First Platoon: A Story of Modern War in the Age of Identity Dominance

by Annie Jacobsen

A powerful story of war in our time, of love of country, the experience of tragedy, and a platoon at the center of it all.

This is a story that starts off close and goes very big. The initial part of the story might sound familiar at first: it is about a platoon of mostly nineteen-year-old boys sent to Afghanistan, and an experience that ends abruptly in catastrophe. Their part of the story folds into the next: inexorably linked to those soldiers and never comprehensively reported before is the U.S. Department of Defense’s quest to build the world’s most powerful biometrics database, with the ability to identify, monitor, catalog, and police people all over the world.
 
First Platoon is an American saga that illuminates a transformation of society made possible by this new technology. Part war story, part legal drama, it is about identity in the age of identification. About humanity—physical bravery, trauma, PTSD, a yearning to do right and good—in the age of biometrics, which reduce people to iris scans, fingerprint scans, voice patterning, detection by odor, gait, and more. And about the power of point of view in a burgeoning surveillance state.
 
Based on hundreds of formerly classified documents, FOIA requests, and exclusive interviews, First Platoon is an investigative exposé by a master chronicler of government secrets. First Platoon reveals a post–9/11 Pentagon whose identification machines have grown more capable than the humans who must make sense of them. A Pentagon so powerful it can cover up its own internal mistakes in pursuit of endless wars. And a people at its mercy, in its last moments before a fundamental change so complete it might be impossible to take back.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, Military Fiction, Science, Politics, Audiobook

400 pages, Hardcover

First published January 12, 2021

About the author

ANNIE JACOBSEN is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestselling author. Her books include: AREA 51; OPERATION PAPERCLIP; THE PENTAGON’S BRAIN; PHENOMENA; SURPRISE, KILL VANISH; and FIRST PLATOON.

Her newest book, NUCLEAR WAR: A SCENARIO, is an international bestseller.

Jacobsen’s books have been named Best of the Year and Most Anticipated by outlets including The Washington Post, USA Today, The Boston Globe, Vanity Fair, Apple, and Amazon. She has appeared on countless TV programs and media platforms—from PBS Newshour to Joe Rogan—discussing war, weapons, government secrecy, and national security.

She also writes and produces TV, including Tom Clancy’s JACK RYAN.

Jacobsen graduated from Princeton University where she was Captain of the Women’s Ice Hockey Team. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband Kevin and their two sons.

Reviews

[Mary Van Opstal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely read if ever books about the military or war, but my brother Spc. James Twist was heavily interviewed along with many of his peers in this book about his platoon in Afghanistan. Like many of his platoon members, he left with not only PTSD but was pushed out of the army because he and his peers turned in a superior. The book was well written about how biometrics were intertwined so heavily with the war in Afghanistan, and how it really messed up first Platoon. My brother took his own life because of the intensity of his PTSD from his time there. This book made my mad because of the lies and deceit that occurred during their time over seas and here at home with the Clint Lorance case. We need to take care of our veterans, and we as a country don’t do enough.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie Jacobsen tackles another great aspect of the American defence and intelligence world in this book. She seeks to explore new technologies used b the US military related to biometrics during the War in Afghanistan. Jacobsen argues effectively that the military’s new technologies are both useful for identification purposes and for helping lock down the numerous terrorists who plagued the region, causing significant casualties during the time America sought to reset the governmental structure. A great look into military tech, the American mindset, and overall scientific exploration that the layperson can now better understand.

During the War in Afghanistan, the US Military and Department of Defense sought to create a new and exciting biometrics database that could be used to help identify those who fought in the region. As the book opens, it explores a basic military group on patrol and the troubles they encountered with identifying key figures on the Taliban and ISIS side of things. Annie Jacobsen uses this as a springboard to better recount to the reader the kernels of scientific and military discoveries that could change the war, as well as its application on the civilian side within US borders.

Jacobsen uses much of her book to argue the effectiveness of biometrics and their uses, both on the battlefield and throughout the various policing organisations within the United States, with application around the world. The use of fingerprints, cheek swaps for DNA, and photographic identification, advancements in investigation could help the country better understand and pick specific people out of line ups or tie them to crimes, as well as use during mass casualty events. However, this did not come about overnight. Jacobsen uses part of the book to explore the advancements and successes in using new techniques to better understand the world of forensics.

