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CDT Nicholas Reynolds

Lieutenant Colonel Erich Steffens

MLSC 407

07 November 2023

Blackhearts

In the narrative of "Blackhearts," Jim Frederick's exploration of the infamous

Bravo Company of the 101st Airborne Division reveals a riveting tale that transcends
traditional war stories. The book delves into the lives of soldiers deployed to Iraq,
portraying the challenges they face on the battlefield and the strains on their morale and
camaraderie. Against the backdrop of a tumultuous war zone, "Blackhearts" scrutinizes
the impact of military command and interpersonal dynamics on the conduct of soldiers,
unraveling a narrative that goes beyond the conventional war novel. Within this context,
our examination will hone in on the breakdown of two essential tenets of mission
command—mutual trust and commander intent—and their implications on the people
and events within the pages of "Blackhearts." As the story unfolds, the breakdown of
these principles lays bare the consequences that ensue when the bedrock of military
leadership fails. By examining how mutual trust and commander intent unravel, I aim to
illuminate the connection between the erosion of these principles and the atrocities
committed within the pages of "Blackhearts."
The principle of commander's intent, a cornerstone of effective mission

command, undergoes a complete breakdown. As the narrative unfolds, CPT Goodwin

finds himself caught in a web of miscommunication regarding the overarching objectives

of their mission. The failure to communicate and understand the commander's intent

becomes very obvious as the soldiers of Bravo Company grapple with a lack of direction

and purpose. This breakdown manifests in misguided decisions and actions that lead to

catastrophic consequences. Individual interpretations and initiatives sow confusion

among the ranks without a unified understanding of their mission's goals. On page 190

of "Blackhearts," the narrative underscores a critical moment showing Captain

Goodwin's struggle to comprehend and effectively communicate tactical terms and the
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commander's intent into tasks. One officer attempts to explain to CPT Goodwin how to

secure an objective: "John didn't understand those critical pieces of those definitions, so

that he couldn't articulate those to his NCOs either." In this scene, the challenges of

communication and understanding come to the forefront as Goodwin struggles with

translating strategic objectives into directives for his unit. Captain Goodwin's inability to

decipher something as simple as securing an objective reflects a breakdown in the

communication chain. The intricacies of military strategy can be challenging, and the

burden falls on commanding officers to distill these complexities into precise, executable

tasks for their subordinates. One example of a consequence that occurred because of a

lack of communication from higher authority was one of the squads performing

extremely violent VCPs on local Iraqi houses.

On pages 119-121, we see an example of soldiers acting independently. During

these VCPs, the battalion ordered soldiers to stop firing warning shots at vehicles.

Instead, the soldiers said, "We would pull them out and rough them up. Check them

against the vehicle. Give them a kidney shot, tell them, 'I'm not fucking around. Do not

come into my perimeter." Here, we see a detachment within Bravo Company, acting

with a brutal and erratic demeanor, conducting VCPs, and engaging in destructive

behavior without clearly understanding the overarching mission objectives. The failure

of the commander's intent becomes apparent as the soldiers operate without a well-

defined purpose or strategic guidance. The absence of mutual trust within the platoon

catalyzes many issues, extending beyond the immediate battlefield challenges. I believe

that allowing the soldiers to act this way is what led to the four soldiers raping and killing

an Iraqi family. On numerous occasions, the narrative exposes a lack of trust among the
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soldiers, eroding the fabric of the unit and instigating a host of consequences, including

significant mental health implications.

The breakdown in mutual trust is evident in the strained relationships among

platoon members. Whether fueled by personal conflicts, doubts about competence, or a

general sense of suspicion, the erosion of trust undermines the cohesion and

effectiveness of the unit. This lack of confidence in one another's abilities fosters an

environment where teamwork fails, hindering the platoon's ability to function as a

cohesive unit. At one point, the battalion commander starts a brief by lecturing the

platoon on the recent deaths of a squad leader and team leader. He states to the

soldiers, "When are you going to face up to why Staff Sergeant Nelson and Sergeant

Casica are dead? Because they were not doing the right things." To me, this shows a

complete lack of trust in his subordinates. It's an extreme lack of compassion and

understanding of the lives of his soldiers, and I believe that this leads to many mental

health crises for the soldiers in his unit. At another point in the book, during a JRTC

training event, 19 soldiers from the 1st platoon were captured by OPFOR. The company

commanders wanted to formulate a plan to utilize their resources to save their men;

however, Kunk wanted to do 24-hour surveillance of the enemy instead of immediately

mobilizing his forces to save them. The company commanders spoke up, saying that "I

think this plan is fucked up; we've got all these assets, we've got Bradleys, helicopters,

several companies of men ready to go." Kunk ignored his company commanders, and

the surveillance plan remained in effect. Here, we can see that Kunk had zero trust in

his subordinate leaders. He refused to take their input for the mission.
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Another example is when Bravo company had to prepare for missions that were

given immediately, even though Goodwin knew several days prior and failed to brief the

mission and goals. Once the tasks were assigned, the instructions and overall

objectives were unclear and vague. 2LT Eidson, at what point, said, "The orders we got

didn't make sense at all; they were "go here and do this" that's all. There was no

purpose why." Once again, we see a lack of trust created by higher authority. Captain

Goodwin fails to issue orders on time, and when he does, there is no clear

commander's intent or understanding of what needs to be done for the mission.

A lack of trust also takes a toll on mental health within the company. Soldiers,

already grappling with the stresses of combat, find themselves burdened by the

additional weight of internal conflict and mistrust. The absence of a solid foundation of

mutual trust exacerbates the psychological challenges inherent in military service,

leading to heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and feelings of isolation among the

troops. In one example from the book, one soldier was killed while manning a

checkpoint, and two more were captured by the enemy. Members of that same platoon

search nonstop for several days to find their missing allies. When they finally returned to

their base empty-handed, they presumed their allies were being tortured and killed.

They only received a greeting from the BC's sergeant major, who criticized them for

being dirty. "The first thing the sergeant major does is yell at us about the JSB being

dirty. The very first thing. He doesn't pull the guys together and say, 'Hold your heads

up, we'll do what we can to find these guys.' Neither does the battalion commander.

Something to unify the platoon. It didn't happen. All that happened was the men got

yelled at." Here, we can see a lack of trust from higher authority. The men who risked
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their lives to save their battle buddies were berated for extremely trivial and

unnecessary things, such as unshaven beards and cigarette butts.

In conclusion, the exploration of "Blackhearts" reveals a narrative intricately

woven with the consequences of a fractured command structure. The breakdown in

communication and understanding due to higher authorities' inability to communicate

primary mission objectives and plans lays bare the effects of unclear guidance on the

soldiers of Bravo Company. Simultaneously, the erosion of mutual trust within the

platoon emerges as a catalyst for a range of challenges, extending from strained

interpersonal relationships to implications on mental health, including verbal abuse and

mistrust from leadership in the company. As the story unfolds, the repercussions of

these breakdowns in command are shown throughout the pages, underscoring the

delicate balance required for effective military leadership. "Blackhearts" serves not only

as a riveting war narrative but also as a cautionary tale about the profound impact of

failure to adhere to the principles of mission command.

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Works Cited

Frederick, J. (2017). Black Hearts: One Platoon’s descent into madness in Iraq’s
Triangle of Death. Pan Books.