What We Got Into

Book excerpt: Life is a series of stories woven together by choices, and sometimes experiences are put together by sheer chance and circumstance. Outcomes may be exactly as planned, but sometimes there is simply no real way of knowing what you've gotten into. Compelled by an inner conviction to protect and serve their country in a time of war and driven by deliberate decisions to join the fi ght against terrorism in ground-pounding combat as United States Army infantrymen, the soldiers of Third Platoon Charlie Company had no idea exactly what they were getting into and even less where this adventure would take them. Deeply imbedded in the Taliban-infested grape fi elds of the Panjwei'i District of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, the birthplace of the Taliban and less than one hundred miles from the border of Pakistan, follow the dramatic encounters of daily combat where it's not about playing soldier. It's about being a warrior . . . a survivor. What We Got Into tells the story about how they live out the choice they made to become infantry combat soldiers. As you read, you'll journey with them as they fi nd brotherhood in the face of isolation, courage in the face of fear, and strength in the face of pain and ultimate sacrifi ce. You will renew your appreciation for the fact that freedom is paid for at a high price by those willing to fi ght to protect others . . . those who are willing to foot the bill. This story is a rare look through the insider's eyes at the catastrophic collision of choice, circumstance, and chance that rocked the lives of a whole platoon in the wake of a tragic and highly publicized suicide of one of their own and the unprecedented trials as military justice unfolds for the combatseasoned and highly decorated platoon charged in connection with his death. You will struggle with them as they fi ght to heal from the scars of war; to fi nd and rebuild their lives beyond their calling as soldiers. What will it take for them to reclaim their lives which have been forever changed by a series of stories woven together? Find out the truth of what they really got into. __________________________________________________ "What We Got Into" is a powerful account, from a soldiers perspective, of the war in Afghanistan against a cowardly enemy that you cannot see. It is brutal, emotional and enlightening. Prepare yourself for how these men fi ght a war where the US is the only ones restricted by any rules. MAJ Rusty Bradley Author, The Lions of Kandahar Westenrieder writes of his dangerous military career and of the soldiers under his command in a style that is unpretentious and unadorned, representative of the young men whose mission, defeating the enemy in the name freedom, is as transparent as it is precise A most readable, informative, and insightful book. Stephen J. Weiss, formerly of the 36th Texas' Infantry Division Commandeur, French Legion d' Honneur Author, Second Chance "What We Got Into" offers a gritty look into today's warriors as they struggle with the challenges of the modern day battlefi eld. Westenrieder describes an unadulterated and accurate portrayal of today's combat zones like you have never read before. J.R. Salzman, the author of military blog Lumberjack In A Desert at www.jrsalzman.com