The Long Road Home (TV Tie-In): A Story of War and Family Paperback – October 3, 2017

mindbogglingJust not sure where to start...this book was an all night'er, a one sitting read. I guess what confuses me in reading all the other reviews is why instead of blaming the military for the lack of proper gear etc, why hasn't any one looked at this situation was a well pre-meditated game plan by Sadr? He knew what he was doing and was smart. No doubt it took some time to get the "hood" to come together and network, I would doubt over night an entire community was ready to go into the streets to block intersections, have an old man directing where to set off blasts, instructing young children to throw bombs at our GI's and all the rest in a split second. You have to give the man credit for the exact execution of his plan of attack, he formed his militias, he lead our Troops to a false sense of security in that sector, and he chose to instill the attacks at the time of the transition of BN's knowing the base would not be adequately prepared and set up to operate. A very calculated plan that would have happened on this particular Sunday or another day of the week knowing the new guys had arrived. Granted we should have been prepared for anything, but it was a lying in wait game w/the insurgents. And modern technology ain't what it is cracked up to be. Sometimes old fashioned ways still have a purpose and are useful. Very frustrating our guys rely on it so heavily.What also disturbs me is some of the political commentary in the reviews. It's beyond me why these people are against our country and actions in Iraq, yet they just finished reading we are fighting an enemy that has no qualms about using children, women, houses of worship as part of their attack against us and their own nationals. I find that to be pure EVIL and tells me we are not dealing w/an enemy that is nothing less than barbaric and quite frankly insane, something we should all know by now. Sad thing is many Americans five years later still don't know what an IED is. We are not the bad guys here.I remember tracking the internet, watching the news closely during this time, reading the KIA lists, and until I read the book I had absolutely no clue of the horrors of that day in such depth...very different from the usual media coverage of "we lost 8 Soldiers, our Troops are under attack". The book did an excellent job of covering the homefront as well. It's the first book I have read that truly conveys what the wives feel, go through, and the different personalities of how one copes being married to a Soldier. The confusion of what to do and how to handle the situation at home was disturbing at best, I can't imagine being in their shoes. The failure of the military making sure every Soldier's info is updated before deployment was not good. The entire book I couldn't help but wonder how they must feel as they read this story knowing what their loved ones went through.I was not aware that Casey Sheehan had died on Black Sunday, also was not aware he re-enlisted. As hard as I try I can't help but feel sorry for this brave young man to know that his mother has tarnished his memory and death. He deserves so much better especially now that I have read a bit of his story and his passing.One compelling thing for me as I read this book was remembering it was written by a female. Kudos to Martha Raddatz! Fantastic job! It reads as if she was a boot on the ground. She was able to bring you "live" to the story feeling as it you were there. It was also frustrating to read about the pinned down platoon and what the other guys were doing to save them, neither had no idea of what the others were going through, they just knew they had to fight for their guys and their lives. The nay-sayers do not have that ability and never will. Once again, the American Soldier spirit prevails, their dedication to each other always leaves me in awe. Their courage, will, ingenuity, and strength is phenomenal, they are the elite of our country and anyone that wears the uniform deserves our respect.For every Slogger, i.e. someone that follows the war as opposed to the antics of Hollywood this is a MUST READ.Just so much to contemplate and comprehend. I could not put it down and it has stayed w/me for several days now.The one draw back to the book was the constant mis-spellings of the Soldiers names, it was irritating. It is important to get people's name right and spelled properly, it's who they are...their identity. I am surprised such errors made it to publication. And I want to know the epilogue on SGT Fisk. I definitely agree some edits need to be made in the next addition. I did like the fact that photos were placed in the book, faces to names always makes a huge difference.The book was mind boggling for me, I sent many care packages to "Dirty Bird", I knew it was a dismal camp, but until the book did I fully grasp what our Soldiers experienced there. Heart wrenching for me. At the same time it made me proud to be an American to have served this group in such a small way by sending comforts of home as best I could. It was so scary to read about the open trucks, the light humvees, and yet, knowing this they went out to save their guys anyway. True Heroes. I am grateful this battle will be documented and remembered in the history books.

“The Long Road Home” combines the sense of desperation of “Black Hawk Down” and the anguish of families in “We Were Soldiers…” The book graphically depicts what can go horribly wrong in a matter of minutes. It also should be required reading for our those in positions of authority. During my 30 years as a field artilleryman, it was my experience that when there is failure it is almost never the fault of the soldier who is among the most noble creatures on God’s earth. The blame usually lies much higher up the chain of command.For a variety of reasons, Lieutenant Aguero and his platoon were unprepared for the nightmarish ambush in which they were trapped on the very day their unit assumed responsibility for Sadr City. We often forget that in combat the enemy has a vote in the fight and is capable of planning. The Mahdi militia carefully planned the ambush by lulling the previous unit into a false sense of security which caused some Americans to put their guard. This Mahdi band of thugs also used women and children as screens. The author then graphically describes the chaos of combat at the individual level. Mistakes had been and were made at all levels as the rescue forces assembled. One clear theme was the bravery and brotherhood of these soldiers. Soldiers join the Army for a variety of reasons, some lofty and some rather mundane, but on this Black Sunday in Sadr City, they fought for the man on either side of them.As a Vietnam veteran, “The Long Road Home” touched on me several levels. At several points, I had to put my iPad down and reflect on times when I had been in tough spots. Without going into detail, while reading the part about the “lost” platoon, I had a flashback to a terrible night in Vietnam when I was the only American for 15 miles around with about 100 Montagnards fighting off a force of VC and NVA bent on our destruction. The next morning when the smoke cleared and the sun came up, I was a young first lieutenant thankful to be alive, but that is another story.Martha Raddatz also seamlessly switches from the fighting in Sadr City to the home front at Ft. Hood. I was moved to tears on more than one occasion by the death or serious wounding of a soldier and the uncertainty on the part of the families at Ft. Hood. It is the families who suffer the most in war. I only became fully aware a few years ago of what my wife went through while I was in Vietnam, but that is also another story. In combat, a soldier has a mission and a surrogate family (a band of brothers), but at home there is an empty seat at the table and the gnawing uncertainty about the safety of a loved one.I challenge those of you reading this review to emulate the selflessness of these soldiers. Earn their sacrifice. God bless them and those who have died in the service of our country. We cherish their memories. God bless the men and women defending our country today. God bless the United States of America.

Absolutely unbelievable true story that happened during the war in Iraq. I saw the series first and then I wanted to read the book because there is much more detail on the events in a book. A word of advice: see the series first which is very well done and I'm sure you'll want to read this amazing story.

This is an excellent book worth reading!

I watched the series on TV and enjoyed it very much. I bought the book to read on holiday in August, but obviously haven't been away yet as it's only July. I will be able to put faces to the names of the characters, well, faces from the TV episodes.

Another one of those stories which would pass by anybody other than a military historian but which needs to be told. The book goes deeper than the excellent tv mini series but is well-written and incredibly supportive of the soldiers and their families without being sentimental. Very good read

Incredible. I’ve enjoyed it so much it actually made me cry. Thrilling, dynamic, fast. The author uses a language that’s understandable for civil people, not just military terms. It really touched my soul, all those lives and stories... a great chronicle that shows the ultimate sacrifice of the military life without being a tearful novel.