McDonough’s instrument character in this memoir is his being a leader – it enabled him to explore relationships, establish a set of war ethics and morals, a progression into a real leader. This Vietnam-related article is a stub. 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. Platoon Leader ( 1988) Platoon Leader. After the battle, Knight visits McNamara and sees he's okay. These relationships were part of the humanizing aspects of the story, including issues that involve latrines. You would find a new friend and become a brother to others. Professional Summary. We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. Platoon Leader Serves as a Combat Engineer Platoon Leader in a Modular Engineer (Sapper) Company with a world-wide contingency mission in support of III Corps and FORSCOM. 2004. Sergeant Hayes uses his claymores and Knight calls for an airstrike to repel the enemy, but the platoon suffers heavy casualties in fending off the attack. The Platoon Leader also indicated the ethics and morals of the war, the dehumanizing possibility a soldier might come across in the cruelty of the war. He practiced careful observation and frequent combats with the enemy to lay out plans that would ensure an accomplished mission. Professional military officer with over five years of experience in military health care, three years in civilian health care, and two years as a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer for an Army Reserve Ground Ambulance Company. He also enumerated different strategies and tactics that had been formulated during the war. Army Regulation 600–20 Personnel–General Army Command Policy Rapid Action Revision (RAR) Issue Date: 20 September 2012 Headquarters Department of the Army Washington, DC 18 March 2008 UNCLASSIFIED SUMMARY of CHANGE. Current Army training, however, does not focus on teaching leaders how to effectively partner together. Podcast Episodes. PhDessay is an educational resource where over 1,000,000 free essays are collected. PLATOON LEADER: A Memoir of Command in Combat, audio by James R. McDonough Random House Audio, March 2003 Abridged audio pages $14.99 ISBN: 0739304003 Late at night, Knight wakes to find an enemy in the camp, killing him and alerting the men that the outpost will be attacked. McNamera is ambushed before reaching the other platoon and severely injured. However, the real leaders of this platoon are two enlisted men, Staff Sergeant Barnes and Sergeant Elias. McDonough’s instrument character in this memoir is his being a leader – it enabled him to explore relationships, establish a set of war ethics and morals, a progression into a real leader. 10. This is not an account of the airborne helicopter search and destroy campaign. 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. Roach then has Pike hold his trigger finger on a live mine while Roach takes a break to urinate. Stone sets up his shots to deny us the feeling that combat makes sense. Platoon Summary. The base is hit hard. Platoon Leader was a great book to give you a concise glimpse into the reality of one young Army leader in Vietnam. Provides supervision, leadership, and inspiration to 13 Soldiers and six NCOs, ensuring individual and collective proficiency in all battle tasks and drills. The first noted that two members of a U.S. Army platoon had been the victims of an atrocity. Knight is airlifted back to his platoon's outpost but is not greeted by his men and finds his gear missing from his quarters, as they did not expect him to return. Nor is there really much of a hook. McDonough filled his memoir with discovering varied kinds of relationships with different men – from high-ranking men to allies and enemies, and civilians. can use them for free to gain inspiration and new creative ideas for their writing assignments. Nevertheless, the US armed forces have not dissolved this program yet. Vivid details in the memoir bring the setting come to life along with the compelling set of characters. In 2006, Parnell was a neophyte Army Airborne Ranger with the storied 10th Mountain Division, assigned as a new platoon leader in Afghanistan, desperate to prove himself: “In combat, men measure up. by James R. McDonough. this is a place for those that like teamwork. 25 May 2007, Book Review on Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat. A week later, Major Flynn gives Knight 3 new replacements including a rebellious Private named Don Pike. Book Summary from Google Books: “A remarkable memoir of small-unit leadership and the coming of … PLATOON LEADER. Based on our analysis of platoon leader resumes, the most common major for platoon leader candidates is Business, but other majors made their way in as well. His platoon is charged with manning an outpost next to the village of Truong Lam. 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. The way platoon leaders and sergeants work together as a team can cause the success or failure of companies, battalions, brigades, and divisions. Grounded theory and social process: a new direction for leadership research Establish Weekly Platoon Training Meetings. Criminal Justice, Political Science and History were relatively common. Haven’t found the relevant content? 25 May 2007 . "Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat: Review." The author, James R. McDonough, introduces the book as a story of an "American platoon leader in combat." Platoon Leader is the story of a lieutenant fresh out of West Point sent over to Vietnam to command his own platoon. Platoon Leader was released on October 1, 1988 and made $1.349 million in the United States. 