Lethal Warriors: When the New Band of Brothers Came Home [Hardcover]

David Philipps (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 9, 2010

When the 506th Infantry Regiment—known since World War II as the Band of Brothers—returned to Colorado Springs after their first tour in Iraq, a series of brutal crimes swept through the city. The Band of Brothers had been deployed to the most violent places in Iraq, and some of the soldiers were suffering from what they had seen and done in combat. Without much time to recover, they were sent back to the front lines. After their second tour of duty, the battalion was renamed the Lethal Warriors, and, true to their name, the soldiers once again brought the violence home.

Lethal Warriors brings to life the chilling true stories of these veterans—from their enlistment and multiple tours of duty to their struggles with ptsd and their failure to reintegrate in society. With piercing insight and employing his relentless investigative skills, journalist David Philipps shines a light not only to this particular unit, but also to the painful reality of ptsd as it rages throughout the country.

By exploring the evolving the science and the stigma of war trauma throughout history—from “shell shock” to “battle fatigue” to “combat stress injuries”—Philipps shows that this problem has always existed and that, as the nature of warfare changes, it is only getting worse. In highlighting the inspiring stories of the resilient men and women in the armed forces who have the courage to confront the issue and offer a potential lifeline to the soldiers, Lethal Warriors challenges us to deal openly, honestly, and intelligently with the true costs of war.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Lethal Warriors: 

"When the war started, almost a decade ago, we were told we had to fight it in Iraq and Afghanistan so that we wouldn't have to fight it at home. But as our soldiers return from battle, it has become increasingly clear that they are bringing the trauma of war to our doorstep. In exploring the creeping effects of PTSD and its heart wrenching consequences on our veterans, and on our society at large, Philipps' book is a clarion call to both support our troops and to think twice when assessing the true costs of war."-- Susan Sarandon 

"David Philipps' Lethal Warriors is a must-read for every American. In compelling and heart-healing stories, he tells the story of the other war--the one at home."--Tom Brokaw

 

"A startling and compelling human drama that exposes the raw truth: that the cause of PTSD lies not within the soldier who suffers it, but in the nature of war itself, and what we ask them to endure. David Philipps shows that 'supporting our troops' must mean far more than cheering them on in the field. This book is a must for anyone who cares about our soldiers, the lives of those they touch, and what kind of a country we aspire to be." --Richard North Patterson, bestselling author of Balance of Power and Exile

"This important and compassionate book will save lives. I found myself weeping with sympathy and sadness for both the murderers and their victims, and boiling with anger at the chain of neglect and ignorance, within and outside of the military, that led to murders that could have been avoided. This book needs to be read by the families of every returning combat veteran. It needs to be read by professionals in mental health institutions, the military, departments of veterans’ affairs, and all leaders who care for the safety of their communities. It needs to be read by all of us who care about those who faithfully served those communities in war and returned forever changed." -- Karl Marlantes, bestselling author of Matterhorn

"Even for the survivors of close combat, the emotional impact can be devastating. David Philipps' heartbreaking book is a detailed and tragic record of this impact, and the Army's and society's struggles to deal with the consequences. Every American should read this book -- it is that significant for our Army, and for our country. " -- General Wesley K. Clark (ret.)

“In Lethal Warriors, Dave Philipps unravels one of the most horrifying stories of the Iraq War, the dark saga of the 4th Brigade of the 4th Infantry...Philipps’ book has the promise that it may bring to life the devastating impact of the damage wrought by the Iraq War--violence that is even more disturbing because it takes place on the home front.” -- Statement from the jury of the Anthony J. Lukas Awards

Praise for Dave Phillipps and “Casualties of War,” published in July 2009 in the Colorado Springs Gazette:

“Staggering, gruesome and heartbreaking.” -- On the Media, National Public Radio

“Jaw-dropping.” -- Kyra Phillips, CNN

“Thoughtful, carefully researched, and beautifully written… It’s the kind of story that wins Pulitzer Prizes, that illuminates and informs, and that delights all of us who work for and/or love newspapers.” -- Colorado Business Journal

 

"A fascinating and long overdue account of the consequences of the Iraq war on the soldiers who fought it, their families and the wider community."--Tim Pritchard, author of Ambush Alley

 

“A searing exposé that might make readers wonder how Army commanders and civilian warmongers sleep at night given the disgraceful handling of traumatized veterans who fought in Iraq.”
--Kirkus

 

 

Review

Praise for Dave Philipps and “Casualties of War” series, published in July 2009 in the Colorado Springs Gazette:

“Staggering, gruesome and heartbreaking.”—On the Media, National Public Radio

“Jaw-dropping.”—Kyra Phillips, CNN

“Thoughtful, carefully researched, and beautifully written... It’s the kind of story that wins Pulitzer Prizes, that illuminates and informs, and that delights all of us who work for and/or love newspapers.”—Colorado Business Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; First Edition edition (November 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0230104401
• ISBN-13: 978-0230104402
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 0.9 x 9.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #835,907 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Philipps is an award winning journalist whose articles have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Seattle Times, among others. For his coverage of the violence at Fort Carson in the Colorado Springs Gazette he won the Livingston Prize for National Reporting and he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. His book, Lethal Warriors, was a finalist for the Anthony J. Lukas Work-in-Progress Award. Philipps has appeared on CNN, NPR, MSNBC and ABC. He lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado with his family.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I was there February 13, 2011

By Cody Edmondson

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was in all of the companies in 2-12 during our tour. Unfortunately, the book is correct but portrays a small fraction of the soldiers in the battalion. I have challenged Mr. Phillips to do another book on how we did win over there, but it will not make as much money as a the "shocking" reality of goodwill and service to humanity. Yes, we eliminated more than a few combatants, but we also forwarded progress of our commanders goals as an end result. Our efforts were not in vain, because if they were, I couldnt live with knowing seven of my brothers died for no reason. We were a success over there, the Army just failed us when we got home. I know that things have changed for our troops now as they come home, but more must step up to get the help they need. It was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, asking for help. Dont give up.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reporting January 16, 2011

By kcrandall

Format:Hardcover

As a former colleague of Dave Philipps at the Colorado Springs Gazette and a resident of the city during the time of the bulk of the murders and violence described in his book, I am very impressed by his investigative work. He takes what was speculation -- that PTSD was deeply affecting soldiers on the home front -- and does a thorough analysis of Fort Carson's and the Army's response, or lack thereof. I read this book in 2 days -- I could not put it down.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A firsthand look at the downstream impacts of war January 7, 2011

By NoCo

Format:Hardcover

Having worked for 20 + years for a company dealing solely with military customers (and management heavily-populated with ex-military officers), this well-written book does not surprise me. The top brass in the military and political power circles (such as C Springs mayor Lionel Rivera, portrayed in the book) have a strong cultural tendency to whitewash the bad and pretend everything is all right -- Mission Accomplished! The culture is corrupt, and the book rightly gives General Graham high marks for getting this issue front and center, doing an end run on the military culture with PTSD. OK, maybe many of those coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan did not end up with PSTD, but these particular soldiers were on the worst of the worst of frontline assignments, and Phillips does a good job of documenting and describing what life was like for them and how the culture-driven infrastructure gave them absolutely no support when they came back. I am not a big fan of the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph; no one will mistake it for being an example of good written journalism, but the writer, Phillips, who is a reporter for them, clearly did his homework, and has written a book that explains in great detail to the non-military among us what the downstream costs of using war as our primary tool of diplomacy will end up doing to many of our young men and women. This is truly a must-read book, and although it can be depressing and saddening (how war is really conducted), I couldn't put it down. Kudos, Mr. Phillips!