A Year in Command in Afghanistan: Journal of a United States Army Battalion Commander, 2009-2010

by Michael J. Forsyth

Overview

During his 2009-2010 combat tour in Afghanistan, battalion commander Lt. Col. Michael J. Forsyth kept a daily journal. In it he candidly wrote about his daily interactions with the Afghan government, citizens, security forces, and his intermittent conflict with the enemy. As the deployment progressed, the journal reveals that his initial expectations for peace in Afghanistan were tempered by his experiences and encounters. In the process, Col. Forsyth learned critical lessons in leadership and changed his thinking about realistic goals that can be accomplished in Afghanistan. The journal, and its subsequent annotations, also provides a glimpse into how the U.S. Army functions at the unit level and what America's soldiers do on a daily basis.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786472871
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	11/30/2016
Pages:	364
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Colonel Michael J. Forsyth (U.S. Army) formerly commanded the 196th Infantry Brigade and now serves as chief of staff of the Alaskan Command and is a Ph.D. candidate at the Royal Military College of Canada. He writes articles for Gettysburg Magazine, Field Artillery Journal, Small Wars Journal and Military Review.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface
Abbreviations and Definitions
Introduction
I. Preparations and Perceptions, 4 April 2008 to 1 June 2009
II. Execution: The Reality from Arrival through the Afghan Presidential Election, 2 June 2009 to 23 August 2009
III. Execution: Mounting Frustrations and a Change in Outlook, 24 August 2009 to 6 December 2009
IV. Sustaining the Fight and Making a Difference, 7 December 2009 to 3 April 2010
V. Change of Mission: Pressing to the Finish Line, 4 April 2010 to 31 May 2010
VI. Possibilities
Chapter Notes
Index

Editorial Reviews

a valuable resource for those who want a vivid firsthand account of what it is like to have responsibility for a 1,200-square-mile section of rough terrain, trying to quell a growing insurgency while working alongside less- than-adequate partner forces reporting to often corrupt political officials.”—H-Net Reviews

From the Publisher