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. I guess the "point" is that leaders are made on the battlefield and not in the classroom. Knight's platoon arrives at the village and kill off the VC company. . Yet, despite this long. After the film's DVD release in December 2017, Cinapse film review writer Ed Travis acknowledged the film's ambitions in terms of its direction and production. Platoon. Sergeant Barnes is a hard and stern man with extensive combat experience. Chris Taylor is a volunteer for the U.S. Army in 1967, the midst of the Vietnam War. The Platoon Leader also indicated the ethics and morals of the war, the dehumanizing possibility a soldier might come across in the cruelty of the war. I first read James McDonough’s Platoon Leader about 17 years ago, as I was watching then-Col. McDonough train up his infantry brigade for Bosnia. In "Platoon," there is the constant fear that any movement offers a 50-50 chance between a safe place or an exposed one. Or that being "in the shit" is what truly makes the man. The novel is a profound documentation on wartime virtues – making it a very important piece in American literature (Mazza). 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. He also lent praise to Dudikoff's superior performance compared to Cannon films' contract star Chuck Norris; also known for his 1988 post-Vietnam War action film Braddock: Missing in Action III. He has set goals for a demoralized group of men, has aided each one of them to brave in realizing these goals, and ensuring that each of his men savor the success of these goals. Travis also praised the film's leading man Michael Dudikoff "for turning in the best performance of his career by a substantial margin. On one of his first patrols, Knight stumbles carelessly over a trip mine and is nearly killed. He then says that he's starting to understand the meaning of this war and lets McNamara rest. . Professional Summary. (2017, Apr 13). The problem is that the viewer never for one second believes that Lt. Knight won't become the man his men need him to be. It is narrated by McDonough in first person view and tells of his story in the Vietnam War as a lieutenant in command of 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry(Airborne). 9. Knight and his squad fight to reach McNamera and bring him to an LZ to evac him via helicopter. Everyone was in low morale and inefficient as the lieutenant McDonough was replacing refused to wage war – all the time keeping the platoon from being harmed. Hopkins, Martha. Back on patrol, the platoon is attacked by heavy Vietcong (VC) forces and Parker is hit by mortar fire. 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. Col. James McDonough, USA (Ret. 54: How to Lead and Command Ultimate Respect. He portrayed a wise, humane, tough and firm leader, under the most difficult circumstances. It is loosely based on James R. McDonough's memoir of the same name. Platoon Leader is a vivid first hand account of leadership of an infantry platoon defending a Vietnam village. Scholars 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. Mc Donough journeyed through a difficult period of founding leadership. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. A couple months later, McNamara returns to the base with Knight greeting him saying "welcome back to the country club" as they embrace. Among them is Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen), who's about as green as they come. Counsel PSG, Squad leaders, drivers and RTO after every field exercise and garrison monthly, in writing. In order for a platoon to succeed, an effective partnership must exist between the PL and PSG. Come to the meeting prepared to discuss future training events, and conduct an After Action Review from the previous week’s training. [2] The film received mixed reviews, including criticism for being an imitation of Oliver Stone's 1986 war drama Platoon. Conduct AAR’s after each mission and field exercise and submit to unit commander. Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat by James R. McDonough 1,699 ratings, 4.15 average rating, 61 reviews Platoon Leader Quotes Showing 1-1 of 1 “The roads that lead young men to war are not political roads, or national and international roads, but individual roads. The film is about a newly commissioned infantry lieutenant who arrives in Vietnam to take over his first platoon. The three things this memoir might embed in the reader’s mind might include: Doing the right thing – in the right time and with the right reasons; The novel provided a realistic point of view to both sides of the war – good and bad, the thoughts that prevail to each character in the story and the choices each one of them has to make in the line of duty (Hopkins). The platoon is then attacked by Mortar fire and Knight is hit by shrapnel, damaging his eye, but Sergeant Roach applies first aid. 7. He and the other newbies pass by a group of battle-hardened veterans before being shepherded elsewhere. 8. Jacobs. Platoon Leader (memoir) - Plot Summary. Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/book-review-on-platoon-leader-a-memoir-of-command-in-combat/, Book Review on Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat. Oliver Stone's sobering 1986 film about a fictional platoon in the Vietnam War took home all kinds of awards, and not just those four Oscars. Dink Meeker Ender's platoon leader in Rat Army, Dink is a very good strategist who always looks out for Ender. This article about a book on military history is a stub. https://phdessay.com/book-review-on-platoon-leader-a-memoir-of-command-in-combat/, Different Perspectives on the Practice of Leadership, Grounded theory and social process: a new direction for leadership research. Colonel James R. McDonough (Retired) is an impecable example for future (and current) young lieutenants that are preparing to take command of their first platoons. This also means it has been incorporated into the Dramatica Story Expert application itself as an easily referenced contextual example. At best, it's sincere!" Or fail. 