On the flip side is the amassing of all this information into databases and the keeper of said records. While there are surely some great uses for it, could this type of advancement and technology only fuel further beliefs that Big Brother is present and always watching? Jacobsen addresses this and touches upon the various ways by which holding significant database information could lead to hoarding, surveillance that has no basis in necessity. DNA lists with not only the results of criminals, but the average citizen, unaware of its gathering. Jacobsen argues that there are two sides to this coin and that simply focussing on the advantages against enemies or for use in casualty identification is short-sighted. The rights of the individual cannot be dismissed simply to protect the masses in all situation, though even the philosophical approaches to greater good and the individual enter the discussion within the tome.

As with every book by Annie Jacobsen that I have read, there is a great deal for the reader to synthesise. One cannot simply take a side and ignore the other arguments, which Jacobsen presents so thoroughly to make it impossible to miss. Key chapters and well-argued points of view emerge for the curious reader from the outset, leaving them to ponder on all that has been presented. A great deal of research and interviewing took place to support and substantiate many of the views found within the book, showing that Jacobsen sought to offer a complete exploration of the topic at hand. While military technology has never been a passion of mine, I am often keen to look at how new ideas can better serve the populace, as well as their downsides. Annie Jacobsen is brilliant in doing this and tackles such topics in ways the reader can easily understand. A wonderfully educational piece that I enjoyed from start to finish!

Kudos, Madam Jacobsen, for shedding light on this highly technical and impactful subject.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[RANGER · Rating 5 out of 5]

A startling deep dive into the shadowy, totalitarian world of identity intelligence --
Annie Jacobsen's "First Platoon: A Story of Modern War in the Age of Identity Dominance" is a disturbing examination of the totalitarian world of identity intelligence, that combination of biometric information, high tech surveillance platforms, human personality/behavior/DNA analysis, and the network of ultra-classified DOD, DOJ and DHS databases that stores and shares this information.
Thematically, there are three stories woven together here:
One is the history and development of identity intelligence. This strand is sometimes dry and sometimes fascinating, delving as it does into all kinds of historical trivia to show how the rise of biometric collection and surveillance contributes to both crime-solving and social order. I LOVE historical books that go down these kinds of rabbit holes. But it's not for everyone.
The second is the application of identity intelligence collection and utilization in fighting America's modern wars and the broader expansion of this brutally dystopian technology in controlling civil society. This is how identity intelligence looks today, a fully totalitarian endstate hidden behind security clearances, changing the tactics of soldiers on the battlefield and law-enforcement agencies at home while forcing policy makers to hide or rein in these capabilities depending on the shifting attitudes of public opinion or political agendas.
The third is the tragic story of the Cursed Platoon, a nickname given to the 1st Platoon, C Troop, 4th Combat Team, 82nd Airborne, during their combat deployment in Afghanistan where their platoon leader, 1LT Clint Lorance, would order them to open fire on innocent civilians.
The Cursed Platoon could be the subject of a separate book except for the role identity intelligence plays in the narrative. The Cursed Platoon story is an important one in showing how the military obsession with collecting battlefield biometrics tended to undermine small unit tactics and changed the face of warfare. 1LT Lorance, the flawed young officer "spoiling for a fight," has come from a previous assignment in which identity intelligence instilled him with hubris and overconfidence in his ability to understand the enemy... and thus emboldened him to give illegal orders to his men. When the entire platoon is disgraced and 1LT Lorance sentenced to prison for murder, his defense team manages to manipulate the highly classified identity intelligence database information and the public's naïve trust in government and technology to portray the flawed, out-of-control 1LT as a hero and a scapegoat. 1LT Lorance receives a presidential pardon while the rest of the platoon, struggling with the guilt and disgrace inflicted on them by his criminal behavior, must watch him being treated as a national hero on cable news networks while their own lives seemingly spiral out of control.
The tale of the Cursed Platoon is a cautionary one for the rest of us -- a parable for the monolithic, soul-crushing, life-sapping power that identity intelligence gives to government and policymakers. Identity intelligence promises to keep us safe from evil-doers - It's mild inconveniences and resultant losses of freedom being a small price to pay for the safety and security they promise. But as the Cursed Platoon discovers, identity intelligence is flawed. People can, and do, manipulate the data.
As a professional soldier and intelligence officer for much of my life, I was particularly disheartened to see how eagerly the generals and politicians embraced identity intelligence as the panacea for all that was going wrong in the War on Terror. Billions were spent on technologies that brought confusion rather than clarity as warfighters were inundated with data. Battlefield soldiers were distracted, engaging in dystopian police work instead of warfighting, and hardly winning hearts and minds. Surveillance operators and analysts were given a god-like power over human lives. The cynical embrace of this totalitarian capability in Afghanistan to "secure Afghan Democracy" is frightening... and Orwellian. Far from being a panacea, the relentless pursuit of biometric data and surveillance omnipotence probably cost us the war.
Now that capability has been brought home and is being implemented for use against Americans.
That is the most frightening conclusion of "First Platoon."
As usual, Annie Jacobsen presents the facts and lets the reader decide. Her poignant interviews with the struggling veterans of the Cursed Platoon are among the most gut-wrenching things she has ever written. Her ability to humanize such a technologically complex subject is one reason why I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book to all who are interested in technology, conflict, law-enforcement, intelligence, US military history, technology history, and the threats to freedom posed by those who control the data and collection capabilities of identity intelligence.
Read this important book.

