I have read a lot of the books chronicling our war in Afghanistan, and this one belongs on the list of the very best. Unlike a lot of journalistic accounts of deployment or battle heavy soldier memoirs, this book delves deeply into the lives of the soldiers when they returned home and the struggles they faced. Perhaps not as exciting but just as fascinating and, arguably, just as important. For those of us still grappling with our 20 year venture into the war torn graveyard of empires, and our embarrassingly disastrous withdrawal, this book is a must read.

Bravo Company chronicles the 2009 Afghanistan deployment of Company B, 2nd battalion, 508th Infantry and the aftermath that deployment had on the mental and physical health of its soldiers. Based on interviews with the soldiers who served in Bravo Company, Ben Kesling recounts their anger, fears, strength, experiences on the battlefield, and post-traumatic stress.

This is an incredibly important book in the field of both modern military history and understanding veterans who have returned from war. Unfortunately, the writing of this book took away from the message it carries. The tone of the book is too informal—it takes away from the seriousness of the topic. Additionally, the author uses few direct quotes from the people he interviews. He paraphrases constantly, creating awkward sentences, such as: “US Army paratroopers are a world-class organization, yes, if they’re used for the purpose they were intended: combat with the enemy, thought Doug Lute, the Deputy National Security Advisor.” The book is littered with sentences such as this one, which take away from the power the book should be conveying.

Overall, I expected a lot more from this book. That being said, while the writing of this book distracted me from the message the author is trying to convey, I still think it should be read. This book will give readers an understanding of one company’s experiences in Afghanistan—and, perhaps even more importantly—how those experiences affected the soldiers for the rest of their lives.