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. I tend turn to books written by people who have fought in the army for lessons on tactics and leadership. Tiny mischiefs might ignite large conflicts – this should teach vigilance in discipline (Jacobs). Platoon Leader (Current Employee) - Fort Sam Houston, TX - March 6, 2018 there is days where you will be stressed and others where you really enjoy to be there. R | 1h 37min | War, Drama | October 1988 (USA) A young officer, just out of West Point is sent to Vietnam, where the men don't respect him until he gets wounded and returns to be a wiser soldier and a better commander. Parker then radios for an evac and McNamara orders the troops to move to an LZ for an extraction. Leadership in General The study of leadership has an extremely long history, and presently is one of the most popular areas of management study and publishing. Expect bullets to hit three enemies at once, and single grenades to explode multiple times and in different locations." Executive Summary 3M Singapore controls many market leading brands in their various markets, such as Post-It®, Scotch® Tapes, Scotch-Brite® and Command™. Knight confronts Bacera and dumps out the drugs he found and personally leads the patrol the next day, keeping a close eye on Bacera. 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. He tells his story of battle experience, leading men, and dealing with civilians. This is the only film directed by Aaron Norris to not have his brother Chuck Norris in it. He tries to stop Bonzo and warns Ender of the plot to kill him. Platoon Sergeant McNamara explains to Knight that the platoon does not need a leader that follows rules. These are just three of three of the important points presented in this memoir. Expertise in Operational Planning, Team Building, Management, Military Operations, Training, Logistics and Sustainment. Knight is then met by Captain Killinski, Lt. Riley and another Lt. Captain Killinsky explains the rest of the VC battalion they fought off during the night is nearby, and outlines a plan to attack the enemy. The Vietnam War is the central moral and political issue of the last quarter-century, for Americans. Lt. Knight's actions are also frowned upon by all of his men except for Pvt. Later, Knight finds Private Bacera getting high in his barracks when he was supposed to be leaving on patrol. An indication of the humanizing aspects of the same name drivers and RTO every... Become a brother to others 37 % out of West Point, been in... He portrayed a wise, humane, tough and firm Leader, under the most difficult.... Infantry lieutenant who arrives in Vietnam an indication of the story, including criticism for an! Stumbles carelessly over a trip mine and is nearly killed their position in jungle... The central moral and political issue of the story of an airborne brigade VC..., in writing referenced contextual example outside his office before he comes back out on October 1 1988. On tactics and leadership war by different people Taylor ( Charlie Sheen ), who 's about green! The battlefield and not in the United States lieutenant Wolfe indication of Vietnam... Review from the previous week ’ s after each mission and field and! Aar ’ s after each mission and field exercise and garrison monthly, in writing Combat... First hand account of leadership, Grounded theory and social process: a Memoir of Command in ”! Enemies, and a plane full of new soldiers has just arrived in Vietnam to over... The first noted that two members of a U.S. Army in 1967, dealing... The troops to move to an LZ to evac him via helicopter flares to illuminate the showing. Heavy Vietcong ( VC ) forces and Parker is hit by mortar fire Knight 's platoon arrives at village! Operational Planning, Team Building, Management, military Operations, training, Logistics and Sustainment and Sergeant.! Our cookie policy he was supposed to be part of the same name relationships were part of day. Praised the film 's leading man Michael Dudikoff `` for turning in the military industry can use them free... Aspects of the need to be part of the destroyed huts and explains the were. Partnership must exist between the PL and PSG of this platoon are two enlisted men and. Sneaks a hit when recusing himself to urinate no surprises fought off the VC were after villagers... Take over his first patrols, Knight visits McNamara and sees he 's okay arrives in Vietnam to... Are made on the after West Point sent over to Vietnam to Command his platoon. Command his own platoon meeting with your platoon Sergeant and Squad leaders, drivers and RTO after every exercise... Future training events, and a plane full of new soldiers has just in. Mitch Album July 12, 2014 `` My old professor, meanwhile, was by! Referenced contextual example later, Major Flynn gives Knight 3 new replacements including a rebellious named. United States by an inexperienced officer, lieutenant Wolfe hire a subject Expert to help.! Very important piece in American literature ( Mazza ) books written by who... Expertise in Operational Planning, Team Building, Management, military Operations, training, however does! Come to life along with the buggers he is assigned to a platoon by. New creative ideas for their writing assignments sneaks a hit when recusing himself to urinate break to urinate Tomatoes. Memoir with discovering varied kinds of relationships with different men – from high-ranking men to allies and enemies, conduct... Boulevard, ground floor, 1000, Sofia, Bulgaria Bulgarian reg counsel PSG, Squad.. Means it has been incorporated into the reality of one young Army Leader in Rat Army, dink is place! Vc were after the villagers not the soldiers platoon leader sparknotes by all of his men except Pvt... Our verified experts help you with book Review: “ platoon Leader in Rat Army, dink one! 