[KB · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poor book has been sitting on the shelf at the library I work at since we got it in January. No checkouts, no in-library uses. It was one that caught my eye whenever I was in that section, so I decided to give it that checkout it so sorely needed. First Platoon is an interwoven story about using biometrics on the battlefield, and a group of soldiers - the titular First Platoon - who find themselves under investigation for war crimes in Afghanistan.

Author Annie Jacobsen begins with giving some background to the use of biometrics. We start with fingerprints in the late 1800s, move onto mug shots, and eventually get to the use of computers to store, process and analyze biometric information on a massive scale. Coupled with this is modern surveillance technology.

How does this fit into war on a modern battlefield? The US wanted to gather biometrics on Afghan citizens - this was particularly important because IEDs were a major concern. DNA could be collected from the IEDs and matched with someone already in their database, or enter it in as someone new. Anyone could give a fake name or fake background, but biometrics are exact (if they're collected properly, if..., if...). The US also incorporated activity-based surveillance - watching people to find suspicious behaviour. But Jacobsen asks: "Who controls what data gets saved as potential evidence, and what data gets deleted..? What happens to the rule of law when individual citizens are persistently surveilled without knowledge of, or access to, the information... collected on them?"

Jacobsen balances the theory of biometrics and surveillance on the battlefield by also incorporating a boots-on-the-ground implementation of it. This is where we get into the story of First Platoon. The central figure is Lt. Lorance - itching to get battlefield experience yet should have never been given the opportunity. Illegal orders to his subordinates, lying to superior officers, not completing battle damage assessment, and the final outcome on that particular day. He and others in his platoon are investigated for war crimes. His defense attempts to find loopholes in the system regarding biometrics and identification to try and clear his name. I won't go into more detail here because the story is as fascinating as it is frustrating.

The book concludes logically with looking closer to home. How can (or, how is) this technology being used by your government and local law enforcement? How far can this go, and is this our future and new reality? China is brought up as an obvious example. I've mentioned before that I lived there for a year-and-a-half, and the authoritative presence - whether security cameras, security guards, police, soldiers (though far less of the latter) - is constant. I was never approached or bothered, and I never saw anyone else approached or bothered, but the message of 'we're watching you' was crystal clear.

I found First Platoon hard to put down. It's actually a very easy read, even though it deals with a complex topic. The beginning of the book is the toughest part to get through, where Jacobsen goes through a history of biometrics and the development of related government and military agencies. But the rest is smooth sailing. The story of First Platoon is beyond frustrating, but an interesting look at how everything Jacobsen discusses ties together. There's always room for human error and human bias.

[Tom Newhall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book that American citizens should read. Some say there are two stories here, others say three. Either way, Annie Jacobsen merges them together seamlessly in a well written story of the history of identity of individuals, the story of a platoon in Afghanistan and the consequences of data manipulation.
This is a book that I didn't want to put down, however, I did. I would read a chapter, search other relevant articles about it and let it sink in. Part of that for me was that one of the characters in the book was a family member of mine. I had briefly met some of the soldiers of first platoon at my niece's husband's funeral. Annie Jacobsen also spoke at the funeral. She developed a good relationship with James Twist over the past few years while doing research for her book. She brilliantly captured James character and personality. She went on to expose how data was manipulated by the defense team of Clint Lorance, to push for a presidential pardon. Three days as a platoon commander, a seemingly narcissistic lieutenant, lead to shattering many lives. The remaining members of First Platoon, the families of the deceased, and the villagers of a small Afghan village will never get justice. However, this book helps to get the truth out, along with a Washington Post article by Greg Jaffe.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book that takes one incident in Afghanistan and uses it to expose the Department of Defense's widespread use of biometrics in Afghanistan, how that affects one case of a lieutenant convicted of war crimes (rightly so it appears) whom President Donald Trump subsequently pardoned (relying on biometric evidence from the defense teams which seems to have been bogus). She then jumps off into a wider discussion of biometrics with a tentative discussion of how biometrics are coming from the battlefield to your local village. It ends up being a frightening glimpse into Big Brother alive and thriving in the United States.

