Terrible Analogies

I was on business travel in Charlotte when I was first exposed to the HBO mini-series Generation Kill.  For an hour I sat glued to a broken television that would, on queue every five minutes, fade out into a field of static for nearly a minute.  At first I was unsure what I was watching, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn the channel.  What was unfolding was the tale of a Marine reconnaissance unit traveling deep behind Iraqi enemy lines during the first phase of the second war in 2003 utilizing a combat strategy that had never been tested before.  With no backup, these Marines were asked to act as the sharp point of the spear, using speed as their primary weapon as they headed ever deeper into hostile territory with nothing but their unarmored Humvees for protection.

What drew me in was the fact that this was what actually happened.  This was how the men spoke, how they interacted with each other and their commanding officers, and how they were forced to adapt and overcome to survive (no matter how cliched that sounds).  These were the rules that they lived by, where the basic doctrine of military warfare was forsaken, and how the average grunt tried to make sense of the chaos all around him.  From invaders guilt to desperately wanting to score a kill, this show had it all.

Finally, Generation Kill has been released on DVD.  Karin and I have yet to finish the series (we have one episode left to view), but this HBO presentation has been so amazing that I simply had to pick up the book it was based on.

Written by Evan Wright, Generation Kill is a first-hand account of what occurred while he was attached to First Recon, and much of the written word has been faithfully translated onto the small screen.  If you enjoyed the series and you haven’t read the book, you’re doing yourself a disservice.  There’s so much that went on during the time covered in the book that didn’t make it into the series, and knowing the details that are glossed over in the show makes watching Generation Kill just that much more enjoyable.

What gets me is that Evan Wright was given the opportunity to hang back during a particularly dangerous mission, yet he declined.  This, above everything, revealed his true character.  He wasn’t just a quiet kind of guy.  He was something much more.  To understand what I’m trying to convey pick up the DVDs.  Don’t think about it, just do it.  I wouldn’t steer you wrong here… (would I write this wall of text if I didn’t think this was an amazing series?)

I’m no “war monger”, but I was in the Air Force.  Granted, what I experienced during my military career was a far cry from what these Marines went through (but a Marine did back me up in a fight once while I was serving in Japan, so I have a certain soft spot for them), I can still feel a certain kind of kinship towards them.  Even though I was but a shadow of what these men were, anyone with a love for country, or love for a great story, will easily come to appreciate what Generation Kill has to offer.

Even though I already own the DVD set, I can’t wait for the blu-ray version to be released in December.  In fact, I already have it pre-ordered.

Lee Tergesen portraying the author Evan Wright, better known as "Rolling Stone"

Iceman firing a smoke bomb at an approaching vehicle

The commanding officer known as "Godfather"

"Check it out. You're dead *ducks down* alive. Dead. Alive. Dead. Alive..."

Captain American: Is it wrong for me to hope that someone caps his ass before the last episode?

DVD insert showing the main characters

Book cover. Seriously....buy it!