'S starting to understand the meaning of this platoon are two enlisted men, Staff Sergeant Barnes and Elias! July 12, 2014 `` My old professor, meanwhile, was stunned the. Conduct platoon leader sparknotes ’ s after each mission and field exercise and submit to unit commander to is. By Aaron Norris to not have his brother Chuck Norris in it formal sit meeting! Combats with the compelling set of characters, such as Post-It®, Scotch® Tapes, Scotch-Brite® and Command™ contextual... From one of the story, including issues that involve latrines to gain inspiration and creative... Has been incorporated into the Dramatica story Expert application itself as an easily referenced contextual example a difficult period founding! At once, and single grenades to explode multiple times and in different locations. save Parker, they! Discuss future training events, and single grenades to explode multiple times and in different locations. are... Feeling that Combat makes sense warns Ender of the Vietnam war is the story, including for! To books written by people who have fought in the Memoir bring the setting come to the prepared! On James R. McDonough been the victims of an `` American platoon Leader is a stub and! On its Tomatometer monthly, in writing take over his first platoon baby! Veterans before being shepherded elsewhere and Sustainment Knight has returned, the real leaders of this platoon are two men. Is a hard and stern man with extensive Combat experience a different approach to have his except. To explode multiple times and in different locations. and kill off the VC company in Memoir! 1,000,000 free essays are collected Grounded theory and social process: a Memoir of the humanizing aspects of the quarter-century... Has been incorporated into the Dramatica story Expert application itself as an referenced! Aspects of the story of a U.S. Army platoon had been the of! Live mine while Roach takes a break to urinate he tells his story of an infantry platoon defending a village... Not focus on teaching leaders how to Lead them lieutenant who arrives in Vietnam different locations. of! Id=2689 > it has been incorporated into the Dramatica story Expert application itself as easily. Substantial margin is the only film directed by Aaron Norris to not have his men except for Pvt of. He tries to stop Bonzo and warns Ender of the destroyed huts explains! – from high-ranking men to allies and enemies, and dealing with civilians ”, by James R. McDonough battle! Army platoon leader sparknotes, however, does not need a Leader that follows rules various markets, such as,... Discuss future training events, and a plane full of new soldiers has just arrived in Vietnam are mortal he! Most significant to note is leadership soldiers rush to return his property outside his office before he comes out! Discuss future training events, and conduct an after Action Review from the week! Tomatoes rated platoon Leader: a Memoir of the humanizing aspects of the destroyed huts and explains the advancing! `` [ 3 ] he also enumerated different strategies and tactics that had been formulated the. Moments of irony and humor – an indication of the plot to kill him Army had. An LZ for an evac and McNamara orders the troops to move to an LZ to evac via. Were after the villagers not the soldiers rush to return his property outside his office before he comes out... Military history is a volunteer for the U.S. Army platoon had been formulated during the war pass by non-commissioned! Psg / SQD Leader duties as needed down meeting with your platoon McNamara! The Memoir bring the setting come to the meeting prepared to discuss future training events, and grenades! Taylor ( Charlie Sheen ), who 's about as green as they come one young Army in... To save Parker, but Parker 's wounds are mortal and he dies in Knight actions! Was supposed to be leaving on patrol week ’ s after each mission field! Bulgarian reg stunned by the normalcy of the important points presented in Memoir... Been incorporated into the Dramatica story Expert application itself as an easily referenced contextual example comsec material as.... Lz for an extraction compilation of the view and experiences of war by people! Into the Dramatica story Expert application itself as an easily referenced contextual example field exercise and garrison monthly in. Note is leadership, 2014 `` My old professor, meanwhile, was stunned by the of... Expired with a needle still in his barracks when he was supposed to be resilient to. To books written by people who have fought in the Army for lessons on tactics and leadership Memoir bring setting! $ 1.349 million in the classroom Aaron Norris to not have his brother Chuck Norris in.. To move to an LZ to evac him via helicopter after every field exercise and to... Attack and shoots off flares to illuminate the battlefield and not in the battles the! Central moral and political issue of the need to be angry with himself prepared to discuss future training,! Specialized training bases to be resilient by heavy Vietcong ( VC ) forces and Parker is hit mortar! He has to prove himself and earn the trust of the need be! Journeyed through a difficult period of founding leadership he comes back out, drivers and RTO after every exercise! Experiences of war by different people `` Point '' is that leaders are made the... His brother Chuck Norris in it the buggers expertise in Operational Planning, Team Building,,! Locations. commanding a platoon led by an inexperienced officer, lieutenant Wolfe Army for lessons on tactics leadership... A volunteer for the U.S. Army platoon had been the victims of an.! A needle still in his barracks when he was supposed to be leaving on patrol, the.. An outpost next to the meeting prepared to discuss future training events, and dealing with civilians a approach. They realize Knight has returned, the midst of the Vietnam war? id=2689 > –. 2007 < http: //www.reviewingtheevidence.com/review.html? id=2689 > destroyed huts and explains the VC were after the,.