Customer Reviews

The Devil's Sandbox: With the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry at War in Iraq

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Whether or not you agree with the war, and I don't, this is a very well-written book about what these men went through while in Iraq. It really doesn't have any politics in it, it is a story of combat. War is not pretty, and neither is combat.

I got to know the men as human beings first, and then as soldiers. No matter how much I feel they should not have been there in the first place, the book gave me an understanding of why they fought (mostly to protect each other), and I felt their hearts were in the right place. They never seemed to lose their humanity, or their caring for the innocents in Iraq, and took some gambles to spare innocent Iraqi lives.

There is a lot of death and it touches you, because you do feel that you know the guys. It was an easy read, yet a difficult one, because senseless death and destruction is difficult for me to read about, but it is an honest story of combat, and certainly never boring.

There are numerous examples of extreme bravery and courage, there are stupid decisions made from above that the men have to follow, there are a LOT of battles in which they took part, and you almost feel as though you're there watching.

I got angry at times, because of the equipment these guys were forced to use - unarmored trucks, which caused one or two unnecessary deaths, lack of support sometimes from the "regular" army, and just some really bad decisions made by leaders. I hope the guys who made it home alive will be okay - they all have a lot to live with.

I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the realities of what our soldiers go through, on either side of the political fence.

I have read several dozen books on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. While I have enjoyed all of these books immensely, they all concentrated on conventional military units or special operations forces. They almost never mentioned anything about the role of National Guard units in these conflicts. For this reason, I was shocked to find out that many of our National Guardsmen are the proverbial "tip of the spear". Due to the fact that these men and women are not full-time soldiers, and hold normal, everyday jobs/careers, I always assumed that they would be located in rear-echelon positions. Perhaps serving in support roles. The reality of their participation couldn't be farther from what I had imagined. Like the squad of Navy SEALs who come across the Oregon National Guardsmen during a major engagement in Iraq, I was very impressed by their fighting skills. These men are going in harm's way as much as the traditional military units like the 82nd Airborne, the 101st Airborne, the 4th ID, and the Marines Expeditionary Units. It is hard to imagine being a working class joe one day, and the next day serving in scouting/direct action positions in Najaf or Fallujah. Thank you to John Bruning for bringing to light the brave, patriotic souls of the U.S. National Guard units. They should be receiving so much more publicity from the American media. It is a travesty that their sacrifice in service is not being acknowledged as much as their full-time military brethren. I am going to recommend this book to all my friends and family. Mr. Bruning is a great author and I can't wait to read his next book.

This is the finest book on infanrty combat I/ve read!! Author John Bruning brings us into the lives of extraordinary men (and 1 women) of Oregon's 2nd Battalion 162nd Infantry. But it's so much more than a book about the battalion's tour of duty in Iraq. It's about their lives, their successes and heartbreaking loses. What sets book apart is that the author makes you feel that your apart of thesze soldier's lives and that their loses are your's also. Bravo Zulu Mr. Bruning!

As an attachment to the 2-162 Infantry then, I witnessed many of those horrors first hand. Due to the emotional pain associated with the loss of so many, I was unable/unwilling to actually read this book. Now I can actually say that this is a beautiful tribute to the Commander and men of 2-162. As the Oregon National Guard was an attachement to an attachment and that there was really no real support in the Logistics and administration arena. Neither the Headquarters types of Arkansas nor the Oregon National Guard lifted a finger to help us endure our deployment in Iraq. Albeit, politics is the nature of war and the innocent die.

John R. Bruning's book reveals many things about both our National Guard, and the dynamics of the conflict in Iraq for both the Regular Army and the Army Reserve/National Guard. As a veteran myself virtually all of the stories were very real to my own experiences while deployed, and having known some of the individuals personally, this certainly matched the quality of character I had known of them. For those of you who did not know these incredible Soldiers and Officers, the book offers an in-depth perspective from citizen Soldiers who had "boots-on-the-ground" during one of the most critical moments in the conflict. Here are some points I'd make about this book:

1) It is a poignant look at the individual Solder level at the struggles and experiences that they, their families, and friends must endure before, during, and following a deployment. Unique in this book is the attention paid to additional challenges of the Guardsmen who weeks prior to leaving was the sheriff deputy, the mechanic, the college student, deliveryman, or anyone you may have seen walking the streets in your hometown.

2) Though the book centers on a particular unit, there are many intertwined individual stories of challenge and victory. Of people who found a way to define themselves, find meaning, and make a difference to each other and their country in ways they never had imagined.

3) Many people seem to forget that there is a state between California and Washington, but in this book you get an intimate look at the people who come from this mystery state. You'll see incredible acts of heroism, of goodwill to the Iraqi people, and resolve to achieve victory from people who are very real.

These aren't necessarily the most imporant points or all the major points of this work. I'd write my own book if I were to cover everything it offers. Do know that this book does not offer the "bird's eye view" of a work on strategic matters, theories, or politics. It is a view from the Soldier's eye...and as a veteran who tread much of the same ground as they, I attest that this certainly could be one of the most raw, and most rewarding reading experiences that is offered on the war in Iraq to the individual reader.

John Bruning has captured something special. This book brings to light the truth of what is happening in Iraq. Its dirty, inhumane, and ugly yet in contrast light-hearted and hopeful. The book brought many levels of consciousness out from within me. As a retired soldier, the warrior spirit. As a father, a protective nature. As a husband, the love of my wife. You can not read this book and not be touched by the characters of 2-162 Infantry. Corny as it sounds this books uses the War in Iraq to be a bridge to our lives no matter where you live. The experience of war helps to amplify the raw emotions we face daily but ignore. The members of 2-162 Infantry, through the pen of John, highlights the injustices as well as acts of rightousness we experience every day. This book is about life, living and dying well.

