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In a Time of War: The Proud and Perilous Journey of West Point's Class of 2002
The dramatic story of West Point's class of 2002, the first in a generation to graduate during wartime
They came to West Point in a time of peace, but soon after the start of their senior year, their lives were transformed by September 11. The following June, when President George W. Bush spoke at their commencement and declared that America would "take the battle to the enemy," the men and women in the class of 2002 understood that they would be fighting on the front lines. In this stirring account of the five years following their graduation from West Point, the class experiences firsthand both the rewards and the costs of leading soldiers in the war on terror.
In a Time of War focuses on two members of the class of 2002 in particular: Todd Bryant, an amiable, funny Californian for whom military service was a family tradition; and Drew Sloan, the hardworking son of liberal parents from Arkansas who is determined to serve his country. On the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, Todd, Drew, and their classmates—the army's newest and youngest officers—lead their troops into harm's way again and again.
Meticulously reported, sweeping in scope, Bill Murphy Jr.'s powerful book follows these brave and idealistic officers—and their families—as they experience the harrowing reality of the modern battlefield. In a Time of War tells a vivid and sometimes heartbreaking story about courage, honor, and what war really means to the soldiers whose lives it defines.
They came to West Point in a time of peace, but soon after the start of their senior year, their lives were transformed by September 11. The following June, when President George W. Bush spoke at their commencement and declared that America would "take the battle to the enemy," the men and women in the class of 2002 understood that they would be fighting on the front lines. In this stirring account of the five years following their graduation from West Point, the class experiences firsthand both the rewards and the costs of leading soldiers in the war on terror.
In a Time of War focuses on two members of the class of 2002 in particular: Todd Bryant, an amiable, funny Californian for whom military service was a family tradition; and Drew Sloan, the hardworking son of liberal parents from Arkansas who is determined to serve his country. On the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, Todd, Drew, and their classmates—the army's newest and youngest officers—lead their troops into harm's way again and again.
Meticulously reported, sweeping in scope, Bill Murphy Jr.'s powerful book follows these brave and idealistic officers—and their families—as they experience the harrowing reality of the modern battlefield. In a Time of War tells a vivid and sometimes heartbreaking story about courage, honor, and what war really means to the soldiers whose lives it defines.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2008
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387 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
November 30, 2018
The Iraq War was so stupid. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, they should all be on trial. I'm not over it.
September 21, 2024
Interesting account of Iraq/Afghan wars
The experiences of the West Point class of 2002 during their time at West Point and the following five years is told in detail with considerable sensitivity. The narrative is interesting and engaging without being overly political. The personalities are well defined.
The book could have been immeasurably improved by the addition of maps and photographs. I was driven to the internet for both many times. The cover says there is an updated afterword, but I didn't see it in my kindle edition.
The experiences of the West Point class of 2002 during their time at West Point and the following five years is told in detail with considerable sensitivity. The narrative is interesting and engaging without being overly political. The personalities are well defined.
The book could have been immeasurably improved by the addition of maps and photographs. I was driven to the internet for both many times. The cover says there is an updated afterword, but I didn't see it in my kindle edition.
March 26, 2018
This book details the lives of a group of young graduates from the West Point class of 2002. It is just prior to their graduation that 9/11 happens and thus they quickly transition from peacetime to war. This story follows their deployments into Afghanistan or Iraq as new officers. It describes their struggles as classmates are lost and their personal struggles as they are scheduled for lengthy 2nd and 3rd redeployments with new wives and young children left at home. This book highlights the personal cost of war in terms of lives lost, injuries incurred, families left behind. At times I had difficulty following as the author jumped from 1 person to another, otherwise I would have given it 5 stars.
May 24, 2025
I read this book several years ago on the recommendation of friend who had graduated West Point in the 1980's. I remember being deeply saddened by the casualties chronicled. We have some excellent young people at our service academies. SPQR.
July 25, 2021
The human side of war.
August 28, 2021
This was a hard book to read, but I’m glad I did.
