Into The Fire: A Firsthand Account of The Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War, is the compelling story of Medal of Honor recipient Dakoda Meyer’s heroic actions during the battle of Ganjigal. Meyer’s story showcases the importance of resiliency, determination, and grit for a service member. Although the book is written entirely from an enlisted perspective, the Battle of Ganjigal presents an excellent case study for commanders and mid-level staff officers. It implies command weakness based on staff indecisiveness with regard to Rules of Engagement (ROE) and failure to communicate intelligence reports. The timeline and findings from the official US Army report shows both contributed to the severity of the situation in Ganjigal.
This biography is the first work by Marine Corporal (CPL) Dakoda Meyer, and is co-authored by renowned military writer, Bing West. CPL Meyers’ experience as a Marine sniper and advisor, with multiple combat tours, provides credibility to his recounting of the…show more content… Very little enemy activity was observed in the village of Ganjigal the weeks leading up to the mission, but the surrounding geography made it ideal for an enemy ambush. The TOC received multiple intelligence reports the night before the mission of increased enemy activity and unusual movements, but failed to relay them to the mission’s command team. This intelligence could have been critical to the key leader engagement teams’ mission and saved lives.
Into the Fire is a quick, inspiring read any service member, enlisted and officers alike. It is written in a simple but enticing manner, drawing the reader in and compelling them to finish the book. This inspiring story embodies resiliency, by portraying the human aspects of war all service members can relate to and provides important operational considerations for command and staff
