Black Hearts is a great example of the reality of how serious leadership skills can ripple throughout an entire unit and impact its overall mission. This book serves as a guide for America's future leaders and will provide examples of what not to do in leadership positions. The lessons we can learn from these soldiers can help us, as potential leaders, become more competent and effective. This book's focus on the struggles, poor decisions, and good judgment of the soldiers helped highlight what was not the best choice of action and gives you a moment, as an audience, to think about how you would have done better. So, right or wrong, there was a lesson to be learned and the book did a good job, including the reader. This book puts you in the shoes of a small group of soldiers from the 502nd Infantry Regiment and offers you an up-close and personal view of the soldiers' experience, from the bottom of the ranks all the way up to the commander. The 1st Platoon, 502nd Bravo Company deployed in the fall of 2005 to one of the most dangerous combat zones in Iraq, known as the "Triangle of Death." Thrust into the heart of a growing insurgency, with undefined goals and a shortage of manpower, Bravo Company began racking up losses at an alarming rate. They suffered many losses, as well as mental anguish. Due to this long and tragic deployment, a breakdown in leadership began to occur, causing one of the most tragic, brutal, and infamous deployments in U.S. military history. Many reasons caused the deconstruction of leadership and ultimately the soldiers' actions, accompanied by a lack of control, led to the rape and murder of an innocent Iraqi girl and her family. It's a story about character... middle of paper ... effectively and efficiently. This is definitely a negative characteristic for someone with a fuse as short as LTC. Kunk, would be put in such a position in the first place. What I didn't understand was why Konk was able to understand and communicate with Iraqi civilians on missions, but for some reason he felt like he didn't need to render the same respect to his own soldiers. Unusual. Since I major in communications, I can't help but emphasize the importance of communication. That is why I consider these characteristics the most valuable and main result of the downward spiral of events of the 1st Platoon. I also wouldn't disagree that my negative characteristic is the same. I could be a more effective communicator, but it's not because I'm shouting about the problem, but rather because I simply need to better organize my speech and what I'm trying to convey..