May 10, 2023
An absolute must read. Amazing accounts of a brave group of people and really captures the impact these people had on our country, loved ones, and families
February 6, 2009
Having a couple of years ago read Elizabeth Samet's Soldier's Heart at the prompting of a friend who came out of USMA during WWII, I wanted to see what role a humanist education played in the lives of men and women who knew on 9/11 that they would be the first cohort of West Point grads taking the fight to the Islamists. (Turns out, it played no role.) Interestingly, for an educator like me, Murphy has almost nothing to tell us about the ways in which their education prepared (or failed to prepare) these young lieutenants to lead and be led. So I had to find some other reasons to read the book. Unfortunately, there weren't many. To be sure, I cried with everyone else when these young and noble men and women died and lost their friends, but I found a lot more "hoo-ah!" than I had hoped to find. I thought I was reading a book by a news producer for Fox news. For instance, even when the pressure from an IED blast concusses a young lieutenant's skull into jelly and he spends years recovering from his injuries and courageously returns to battle in Iraq, there's little mention of the doubts and fear he had to overcome; nor is there mention of the post-traumatic stress disorder that must have affected the lives of at least some of his classmates. Sure, we hear (briefly and vaguely) that this or that officer struggled with anger management or had trouble sleeping, but all of these warriors sleep in their own beds when at home or cope somehow with the trauma of the extraordinary violence of modern warfare. This is a memoir and salute that's been scrubbed clean of the gore of war in order to present these few and proud as the knights in armor that America's army needs, at the same time that it has to admit that endless redeployments to war zones are driving these dedicated and patriotic young people out of the Army. Indeed, if I learned anything from this book it is that you cannot depend on the best and the brightest young Americans to turn their lives, careers, and families over to leaders willing to run their lives into the ground as if they were just another poorly armored humvee. I am grateful for their sacrifice, but their leaders have asked too much of them or any other human being. It's time for more Americans to share the burden of these two wars or for America to back out of some of its imperial commitments overseas.
July 20, 2017
Murphy, a journalist, reports on a group of West Point graduates of the Academy's Bicentennial class of 2002,following their careers through the five years of obligated active duty service. That service saw many of them deploy to Afghanistan and Iraq, many more than once, in the war following the terrorist Islamist attack on the World Trade Center in September 2001.
The writing is highly engaging, allowing the reader to become familiar with these young officers and their families. They strive to prepare themselves for leadership roles, struggle with the responsibility of command, and share the risk and costs that war imposes. The reader pays an emotional penalty for the closeness this account brings, but learning of these dedicated soldiers and their world is worth that price.
The account raises questions about management of the conflict: Why are trained tankers sent out to patrol in Humvees: why the wide variability in caution and aggressiveness of company commanders in sending out patrols; and why the failure to push supplies from urban locations to the troops in the field? The author sets up these questions, but fails to provide suggested answers, content, apparently, to leave one questioning the war itself.
Many of the surviving soldiers Murphy reports on were planning to leave the service when their five-year obligation ended in 2007, largely because of the frequent re-deployments to the combat zones. The absence of the draft, and the lack of interest in the military that generated in most American young people, increased the burden on those who volunteered to serve. The re-deployments also caused hardships and tensions in the families the soldiers left behind, stories that Murphy shares throughout the book.
This book provides an interesting companion to Craig Mullaney's "The Unforgiving Minute," which I read just before Murphy. Mullaney told a single story, that of his West Point and subsequent military service, while Murphy is presenting us with parts of the stories of about a dozen graduates. Surprisingly, perhaps, it is Murphy's narrated account that proves to be more emotionally engaging. Both provide useful insights into America's young military professionals.
The writing is highly engaging, allowing the reader to become familiar with these young officers and their families. They strive to prepare themselves for leadership roles, struggle with the responsibility of command, and share the risk and costs that war imposes. The reader pays an emotional penalty for the closeness this account brings, but learning of these dedicated soldiers and their world is worth that price.
The account raises questions about management of the conflict: Why are trained tankers sent out to patrol in Humvees: why the wide variability in caution and aggressiveness of company commanders in sending out patrols; and why the failure to push supplies from urban locations to the troops in the field? The author sets up these questions, but fails to provide suggested answers, content, apparently, to leave one questioning the war itself.
