Observing Memorial Day 2023 - Movie Review - The Outpost

Memorial Day in the United States is a holiday to honor and mourn U.S Armed Forces personnel who lost their lives during military service. For many, this day represents a three-day weekend, travel, and barbecues. As a young adult I thought of the weekend only as the unofficial beginning of summer. I didn't fully appreciate the somber meaning of this day until my own children were active duty and deployed overseas. Now I spend part of Memorial Day weekend each year learning the names of a few of those for whom this holiday was created. 

I read a book or watch a movie that highlights those who lost their lives while serving our country. I have a deep respect for those who choose to serve our country to begin with. Personally, it is important to me to learn the names of at least one persona KIA (killed in action) and to keep their memory alive.

The Outpost

Today I watched The Outpost. It is a war film released in 2020 and directed by Rod Lurie. It is based on the book, The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by Jake Tapper.

The story is about an American military base in Afghanistan in 2009. The base is set in a valley fully surround by mountains. Not distant mountains but mountains towering over the base. Even a civilian like me knows that this isn't a safe position to be in when dealing with the Taliban during that time of conflict. But American troops are sent there because of the proximity to Pakistan and some of the supply routes coming out of that country and into Afghanistan. 

It is heart-breaking when this vulnerable outpost is attacked and the Battle of Kamdesh results in many deaths. This battle is historic for many reasons. I am not sure of any way that I can tell more about the storyline without giving spoilers. So I won't. I will say that, as an army mom, it gave me an idea of what our deployed family members went through with limited contact with home, deciding what to say and what not to say when that contact is made, and their "austere" living conditions. We know that our Armed Forces members are sent into harm's way. But sometimes it appears that some of the risk is preventable. 

This is a difficult story. But I believe it is an important one. When searching for recommended "Memorial Day movies" I found it listed on a military site. For that reason, I thought that the movie must be viewed as important or realistic - or both. I hadn't heard of this movie or seen advertising for it otherwise. 

This will be one of the movies I watch more than once. A movie I will probably add to my annual Memorial Day tradition.

Additional Links:

In 2019 I read Dog Company You: A True Story of American Soldiers Abandoned by Their High Command. You can see the original post here.

In 2018 I learned about the Bataan Death March in the 1940s and about a special reconnaissance mission was occurring in Afghanistan in 2005 (Lone Survivor). You can see my original post for that year here. 

In 2017 I read World Changer: A Mother's Story: The Unbreakable Spirit of US Navy SEAL Aaron Vaughn by Karen Vaughn. You can see the original post here.

I don't believe I have ever reviewed the movie Saving Private Ryan. I do not have the words to adequately describe that powerful movie. I do watch it every year during Memorial Weekend. If you have never seen it, I highly recommend it. 

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Dog Company: A True Story of American Soldiers Abandoned by Their High Command Book Review

Troops at FOB Airborne preparing for a mission.

Each year over Memorial Weekend, I deliberately spend some time learning about and remembering our American military individuals who have given their lives in service to their country. This year I read Dog Company: A True Story of American Soldiers Abandoned by Their High Command and I am still reeling from what I read - knowing this is a story our government would prefer it's civilians not know. 

I already had some understanding that our troops who were deployed to Afghanistan often lived in very dangerous and "austere" conditions. I also had some awareness that rules of engagement made it difficult for our troops to stay alive. But authors Lynn Vincent and Roger Hill paint a detailed picture of how completely impossible the situations over there really were - and some reasons why so many families back home lost their loved ones.

Dog Company: A True Story of American Soldiers Abandoned by Their High Command by Lynn Vincent and Roger Hill

Dog Company is partially a day-in-the-life portrait of soldiers trying to carry out their missions in Wardak Province, Afghanistan and partially a court drama with accusations of war crimes. I'm immediately hooked in the story - getting to know the handful of soldiers at FOB (Forward Operating Base) Airborne.

'Sargeant Raul Lopez, the platoon sergeant at Sayed Abad Base, coming through his cell: "The CLP didn't bring any food and water with them this time, sir" '

Life sustaining supplies weren't getting through to Captain Roger Hill's troops. Not because they were cut off by the bad guys but due to the complacency or ineptitude of the leadership. The book begins with plans to move supplies from FOB Airborne to Sayed Abad.

The descriptions of the dusty dirt roads, narrow cliff-hugging mountainous roads barely wide enough for the vehicles, and how the men jumped into action every time something went wrong made me feel as though I were watching it all. 

All supplies, not just food and water, were in short supply. Vehicles were unreliable. There were not enough men to guard the FOBs. At night, our guys put dummies up to look like there were more overnight guards and a larger presence than there really was.

And if that wasn't bad enough, they learn that there are spies among them, Afghan Nationals approved to work on the FOBs, giving the information to the Taliban to set ambushes. Ambushes like the one that killed Carwile and Conlon.

Remembering...

On that supply run, to deliver the food and water that Battalion (the higher-ups) couldn't seem to supply, two soldiers lost their lives.

Lieutenant Donnie Carwile:

"Formerly enlisted, Carwile, twenty-nine, had put himself through college while working as a policeman in Oxford, Mississippi, then returned to the Army as an officer."

SPC Paul Conlon:

"Back in June, Conlon, twenty-one, of Mashpee, Massachusetts, had taken heavy shrapnel wounds during a vicious firefight. this trip to Sayed Abad was his first chance to bet back into the field with his platoon brothers, and he was pumped."

Throughout the book, many other men were physically wounded. Yet they all wanted to remain to continue the mission and to continue to take care of each other the best they could in these dire circumstances.

Rules of Engagement

Due to the rules of engagement during that period of time, the procedures (or lack thereof) for handling dangerous detainees, and the lack of support on these distant FOBs, caused life and death decisions at every moment. In trying to prevent more of his men being killed in action, CPT Roger Hill made a decision that some view as criminal. He and First Sargeant Scott are carted off to military court due to their decisions and actions.

I found this story to be riveting; both the stories of the missions and the description of the court process. 

As an army mom, I appreciate CPT Roger Hill and his attempts to protect his men, including sacrificing his finances and his career. I don't know that his decision was the right choice - the line between right and wrong is often thick and blurry. But I also don't think he was given any other choice - except to watch more of his men die. I also appreciate First Sargeant Scott and his determination to follow his conscience against the odds.

This book was written via accessing many sources including: interviews of the men of Dog Company and others deployed with them, review of the documents used at the Article 32 hearing, the criminal investigation reports, and more. The authors also submitted the manuscript to be reviewed for issues of national security. As a result, there are portions of the book that are redacted. 

I am extremely grateful to Lynn Vincent and Roger Hill for going through all that they have in order to publish this story and shine a light on what some of our troops have gone through at the direction of our country. 

Photo Credit: public domain photo by Spc. Justin French. Delta Company, 2nd of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division - FOB Airborne. Original photo cropped due to space considerations.

Previous Memorial Day readings:

Mindfulness on Memorial Day 2018. In 2018, I learned about the Bataan Death March. Prior to that time, I had not heard a thing about the invasion of the Philippines and the thousands of POWs held from 1942 to 1945. 

Mindfulness on Memorial Day 2017.  In 2017, I read World Changer: A Mother's Story: The Unbreakable Spirit of US Navy SEAL Aaron Vaughn. Karen Vaughn wrote about her son, memorializing him and writing with such honesty that I sobbed. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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