11 Quotes by David Finkel

The greatest regret of my military career was as Commanding General of the 1st Cavalry Division in Iraq in 2004-2005, he later wrote of the decision he made. I lost 169 soldiers during that year-long deployment. However, the monument we erected at Fort Hood, Texas, in memoriam lists 168 names. I approved the request of others not to include the name of the one soldier who committed suicide. I deeply regret my decision.

The thought that the bullet has already been fired at each of us and it is only a matter of time when it will hit, brings comfort to some and terror to others.

To hear them laugh was to hear that everything was all right, but to see them laugh was to see otherwise

It's a thin line between what we're calling acceptable and not acceptable. As a leader, you're supposed to know when not to cross it. But how do you know? Does the army teach us how to control our emotions? Does the army teach us how to deal with a friend bleeding out in front of you? No.

I start thinking about what happened and then I start thinking about why I'm still here. It's pointless. They say on TV that the soldiers want to be there? I can't speak for every soldier, but I think if people went around and made a list of names of who fucking thinks we should actually be here and who wants to be here, ain't nobody that wants to be here, because there's no point. What are we getting out of fucking being here? Nothing.

He is a true casualty of battle. There's not a physical scar, but look at the man's heart, and his head, and there are scars galore.

Congratulations for conquering PTSD. And now you're fucked.

I was a normal guy who got sent to Iraq and became crazy, so they sent me back to America to become sane, and now it’s America that’s driving me crazy.

He is a true casualty of battle. There’s not a physical scar, but look at the man’s heart, and his head, and there are scars galore.