One Bullet Away

This was an interesting read for me as my youngest son Alex has been toying with the idea of doing some form of the military during his time in college.  I am hopeful he will read One Bullet Away by Nathaniel Fick.  Fick’s story starts at Dartmouth College at the end of his junior year when he decides to take a stab at Officer Candidate School in Quantico, VA.  Fick presents a detailed description of the personal physical and mental challenges faced by people who are exploring this option in their life.  As a person who experienced military life in a very cursory way, in high school ROTC, I never understood why one would want to be disciplined in such a manner, nor be placed on the battlefield with people who become your best friends, only to realize how quickly it all could change.  Fick succeeded in entering the Marines after his graduation and serving as an officer in 1999 and enjoyed upward movement into the Marines’ First Recon Battalion as a Captain in the elite group.  After two years of service, 9/11 occurred and Fick was deployed to Iraq.  With the stories of the death of civilians, road carnage, developing strategy to win with no lost life and taking care of his men, the reader gains a true admiration and respect for the work our military provides for this country, which is a separate issue from should we actually be in another country to jeopardize the lives of our young men, and I mean young... 18, 29, 20…  SO much life in front of them, but…  Fick arrived in Iraq days after the Sept 11^th attacks.  After a few years of service he was finally given the news of his return.  He tells of his decision to leave the Marines and why should any person contemplating the decision to enter give a moment to pause and reflect.  I did.  Well written, though I listened to this one on tape, and even better read… by Fick himself!  A great book for anyone who has a loved one thinking about the military as I think it is a pretty solid personal true reflection of “what life is like,” knowing all various branches of the military have nuanced differences.