Combat High

The article “Combat High”, by Sebastian Junger, is a primary source of the War in Afghanistan that shows an important message to the audience through first hand experiences. Junger’s tone is seen by the reader first by the title itself. The title “Combat High” tells the audience the basic feeling and ideas which are about to be contained in the article. Without even reading it, one can foresee a connection between combat and a type of high feeling that the author is about to show in the article. The article states that Junger accompanied the combat platoons based at the Outpost Restrepo, and reported and documented 14 months of his life there. This makes any information given by Junger a primary source, for he was the one experiencing to first hand. In this particular article, Jungers main point is intended for a certain audience through the purpose and goals of his writing. Junger had one main point to cover while writing this article, along with many other smaller ones mentioned, to express to the reader. Overall, Junger states the lifestyle and reality of war is one that no other men who hasn't fought in combat will understand. This is just the overall message, but between this message lies more. Junger uses his firsthand experience to document a primary source containing this idea. As claims for this idea, Junger explains to the reader day to day struggles a soldier must go through to survive a newly accustomed lifestyle. He backs up these claims by giving specific examples and hardships he has actually experienced with these soldiers. Junger states how the lifestyle of a combat soldier is much different and more animalistic than that of a ‘normal’ person. The soldiers have created a lifestyle of normality in their own way, and by using whats available. The emotional bond and relationships that are formed in non-combated situations are all