My Men are my Heroes

My Men are my Heroes

            Leadership skills in the military play one of the most crucial roles. The people on the top are required to make wise and heroic decisions to save their juniors and colleagues from difficult situations. The book “My Men are My Heroes” presents the story of a former military Sergeant, Major Bradley Kasal, who brings to light the living standards of the Marine Corps and the military decorum. The life of Kasal, who later came to be referred to as “the pride of Lowa,” is used to take the reader throughout the standard life of a military officer and the skills needed to make one a recognized leader in the military. The journey to joining the military is motivated by passion, and Kasal is used as the protagonist to show how passion is essential in the pursuance of an individual’s dreams.

Nathaniel Helms gives Bradley Kasal’s story in the military right from his early days as a child to the time he retired from the military. Kasal grew up on a farm as most of the people who lived in his das. However, his desire to move beyond slavery and live a quality life gave him a brighter idea and determination. Kasal’s father had lived in slavery for several years, and Kasal was not willing to end up in the same state as his father. Kasal developed an interest in the military and was ready to take any chance that would land him into his dream job. Therefore, Kasal started to work towards the achievement of his goals. Moreover, the recruitment of military personnel would be done in schools, and Kasal was well prepared.

The author presents the recruitment process as being done in schools and Kasal was in the right place when the opportunity was presented. Kasal did not let the chance he got when the recruiter gave him a challenge at the gm to slip away. Kasal joined the military and in no time, rose through the ranks to become a group leader. One of the most outstanding characters presented in the story was that Kasal was passionate about his job and was not forced at any point to take responsibilities that he knew were his. Also, Kasal was ready to face any challenge that came his way, and he was always willing to take the leadership role whenever he was called. Moreover, Kasal took the advantage of his involvement in the Iraq war to showcase his leadership skills and confidence.

Helms brought his Kasal’s story to a climax in the Iraq war. Generally, the Marine Corps had not been involved in a bigger test before the Iraq war. Therefore, Kasal was going for an adventure, and his leadership skills were crucial in the outcomes of the war. Saddam Hussein’s military was not a weak one, and harsh resistance was expected. Also, casualties were expected, and Kasal had to use his leadership skills to keep his colleagues focused on the war. The first encounter in Iraq is, however, presented as an initial test for Kasal’s leadership ability.

Kasal was involved in two Iraq encounters, and he did not relent in leading his men to succeed in their mission. When Kasal returned to Iraq a year after his first encounter, the environment was tense, and the reception was not positive. Kasal had to lead direct combat, and the experiences were traumatizing. However, Kasal continued to showcase his strength, and he emerged heroically. For example, Helms presents an instance where Kasal used his body as a shield to protect one of his men against a grenade attack, leading to severe injuries. Furthermore, the sacrifice came despite Kasal nursing more than seven gun wounds that he had sustained on his leg after the infamous “hell house” attack. Generally, Kasal’s leadership skills are seen in his selfless nature of valuing the lives of his men more than his. Besides, Kasal did not relent from offering help whenever it was needed even when his condition was worse. The bravery of Kasal led him to be awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism in the war and his desire to have his life at risk for the safety of his men. Generally, the novel presents a typical example of military leadership.

In sum, the journey to joining the military is motivated by passion, and Kasal is used as the protagonist to show how passion is essential in the pursuance of an individual’s dreams. Nathaniel Helms gives Bradley Kasal’s story in the military right from his early days as a child to the time he retired from the military. Moreover, the recruitment of military personnel would be done in schools, and Kasal was well prepared. Kasal was involved in two Iraq encounters, and he did not relent in leading his men to succeed in their mission. Generally, Kasal’s leadership skills are seen in his selfless nature of valuing the lives of his men more than his. The story by Helms presents a typical example of a perfect military leader.