Many of the surviving soldiers Murphy reports on were planning to leave the service when their five-year obligation ended in 2007, largely because of the frequent re-deployments to the combat zones. The absence of the draft, and the lack of interest in the military that generated in most American young people, increased the burden on those who volunteered to serve. The re-deployments also caused hardships and tensions in the families the soldiers left behind, stories that Murphy shares throughout the book.
This book provides an interesting companion to Craig Mullaney's "The Unforgiving Minute," which I read just before Murphy. Mullaney told a single story, that of his West Point and subsequent military service, while Murphy is presenting us with parts of the stories of about a dozen graduates. Surprisingly, perhaps, it is Murphy's narrated account that proves to be more emotionally engaging. Both provide useful insights into America's young military professionals.
January 20, 2012
Regardless of your opinion of the US Army or the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, please read this book-- especially if you have little to no familiarity with the Army (like me). Although it focuses on a small subset of a small subset of the Army (a handful of West Point graduates of the class of 2002) it is an invaluable look at the individuals who make up the forces that are fighting for freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a compelling, if not always easy, read. The military jargon isn't always easy to understand, and it can be difficult to keep all the people and their missions straight, but I found myself reading it in three sittings, often with tears in my eyes. If it weren't so late at night when i finished, I would have started over again at the beginning.
While the Army seems to me a monolith of a bureaucracy, the opinions and thoughts of the soldiers (and their family members) presented here gave me a better idea of both of the wars as well as what drives people to join, leave, and remain in the Army--and the sacrifices that they and their family members make. This may sound naive of me, considering how many have died, but it is humbling to realize that there are real people--brothers, husbands, sisters, mothers--dying to protect me and also dying to help improve the lot of the Afghani and Iraqi people. I feel ashamed for knowing so little and for not doing my part.
In addition to this admittedly emotional aspect of the book, in following the careers of the men and women at the center of In a Time of War you'll come across a lot information about the daily life of a soldier, about how the Army operates, and about the inadequate supplies and challenging missions that soldiers deal with in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite the challenges and the mistakes the Army has made, one of the men profiled is optimistic about the future. I have to hope he's right.
**This book publishes in September 2008; I have an Advance Reader's Copy lacking maps, which I think would have helped--I think an index/glossary/chart of Army jargon would have helped as well.
While the Army seems to me a monolith of a bureaucracy, the opinions and thoughts of the soldiers (and their family members) presented here gave me a better idea of both of the wars as well as what drives people to join, leave, and remain in the Army--and the sacrifices that they and their family members make. This may sound naive of me, considering how many have died, but it is humbling to realize that there are real people--brothers, husbands, sisters, mothers--dying to protect me and also dying to help improve the lot of the Afghani and Iraqi people. I feel ashamed for knowing so little and for not doing my part.
In addition to this admittedly emotional aspect of the book, in following the careers of the men and women at the center of In a Time of War you'll come across a lot information about the daily life of a soldier, about how the Army operates, and about the inadequate supplies and challenging missions that soldiers deal with in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite the challenges and the mistakes the Army has made, one of the men profiled is optimistic about the future. I have to hope he's right.
**This book publishes in September 2008; I have an Advance Reader's Copy lacking maps, which I think would have helped--I think an index/glossary/chart of Army jargon would have helped as well.
August 11, 2009
I teach at West Point, and I read this book to learn about the world my students face after graduation. It happpens that none of the individuals in the book were my students, but I recognize the type. In their senior year, these cadets found themselves graduating into an ongoing shooting war, the first to do so since Vietnam. It's a world of long hours, arduous and dangerous duty, grievous wounds and death, tight and long-lasting friendships, the fraught business of finding one's lifetime companion, the unconsolable grief of young widows, and the satisfactions of leading soldiers. After their five-year service commitment is up, it seems that most get out, unready to face more combat tours and family separations, and one can hardly blame them. The rest find themselves captains, mentoring a new group of young lieutenants. This is a worthy book giving a lieutenant's-eye view of the War on Terror.
