About the Book

A Platoon Leaders Tour (The PL Book): This book is an on-the-ground view of U.S. Army combat in Iraq sourced from in-country interviews of this generation's Platoon Leaders from 2003-2008. The combat vignettes of former Platoon Leaders flow along the arc of a typical 12-month tour in Iraq. The authors selected stories that reflect the common challenges of young combat leaders, including:

• Taking Charge
• Making First Contact with the Enemy
• Engaging the Local Populace
• Interacting with Indigenous Forces
• Use of Force
• Operating in a Complex/Chaotic Environment
• Facing Personnel Challenges
• Making Moral/Ethical Decisions
• Leading in Battle
• Dealing with Death
• Sustaining the Will to Fight
• Leading Emotionally-Charged Soldiers
• Adapting to Unfamiliar/Non-Standard Missions

The book was developed by the U.S. Army's Center for Company-level Leaders at West Point in conjunction with the U.S. Army Studies Program and U.S. Army Research Institute. Interviews, writing, and editing of the stories was conducted by Pete Kilner, Nate Allen, Nate Self, and Anthony Lupo.