Corps is responsible for moving supplies, troops and equipment anywhere on the globe. A portrait of the platoon commander I should be and desire to be, James McDonough's gritty and honest recollection of his Platoon Leader tour has inspired me to hone my own skills, reexamine my heart with brutal honesty, and reflect consistently on my intentions, outcomes and mistakes (that should not be repeated). (1) The platoon leader signals for the base of fire squad to move into designated positions. Get help with 11% offusing code - GETWOWED, No, thanks! The platoon leader and the platoon sergeant, along with the radiotelephone operator, make up the headquarters section of the platoon. In a conflict, a team should be accountable to both itself and its members. Without personal experience of combat to judge against, I found this to be an authentic description of life in combat. Nor is there really much of a hook. cookie policy. Sometimes it is hard to do all the work on your own. A couple months later, McNamara returns to the base with Knight greeting him saying "welcome back to the country club" as they embrace. 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. This compilation of 92 true short stories about Army platoon leaders in the Iraq War in 2006-07 tells a meta-narrative intended to convey the experience of leadership over a 12-month combat deployment. His interpersonal tact left much to be desired and even his resilience was nearly broken down. According to McDonough, "he was the platoon, epitomizing its resilience, its dedication, its complete commitment" (p. 242). I'm fine with missing my deadline, WowEssays. "[2] He also wrote "There's absolutely no surprises. Are you bilingual? He was a fine leader, and so was his son who I also has the pleasure of working for for a short period of time. After training, soldiers usually hold a Private Second Class (PV2) rank and within a year . Four men said yes, but two had to be talked into it. In the articles Women. However, his wishes change when he is met with Barnes and sees what he does. I definitely would rate this book a 10 out of 10. The person who wants to avoid the draft will avoid it. The video showed me how the intellectual traits are used on a day to day basis. These relationships were part of the humanizing aspects of the story, including issues that involve latrines. 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 actually in it. This is a great book I had to read in college." For good or ill, McDonough recognized that the burden of authority was on him for everything his soldiers did. In the paragraphs below, I want to share some of the information that should be stored in the leader book. Knight counters with an idea he believes work better, and after consulting with the other two Lieutenants, Killinsky agrees to the new plan, trusting in Knight's experience. , Also, most approaches to the incorporation of automated execution into a test process seem to be used for purely defensive purposes. James R. McDonough is is the former director of the Florida Office of Drug Control and the secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections from 2006 to 2008. 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. 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. The book was far better than the movie, which I had seen prior to reading the book. It is a book that will open both your eyes and your heart to what those who choose the infantry face in that war. As a result, when he is led into battle with several men in his charge, he is unsure in everything he does. It starts out the story by talking about his leaving Vietnam and then him at home later in his life and flashing back to his experiences leading up to West Point, and then his deployment. It then traced his entire tour up to the final battle in which he lost the village he was told to defend at all costs. "Prepare a Platoon SOP" You are a squad leader in 3rd Platoon. Whoa, this was heavy. As mentioned above, this essay basically would present a. It is an eye-opening description of the reality of combat and its devastating impact on the participants. He used his speed to an advantage against those that towered him in size and strength. In his mind, the other members of the platoon existed for only one reason: to protect him, to keep him alive. . All the other soldiers in the platoon possessed their own unique personality, but embodied some combination of the traits exhibited by these three soldiers. "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 'stra Order custom essay Book Review on Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat Rather than describe each, he chose three men who embodied extremes of soldier behavior. Mazza, Michael. There is rarely a clear, unequivocal shot of an enemy soldier. Many men under his command were killed or seriously wounded, but in the paradox of war, it is likely that even fewer would have survived if McDonough had tried to avoid combat. Explore how the human body functions as one unit in SFC Colvin always exhibited the utmost military bearing and appearance and felt we should too. God bless our men and women who serve to protect our freedoms. so Savage displayed a participating leadership style when he tagged along on bombing serves as a platoon sergeant responsible for 25 soldiers in a headquarters platoon; supervises the platoon, plans toc setup and operations in coordination with senior leadership; assigns ncos to organize fob defense and toc operations; responsible for all aspects of training; conducts virtual battle assembly; enforces proper accountability of Read more about this topic: Platoon Leader (memoir) Famous quotes containing the words plot and/or summary: " Ends in themselves, my letters plot no change; They carry nothing dutiable; they won't Aspire, astound, establish or estrange. 