September 6, 2011
As a mom of a West Point cadet, I find this book quite sobering and frankly quite depressing. I know the views presented in this book--questioning the president and the military in general--are not typical of how most West Point graduates view their commitment to West Point and their service in the military. This book was written prior to the Surge when we began winning the war on terrorism. I have a hunch the author wrote this book with the intent to discredit the U.S. military's decision to move into Afghanistan and Iraq. Although I deeply sympathize with the families in this book who experienced such horrendous losses, I do not believe their sacrifices were in vain. I hope that history will prove that they are some of our greatest heroes and protectors of freedom. Without taking action on these 2 fronts--Afghanistan and Iraq--I believe the world would be a very dangerous place.
October 3, 2018
As a former military wife and the mother of a new cadet at West Point, I found this book engaging and heart wrenching. It is not really about West Point or how leadership is taught there or how effective those lessons are. It is primarily the story of a group of 2002 graduates who leave West Point as new 2nd Lieutenants and deploy to Afghanistan and Iraq. It follows them through those obligatory first five years on active duty. I cried when I read about lives cut short and the sorrow of young widows. It reminds me of how segregated military society has become from the American people at large. The character of the young soldiers and their sacrifices for our nation are unknown to most. Somehow we need to bridge that gap. This is a great read for those with a connection to the military and maybe more importantly for those who do not have a military connection.
September 25, 2008
Well written book that follows a small part of the USMA class of 2002 after graduation. This book made me sad but also inspired me. It is a glimpse into the lives of young people who are willing to serve our country so that we all can continue to live our lives as we choose.
As a mother of a future Army officer, some of this book was hard to read. With him at the academy I can distract myself from the realities of what is to come. This book does not let you ignore what war is really like for both the soldier and the family at home.
Many in America seem to take for granted what the military does. This is a reminder of all the things the soldiers and their families sacrifice so that others don’t have to.
As a mother of a future Army officer, some of this book was hard to read. With him at the academy I can distract myself from the realities of what is to come. This book does not let you ignore what war is really like for both the soldier and the family at home.
Many in America seem to take for granted what the military does. This is a reminder of all the things the soldiers and their families sacrifice so that others don’t have to.
March 12, 2009
This book was a very well written and compelling book for me to read, in part because it followed the West Point experiences and beyond of some of my boyfriend's classmates of 2002 from USMA.
The experiences covered in this book may seem unique to these few men and women, but I know from my own experiences with Tom and the Army that the stories of these men and women really are the same experiences of the post 9/11 West Point grads, the deployment cycle and the uncertainty surrounding that cycle that becomes normal for us that live it. I'm glad I read this quite a few months ago, because as the next deployment gets closer, I don't think that I could handle reading this book given the subject.
The experiences covered in this book may seem unique to these few men and women, but I know from my own experiences with Tom and the Army that the stories of these men and women really are the same experiences of the post 9/11 West Point grads, the deployment cycle and the uncertainty surrounding that cycle that becomes normal for us that live it. I'm glad I read this quite a few months ago, because as the next deployment gets closer, I don't think that I could handle reading this book given the subject.
June 25, 2013
Having a personal connection to the war in Afghanistan, this book hit close to home on several occasions. Some of the quotes from the main characters are things I've said or experienced myself. The writing is very moving, and I cried several times throughout the book. The stories of these young people's lives is extraordinary. The sacrifices that so many have made, and the pain and agony that has been endured by so many families is heartbreaking.
The only thing I struggled with was the large number of individuals in this book. It's hard to keep everyone straight at times, especially since it's not a fast read and takes awhile to get through. Each of those characters plays an important role in telling the story, though, and they are all necessary.
The only thing I struggled with was the large number of individuals in this book. It's hard to keep everyone straight at times, especially since it's not a fast read and takes awhile to get through. Each of those characters plays an important role in telling the story, though, and they are all necessary.
June 30, 2019
Imagine that you have entered your senior year at West Point Military Academy. You are on top of the world. You are about to become an officer in the US Army. You want to make a difference in the world and develop your leadership skills. Suddenly, you are thrust into war. The World Trade Center and the Pentagon were just attacked. Priorities rapidly shift. Your focus is to get into the fight. You don’t want to be left out.
In a Time of War: The Proud and Perilous Journey of West Point's Class of 2002
captured these different tensions. Read more
February 28, 2009
This book made me reflect on various choices that I made not so long ago. This book hit a little harder to home because I was contemplating attending West Point when I was in high school. Had I applied to West Point and got in, I would have been in the Class of 2003.
