Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer - Essay Example

According to the author, Tillman was an ambitious, driven and complex individual who decided to enlist in the US Armed forces despite his lucrative May 2002 $3.6 million NFL contract offer. The September 11 terror attack on the US influenced this decision. While serving on his second tour in Afghanistan, Tillman died while trying to save members of his platoon. Initially, army officials informed his family that his death occurred during crossfire between the platoon and enemy combatants. This information was soon negated by investigations done after the army revealed that a ranger within the Tillman’s platoon shot him.

Through Tillman’s story, Krakaeur hoped to shed light on real, behind the scenes experiences of men and war. The public viewed Tillman as a national hero for his selfless decision to enlist in spite of his lucrative contract. Tillman was at the peak of his American Football career when he joined the army. The Cardinals team had offered him a $ 3.6 million, three-year contract, an offer that would cater for all his financial needs and keep him out of harm’s way. On the contrary, enlisting into the army would result in adverse physiological and psychological consequences.

The US was recovering from the September 11 terrorist attack, which exposed weaknesses in the country’s counterintelligence mechanisms and sparked a full-fledged war against countries in the Middle East. Choosing to enlist during this time meant that Tillman would be in the frontlines fighting for his life sooner compared to those who enlisted during peaceful times. The country’s former President George W. Bush capitalized on Tillman’s decision to join the army. He used Tillman as a poster-boy to encourage other citizens to enlist and serve their country.

Even in death, Tillman proved that he was a national hero. He died in the line of duty in spite of the marred