No Greater Thrill

Army Reserve Captain John Crane was proud to be a soldier. And though as a soldier his creed was selfless service, he couldn't honestly say he'd gone to war in Iraq for anyone but himself. Certainly, he had gone to serve his country, to do his duty, so someone else wouldn't have to, because that's what a good citizen does when his country's at war. But did he really have to go? Did anyone? Not really. Every soldier has his own motives for going to war, and they're nobody's business but his own. Still, when all was said and done, Captain Crane had gone to war because he chose to, because he wanted to see for himself what all the fuss was about, to be a witness. He could not imagine why any red-blooded man would not want to be there. After three years, the war in Iraq was turning into a real war, a defining moment for a generation, an event that offered as much a chance to see firsthand the glories and horrors known to warriors down through the ages. In 2006, it was the greatest show on earth. And now Captain Crane had a ring-side seat.