Do not think of this as another war story. While it does have action and drama of battles as well as noteworthy tactical lessons, I finished the book with a cry of relief and happiness for those who returned and sadness for those who gave all. In the end I cryed out of sorrow but later changed to joy realizing that all over this great country of ours, there are men and women of this caliber living and working for each other as well as for the ideals of justice, liberty and family. HOORAH 162 Infantry!!!!!

I was with this unit in OIF-II in the capacity of a Medic. If you want to get a good feel for what Oregon's 2/162 did in Iraq, this is the book to read. I've read a number of military history books and sincerely feel that this is one of the better books I've read. Bruning looks at the overall strategic picture and details the reader from a tactical perspective, as well. Having known the troops in the book, as well as the others, I am extremely grateful to see our efforts noted and appreciated. Thanks John... very well done!

Having served in three branches of the military, including the Oregon Army National Guard, I am well acquainted with the personalities that John Bruning so deftly brings to the pages of his book. There are some typographical errors that I'm more than willing to overlook simply because this book is a great effort to educate the general public about the realities of being citizen soldiers. Putting civilian lives on hold to travel thousands of miles from home, to be thrown into the jaws of hell, is something that can only be fully understood by being there. Mr. Bruning has done a wonderful job of getting the rest of us just a little bit closer.

John Bruning has made a gallant attempt to shed light on some amazing soldiers. He did some extensive interviews, although he did miss at least one key witness to a chapter in his book. Not surprising, given the scope he's trying to cover. The writing leaves much to be desired--reads more like notes than a fluid story. But, I would absolute recommend this to anyone trying to understand the war from a soldier perspective. It's also the inspirational story of ordinary men who become extraordinary people under strained circumstances.

After hearing an NPR program about Oregon's National Guard soldiers fighting in Iraq, I couldn't resist buying a copy of John R. Bruning's "The Devil's Sandbox: With the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry in Iraq."

Bruning's gripping account makes the reader feel as if he is an embedded observer patrolling the alleyways and supply routes of Baghdad, Najaf, and Fallujah along with the fearless men and one woman of the Oregon National Guard.

The account begins with the Volunteers, as the battalion called itself, learning in July of 2003 of its subsequent posting to Iraq. Within weeks, as the unit's annual training came due, the battalion's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Dan Hendrickson, executive officer, Major Edward Tanguy, and its seasoned non commissioned officers, Al Ezelle, Pete Salerno, and Vinni Jacques, tailored their summer maneuvers to the kind of close-in fighting they'd be likely to experience in Iraq. The reader begins to know the soldiers, enlisted men and officers, by name, including the intrepid combat photographer, Staff Sergeant Rebekah-mae Bruns.

By October, when the battalion has been activated and shipped to Fort Hood Texas, the reader has even met the wives and children, family members and girlfriends left behind. At Fort Hood, the battalion morphed from ground-pounding light infantry into a unit of motorized infantry, training to ride into battle in gun-mounted Humvees. Then, at the end of January 2004, the Volunteers packed up and left for another month's training in Louisiana, at Fort Polk's Joint Readiness Training Center, honing their skills and putting the finishing touches on their ability to fight a war in Iraq.

By March, the Oregonians were on the ground in Iraq, and on April 5, 2004, the members of Pete Salerno's Bravo Company, attached to a regular army cavalry unit, came under fire in an ambush. As Bruning dramatically puts it, they "had seen the elephant." It was not long before the rest of 2-162 was feeling the heat of battle, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and constant incoming fire from the insurgents' AK-47s and Soviet light machine guns, RPKs, peppering their positions on a daily basis.

The remainder of the book gives a day-by-day account of the bravery and heroism of the enlisted men and officers of the battalion, whose names are repeated in chapter after chapter, as they prowl alleyways, take up positions atop abandoned buildings, speed through "kill zones" in their Humvees, and endure the danger, fatigue, and frustrations of battle on a daily basis. Equipment malfunctions, Humvees and Bradley fighting vehicles are disabled or blown to bits by IEDs. Soldiers are wounded or killed. And through it all, the men and one woman of the 2-162 endure and get the job done. Some soldiers, like Vinni Jacques came home early with wounds, and some companies began shipping for home in November, but it wasn't until early March 2005 that the rest of the battalion left Iraq for Kuwait and then flew home after a year's deployment on the battlefields of Iraq.

In a Postscript, Bruning covers the mobilization of the Oregon National Guard for service in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Again, Colonel Hendrickson and his men rise to the challenge, now patrolling the near-deserted streets of a devastated New Orleans, giving the reader an inside view of the storm's destruction and the lawless acts in its aftermath.

Bruning's account of the 2nd Battalion's war in Iraq impresses the reader with the harshness of battle on a daily basis, and one sees young men becoming hardened by the fighting and killing they engage in. War is a repetitious enterprise. Soldiers go out on patrol, receive incoming fire and return the fire until the enemy is killed or run off. It is a brutal and brutalizing business, and Bruning hammers this point home. The book has few flaws. Bruning's unending use of military acronyms and abbreviations sent me constantly to the book's glossary, and this was annoying. His referring to individual soldiers sometimes by rank and surname, sometimes by first name and last name, and sometimes by first name only was occasionally confusing. In the latter case, I sometimes had to thumb back through the pages to figure out who "Ken" or Wyatt" was. But, frustrations aside, "The Devil's Sandbox" rewards the reader with a factual, no-holds barred, eye-opening account of the fighting in Iraq, very much worth the read.