GENERATION KILL - Get Some

Generation Kill by Evan Wright

I just finished reading "Generation Kill", my foray into non-fiction, and I have to say I'm glad I made it.

"Generation Kill" is the story of the First Recon Marines' part in the initial invasion of Iraq in March 2003, as witnessed and reported by the embedded reporter (Evan Wright) who was with them. Evan Wright initially wrote this as a series of articles for Rolling Stone Magazine, the articles were later built upon and became this book (and later became a fantastic HBO mini-series!). I appreciate that the author doesn't really inject the book with his personal feelings about the war, but rather just relays events as they happened.

I really enjoyed this book, not because I particularly love accounts of war, but because of the people in the book. I think Evan Wright really manages to capture and portray the Marine's of the First Recon Battalion as the intriguing characters that I'm sure they are. The things that come out of their mouths at time range from the ridiculous obscene to the ridiculously thoughtful and I have to say I enjoyed it tremendously.

"Generation Kill" focuses primarily on Bravo Company and more specifically on the lead vehicle (the one the reporter rode in) commanded by Sergeant Brad Colbert. Colbert's vehicle is comprised of Colbert, driver Corporal Josh Ray Person, Lance Corporal Harold Trombley, and Corporal Walter Hasser. The banter that goes on in the lead Humvee range from the hilarious to the disturbing. Person, living off of amphetamines regales the Humvee with his theories of war, sings Avril Lavigne songs, and rails on the idiotic things going on around them. Colbert, nicknamed "iceman" is the calming, parental influence in the Humvee, often telling Person to stop talking while making sure everyone is taking care of themselves and "staying frosty". Trombley is often a bit on the disturbing side, telling outlandish stories of his childhood and complaining, early on, like a child over not having shot anyone yet. (the fourth member of the team rides with his head outside the Humvee manning the gun and therefore says and offers very little to the story).

I think First Recon's part in the invasion is really secondary to the stories of the Marine's themselves. Despite being trained (and often eager) to kill, you really feel for the Marine's anger and emotion when a civilian is mistakenly shot and their frustration about how ineffective they were at maintaining order once in Baghdad. You also lament with them over what they see as incompetent leadership from their officers much as we civilians deride our bosses at times. And just when you think you have a grasp of the character of a certain Marine, they do or say something that really throws you.

Writing home to his wife, Sergeant Antonio Espera, who loves nothing more than a good rant about the evil's of the white man, says:

"I've learned there are two types of people in Iraq, those who are very good and those who are dead. I'm very good. I've lost twenty pounds, shaved my head, started smoking, my feet have rotted off, and I move from filthy hole to filthy hole every night. I see dead children and people everywhere and function in a void of indifference. I keep you and our daughter locked away deep down inside, and I try not to look there."

Its those sort of passages, for me, that really made this book enjoyable. It was the surprising things people would say, the camaraderie and love they clearly had for each other, and getting to hear their thoughts and feelings on what was going on.

There are so many notable characters in this book, I wish I could write in detail about them all and share all the funny things they all say, but then this would go on forever so best to just read it for yourself (or watch the mini-series).

Also, as far as non-fiction goes, its sort of fun to know that these people are real people with real lives, so real that I even follow one of them on twitter!