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

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.

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.

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.

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!