2-85. Refresh and try again. The last note I made was from page 108 - after that, I was too sucked into the horror of the experience to make many notes. "Book Review On Platoon Leader And Leadership Lessons." Platoon Leaders. Late at night, Knight wakes to find an enemy in the camp, killing him and alerting the men that the outpost will be attacked. Platoon Leader by James R. McDonough: 9780891418009 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: 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. I read "Platoon Leader" by James McDonough because it was a first hand account of a rookie leader in the Vietnam war. 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 February 4th 2003 Seriously sacrificing your own sis like that. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Both were great reads. The first leadership lesson I gleaned from the book is the concept of absolute responsibility for all who follow me. Notably, they derived this information his inspirational tactics. LT McDonough Leadership assessment The book Platoon Leader provides a wide range of leadership situations and challenges. "The bond that men form with each other in the heat of battle is incomprehensible to those who have not experienced warfare for themselvesYou make close friends. Vignettes and lessons from current and former platoon-level leaders allow newly assigned leaders to learn from those who have . Book Review, Topic: At best, it's sincere!" I recognized that, like me, all leaders struggle to find their feet; in this way, I could recognize just how important it was to maintain order, decorum and calm. Two veteran sergeants clash when one of them precipitates a massacre of villagers. Platoon Leader was a book my dad gave to me saying, "Here. It is also a significant commentary on the conduct of the war in Vietnam at all levels and war in general. From acknowledging that at his age there was much to learn, to realizing the differences in his team, McChrystal possessed many of the traits of a disciplined mind. This is a brutally honest self assessment of one infantry officers performance as a platoon leader in Vietnam. Gerd Ludemann is the author of a well-known book namely Virgin Birth: The Real Story of Mary and Her Son Jesus. support@phdessay.com. Whoa, this was heavy. Save time and let our verified experts help you. Rating: R Genre: War. I took note of a few quotes early in the book about leadership which many people new to leadership and management may experience. 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. 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. It's all very pre-determined and becomes a fairly dry watch with little to cause one to invest in the drama, while also eschewing lots of the Cannon Films trademark excess," and ended his review stating "At worst, it's boring. WowEssays, 03 Dec. 2019, https://www.wowessays.com/free-samples/book-review-on-platoon-leader-and-leadership-lessons/. Indeed, in both wartime and peacetime, an army commander watches over the lives of those under his charge, hence it is our immense but honourable responsibility to be competent and caring for our men. Alas, Lt. McDonough talked them into going. LT McDonough was, as a rule, very successful in dealing with intellectually challenging problems. As a sophomore in college, he signs up for the Reserve Officers Training Corps because it is worth a few credits and because his friends are doing it. In conclusion, the various leadership lessons learned from Platoon Leader by James R. McDonough include basic principles of accountability, responsibility and camaraderie. McDonough's story is as good as any; though late in the war, he was assigned in an active [read: dangerous] sector and he took his mission t. Perhaps one of the least original books every written; even the Goodreads catalog includes at least a dozen platoon leader memoirs from Vietnam. "Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat." Ranked in top 10% of class in Mechanized Leader's Course at Fort Benning, GA. Accessed January 18, 2023. He explains to him they lost the village, but they fought off the VC. "Book Review On Platoon Leader And Leadership Lessons. (4) The platoon sergeant begins coordination for ammunition resupply. Wed love your help. Even when they act without orders from you, you are held accountable for those actions. It is also a significant commentary on the conduct of the war in Vietnam at all levels and war in general. Savage was a dynamic leader As usual - we are going to watch and assess video, trying to analyze and define tactical successes and mistakes done by both sides. 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. It is loosely based on James R. McDonough's memoir of the same name. Never forget the sacrifices made so that we can live as we do. Its one of those "brother doesnt know anything, sister doesnt tell him, actively hides what she plans to do with NTR guy. A world without rules, mercy and pure ruthless reality. database? 