My Share of the Task: A Memoir
Written by General Stanley McChrystal
Narrated by Kevin Collins
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
"Never shall I fail my comrades. . . . I will shoulder more than my share of the task, whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then some." -from the Ranger Creed
In early March 2010, General Stanley McChrystal, the commanding officer of all U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, walked with President Hamid Karzai through a small rural bazaar. As Afghan townspeople crowded around them, a Taliban rocket loudly thudded into the ground some distance away. Karzai looked to McChrystal, who shrugged. The two leaders continued greeting the townspeople and listening to their views.
That trip was typical of McChrystal's entire career, from his first day as a West Point plebe to his last day as a four-star general. The values he has come to be widely admired for were evident: a hunger to know the truth on the ground, the courage to find it, and the humility to listen to those around him. Even as a senior commander, McChrystal stationed himself forward, and frequently went on patrols with his troops to experience their challenges firsthand.
In this illuminating memoir, McChrystal frankly explores the major episodes and controversies of his eventful career. He delves candidly into the intersection of history, leadership, and his own experience to produce a book of enduring value.
Joining the troubled post-Vietnam army as a young officer, McChrystal witnessed and participated in some of our military's most difficult struggles. He describes the many outstanding leaders he served with and the handful of bad leaders he learned not to emulate. He paints a vivid portrait of the traditional military establishment that turned itself, in one generation, into the adaptive, resilient force that would soon be tested in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the wider War on Terror.
McChrystal spent much of his early career in the world of special operations, at a time when these elite forces became increasingly effective-and necessary. He writes of a fight waged in the shadows by the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), which he led from 2003 to 2008. JSOC became one of our most effective counterterrorism weapons, facing off against Al Qaeda in Iraq.
Over time, JSOC gathered staggering amounts of intelligence in order to find and remove the most influential and dangerous terrorists, including the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The hunt for Zarqawi drives some of the most gripping scenes in this book, as McChrystal's team grappled with tricky interrogations, advanced but scarce technology, weeks of unbroken surveillance, and agonizing decisions.
McChrystal brought the same energy to the war in Afghanistan, where the challenges loomed even larger. His revealing account draws on his close relationships with Afghan leaders, giving readers a unique window into the war and the country.
Ultimately, My Share of the Task is about much more than war and peace, terrorism and counterinsurgency. As McChrystal writes, "More by luck than design, I'd been a part of some events, organizations, and efforts that will loom large in history, and more that will not. I saw selfless commitment, petty politics, unspeakable cruelty, and quiet courage in places and quantities that I'd never have imagined. But what I will remember most are the leaders."
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Reviews for My Share of the Task
34 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is a nuts and bolts description of what a person does in the military from the time one enters West Point until one retires several years later, rising from the lowest of the low as a second lieutenant to the top grade of four star general. Over the years, he acquired much in the way of experience and developed very strong ideas on leadership. His professed thinking was that of a very open and eager-to-learn professional soldier. He speaks of a wife often but she is no more than a bit player in his story. Clearly, his main spouse is the Army. As might be expected, his progression through the ranks meant new and more pressing duties but he never faltered, never had a second thought. And what is the final payoff for a sturdy actor? A Rolling Stones article brings him down. Would he have fared better under a different administration? What if's are not the things of history. I thank him for his service.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was a slog. I liked it and was glad I read it , but, honestly, I felt it could have been a little bit shorter. I had to read it with the aid of an atlas. It was fascinating, but be prepared for a lot of military jargon. I would warn readers, though, this is really not a memoir. More of a personal/military history of the last 20 years of war in the Middle East, told from an insider's perspective. It was totally worth the read!
1 person found this helpful