U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran CPL COX is not a hero. He?s an average American who joined the military during peacetime with the dream of honor and willingness to sacrifice in the service of his country. On February 7, 2003, he left loved ones behind, stepped into the darkness of the unknown and found himself in the midst of Operation Iraqi Freedom.#13; #13; This memoir, rewritten from the pages of his journal, delivers an informative, personal, thought-provoking and sometimes poignant look into his wartime experience. But even more remarkable is the insight it provides regarding the inner struggles CPL COX had to face as a member of the United States military -- the physical, emotional and psychological challenges faced similarly, yet in their own individual ways by American service men and women all over the world.#13; #13; WAR CHANGES LIVES? ?What was it like?? Eric J Cox does an excellent job of answering this question although what you may find most astonishing is that combat was only a prelude to the psychological battles he would face. With the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime, his unit?s wartime role was basically over, yet their hardest days were yet to come?#13;