Through the keen eyes of embedded journalist Sebastian Junger, we experience 15 wretched months in the worst place on Earth: the desolate Afghan Korengal Valley, a small but impossibly violent stretch of land where American platoons have experienced significant losses. This is the outpost to end all outposts, where the soldiers on the ground don't get a hot meal all year, a shower might happen once a week, outside communication is rare, but daily firefights are guaranteed. Weaving in and out of combat scenes, Junger explores the meaning of military brotherhood, the science behind courage, and the lasting effects on the men who survive this war.