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. We use cookies to enhance our website for you. . Get expert help in mere It then. especially Lt. Jimmy Cross, the platoon commander and a first lieutenant. But he doesn't care about the war and has no desire to be a team leader. As the movie progressed, they became effective followers and sample is kindly provided by a student like you, use it only as a guidance. It is loosely based on James R. McDonough's memoir of the same name. It is an eye-opening description of the reality of combat and its devastating impact on the participants. Like the squad leader, the platoon leader exercises mission command primarily through his subordinates and moves in the formation where he can best achieve this. It closely resembled Fields of Fire by James Webb. I read Platoon Leader by James McDonough because it was a first-hand account of a rookie leader in the Vietnam war. New small unit leaders will find it extraordinarily compelling and relevant. Col. James McDonough, USA (Ret. The roads that lead young men to war are not political roads, or national and international roads, but individual roads. So who fights? Platoon Leader is a 1988 war film set in the Vietnam War and directed by Aaron Norris; it stars Michael Dudikoff and Michael DeLorenzo and was filmed in South Africa. {js=d.createElement(s); The honesty with which moral and morale issues are addressed in real and unflinching detail. performs and supervises maintenance on heavy fighting equipment. what motivates the author to write book platoon learder? ?>. I looked at the cover with mixed feelings at first, apprehensive about reading it. This also provided a challenge of his communication skills. This essay was written by a fellow student. you to an academic expert within 3 minutes. Those who are not destined for armed combat usually will not be drafted for armed combat. The film received mixed reviews, including criticism for being an imitation of Oliver Stone's 1986 war drama Platoon. Plot introduction [ edit] //= $post_title Unlike his predecessor, who hid till the end of his tour, Jeff takes charge, experiences the manual doesn't allow coping with all realities and gets wounded. Roach brings a baby from one of the destroyed huts and explains the VC were after the villagers not the soldiers. "Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat: Review." missions (PowerPoint). And 'out of love for her brother' promises to give her body to antagonist to 'save the brother'." I recommend the book to you. "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.. The unforgiving minute summary. Parker, the radio operator. Be the first to contribute. I took the test and inserted a keyword and a bookmarker at every point where a lesson is to be drawn for a twenty-year-old Swiss infantry second lieutenant - a total o. I can't imagine the unbelievable psychological pain that American Veterans went through. With these things in mind, I feel as though learning the military leadership experience has helped me enhance my own principles as a leader. their jobs and do them well, but after Col. Davenport left, they felt alienated with a leader I initially was responsible for the training and conduct of 4 others, and would eventually lead as many as fifteen other Marines. An infantry squad leader position is a job within the leadership chain of command in both U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) . Literature, Community, Leadership, Books, Learning, Allegiance, Military, Principles. Often we learn how 'not' to lead by seeing other leaders in. Let's get started. Few books have had the impact on generations of young soldiers as Jim McDonough's Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat.It sits alongside World War II classics like Charles MacDonald's Company Commander and George Wilson's If You Survive and Phil Caputo's Vietnam memoir A Rumor of War.First published in the mid-1980s, Platoon Leader remains on military reading lists worldwide . Back on patrol, the platoon is attacked by heavy Vietcong (VC) forces and Parker is hit by mortar fire. Environmental safety. [Internet]. Even so, Bacera sneaks a hit when recusing himself to urinate. 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). Please try again later. . Knight finds Pike's demeanor disruptive and sends him to Sergeant Roach's mine sweeping detail. But he was never a peer, he was always apart from them, despite developing a bond with them. One of McDonoughs strongest. Maintained property accountability and readiness worth in excess of $8.5 million. Start by marking Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat as Want to Read: Error rating book. they didn't relate to. James McDonough was hands on. That is why that is a reason I both enjoyed it as well as didn't enjoy it. Vivid details in the memoir bring the setting come to life along with the compelling set of characters. Often we learn how not to lead by seeing other leaders in action and we deliberately choose to never lead like those people. IMDb's Most Anticipated New TV Series of 2023. Wow, this book is a must read for anyone within the military. Platoon Leader is a true story that is told by James R. McDonough, a Vietnam War veteran. " Philip Larkin (1922-1986) Minimized damage and repair costs through careful management and preventative maintenance. The writing is as riveting as Ernst Juengers and its lessons just as valuable for any combat leader, especially young lieutenants. He is young and hopeful, wanting the war to be over and done with. He does not hold back from sharing his mistakes, and tells stories of real experiences in a compelling way. Platoon Leaders in America make an average salary of $47,908 per year or $23 per hour. Captain Killinski tells Knight that a company of VC slipped through and are attacking the village. What propels young men to combat is not the draft. : Review. moving supplies, troops and equipment anywhere on the.... 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