This book is touchingly tragic in parts, as Soldiers you get to know have various things happen to them. It is a quick read, and though the author introduces you to many individuals along the way, the story revolves mainly around six or seven people, making it easy to follow. If you enjoy military non-fiction, I would recommend this book.
This book is touchingly tragic in parts, as Soldiers you get to know have various things happen to them. It is a quick read, and though the author introduces you to many individuals along the way, the story revolves mainly around six or seven people, making it easy to follow. If you enjoy military non-fiction, I would recommend this book.
August 12, 2009
This book is a must read for all civilians and policymakers especially. It outlines the experiences of the class of 2001, the 'Golden children', who have graduated from West Point. Their stories, and the stories of their families is uplifting, crushing, and concerning all at the same time. Murphy does an excellent job of making the reader truly feel the ethos of what this experience is like. Once you pick it up, you won't put it down.
July 1, 2009
I read this book because I became interested in the subject when I started running the Timothy J. Moshier Memorial Run/Walk 2 years ago. This year there was a note about this book in the packet pick up. I am very glad that I read this as I was able to learn some interesting information about West Point and some of it's 2002 graduates. It was heart wrenching at times, both definitely worth reading.
December 6, 2009
After hearing the story first hand from Drew Sloan, one of six of the featured soldiers, reading the book revealed more light and details about the "Golden Children" of West Point. This was the bi-centennial class who graduated in 2002. The account is heartbreaking and inspiring. It also revealed how willing Drew was willing to share what he learned and experience with others. I'm so proud of the West Point grads!
January 29, 2016
Where do we get such brave young men? This book will break your heart. It is about the West Point Class of 2002...the first class to go to war in Iraq after 9/11. What a terrible waste of our country's bravest young men. Did we learn nothing from Vietnam where my husband was nearly killed? And yet, I must support our troops. They are there doing their duty and I was born and raised in this culture. A sad, sad story.
May 18, 2025
I thought this was a brilliant book. What a fascinating topic. It follows West Point students who signed up to be on the front lines of war…. Unknowingly at the time. I became so attached to the soldiers and their families by the end of the book. The author does a phenomenal job of balancing The events, history and personal lives of the soldiers. It really expanded my thinking and made me realize the huge sacrifice these families go through for our country.
October 12, 2008
This was a real surprise for me--I really didn't think I would like a book about the military. But at the end of the book I was very sad it was over, as I felt I had come to know each of the men and women in the book. I also got a whole new perspective on the Iraq war. I am very glad that this book was chosen for my book club.
April 1, 2010
In full disclosure, In a Time of War is neither well written (I would give it 1.5 stars in that category) nor well edited.
That said, I chose to read this book because a friend from graduate school is featured in the book. I am amazed that despite the chaos and destruction these wars had and continue to have on her life, she and her family remain steadfast and strong.
That said, I chose to read this book because a friend from graduate school is featured in the book. I am amazed that despite the chaos and destruction these wars had and continue to have on her life, she and her family remain steadfast and strong.
May 12, 2010
A heart-wrenching story of a several army officers who were apart of the invasion into Iraq and Aghanistan. This book helped formulate a better understanding of the effects of war on its soldiers and family members than any news piece written on the Iraq War. A truly captivating and worthwhile read.
December 2, 2008
I loved this book! It followed several West Point graduates from graduation through tours in Iraq; as well as their families they left behind. I read it in a day and a half and I highly recommend it for anyone, especially for a military family. I even have my husband reading it now.
December 8, 2008
The author follows several men and women from the West Point class of 2002--the first class directly affected by the wars spawned by the 9/11 attacks. Their feelings of ambivalence about their service are well-documented and some of their stories are tragic.
December 10, 2008
Incredible book, especially for fellow USMA grads. It brings back great memories of school, but really gets good when following the lives of the young men and women when deployed. It will make you very proud but be warned, it is nearly impossible to not shed a tear or two when reading.
March 17, 2009
an excellent book. it follows some of the 2002 graduates from west point as they do their military duty. well-written and interesting, by turns heartbreaking, a great study of the lives of west point grads.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews