How do you feel the story of Generation Kill has affected service members?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 12 Jun 2021 00:39:36 -0400

Whether the book or the HBO miniseries, Soldiers and Marines I have spoken with feel the story resonates with them in things they have experienced or things they expect from their service.

Additionally and whether right or wrong, some of have explained that this has colored their impression of officers in the armed forces and in some cases SNCO's.

While this one unit, this one story in twenty years of years of war tells an important story it is one of many. Why do you feel it impacts so many?

Do you think it's important to embed war correspondence journalists in forward units knowing that it has the potential to embarrass the military for its decisions or poor leadership at various levels?

Do you think the book and miniseries damaged the careers of the officers involved?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2021 1:51 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 12 Jun 2021 01:51:18 -0400

I doubt enough people have watched it to make a difference. I was in Iraq shortly after the book took place and again later on. There were a lot of isms that were still happening like that. That's the nature of war. It's not battles, it's politics being played out in foreign lands. Clauswitz said it hundreds of years ago and Sun Tzu said it thousands of years ago.

There were a handful of people in the book who disagreed with how they were portrayed, you can read about it on the wiki. The fact is that these type of books had already saturated the American book scene and wasn't being read by people who weren't already reading this type of book. So, there was no big collective shock from the population because most people never read it. By the time the mini series came out, the handful of officers and enlisted who were still in service had so much time and rank in that they weren't going to be negatively affected just because a book portrayed them poorly.

As to people saying it colored their perception of military leaders, I say these impressionable and naive minds are easily colored toward whatever story they're reading. Give them a copy of Blackhawk Down or We Were Young Once and they'll feel right as rain again

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2021 10:11 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 12 Jun 2021 10:11:42 -0400

I think that for too long military leadership could get away with terrible things with not just little but no consequences. Then embedded journalists/reporters became a thing and some things were exposed, and then social media became a thing and a lot of dirty laundry was aired. Groups like "US Army WTF! moments" have done a surprisingly large amount of good by exposing things that in the past would have never been known outside the immediate players involved. Now, as far as how your one cited miniseries affected things I can't say. I have no idea what affect if any the miniseries had on anyones careers, but I do believe it's important to shine lights into places to expose the truth. If this embarrasses the Army then it's not the fault of the reporter, it's the fault of the embarrassed.

Response by SFC Randy Hellenbrand made Jun 12 at 2021 11:50 AM

SFC Randy Hellenbrand — Sat, 12 Jun 2021 11:50:04 -0400

Happens all the time. In WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and today. There are always people wo manage to get into leadership slots who should never be there. I got one absolutely idiotic Lt. blackballed and I wish I could of gotten a few NCOs booted, but ........ Truth, honesty and all of those Army Values are what really count. I absolutely support journalist being imbedded with us.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2021 4:50 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 12 Jun 2021 16:50:13 -0400

I don't think it has affected anything at all. All of those series were not really viewed as much more than entertainment.