"It would be years before these same military surveillance methodologies would eventually come home, to tag and track citizens in the United States," the author writes, but come they do and are in use at this moment with little to no legal oversight.

When a guy who is intimately familiar with how this technology was used in Afghanistan and is only referred to as Kevin H tells you, "What Palantir is capable of is straight-up Big Brother. People should pay attention. For real." It seems wise to listen to that guy. Of course the difficulty is that we cannot pay attention because the technology and its use is highly secret, even when used against American citizens.

An interesting read and a glimpse of the future, and it isn't good.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book introduced me to biometrics in military use. I was amazed. And this book was written in 2021. I can only imagine what is available now.

Annie Jacobsen’s first hand testimonies from members of the first platoon were eye opening and heartbreaking. These men were put in some unimaginable situations. That biometrics was used to identify victims and prosecute criminals was not new to me, but the idea that someone can skew the data is scary. And that there actually are errors in biometric technology.

It reminded me of Mr Bates vs The Post Office but war with your DNA! It’s unsettling.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly terrifying book about government overreach and the loss of freedom that we are experiencing today and how much we have to lose in the near future.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling and astonishing reporting that will enrage you even more about the Trump pardon of Lorance.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is so different from any book I have read. Very thought provoking. I look forward to reading more of Annie Jacobsen’s books. Note: this reads like an in-depth research report, over 100 pages of citations and notes.

[Raven Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind blowing stuff! I have no words!

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to read this for my class. It was informative on the war on terror and biometrics. I also learned about rule of law and how/when they can engage in combat and how one has to respond to their commander.

My main takeaway is that although “fingerprints don’t lie” biometrics are not perfect as they are only as good as the people recording them. Scary to think about how as a result of covid tests almost everyone’s biometric data is in the hands of the government. And could be used for whatever they please.

One thing I didn’t like about the book was that they talked a lot about the actual war and war scenes. The details were not appreciated although I understand how they connected the story.

[Rachel Mohler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, lots of good information told in a narrative format. Important read!

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched and reasoned. Heavily documented. Very interesting and worrisome at the same time. Sad, what happened to the soldiers and their families.

[Misty Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never read books about war but when it is a book about your son and his brothers you tend to take notice. My son, Zach Thomas, of the cursed platoon that Annie Jacobsen so eloquently writes about. She brings light to a side of war the government tries so hard to protect. There is nothing that I can say about the use of Biometrics that she doesn't cover or that hasn't been said in the reviews but I can talk about the way the government uses the lives of young soldiers as pawns to do their dirty work without ever being honest about their actions. So many of these young soldiers never make it out alive and the ones that do, never make it back as the person that left. They agree to put their life on the line to fight for the rights of our country and its civilians all on false pretenses only to be slapped in the face with a pardon of Lorrance. The pardon of Lorrance is a big enough sting that several in this platoon are no longer living because the PTSD was too much and the silent pain that the others feel is a burden that most will never feel and unfortunately, the government has now said is irrelevant and their story is a lie. Thank you Annie for writing an eye-opening account of what is going on and shedding light on the truth that was overshadowed by a murderer being hailed as a hero!

[Kip G. · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is her weakest book. She attempts to write three different books. Ms. Jacobsen fails to adequately tell her tales bio-tech, EIDs and war crimes. Hopefully her next endeavor will be an amazing read.

[Greg Jaffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

my review..
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outloo...

[Roy Nickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a pretty important book to read, especially for those in the Profession of Arms and in the legal system.

[Vidar Pedersen · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book may be good, but the audio book read by the author itself is horrible, terrible slow and with little to no immersion. Did not finish, can not recommend.

[Thrillers R Us · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published 73 years ago and, incidentally, not ending the world as it were 35 years later or 38 years ago in 1984, 1984 was George Orwell's ninth and last novel. Prescient in its treatment of brainwashing, mass surveillance, totalitarianism, propaganda, and persecution of individuality and independent thinking, 1984 is as relevant today as it was in its publication year or in 1984. Many of the terms and concepts are so accepted today that the year 2000 even saw the launch of BIG BROTHER, a still on-going competition reality TV series focused on constant surveillance. Even the horrific terrorist acts of 9/11 changed nothing and created in America a quest for vengeance, payback, and revenge. Nigh on twenty years of war have consequently created a military fetish, tempered by shades of the Vietnam War and culturally and societal accepted depictions of veterans, which in turn spur a collective guilt that can only be remediated by military (hero) worship. Service to country, however, is its own motivation and reward. Nothing extra is needed, no ex post de facto payment required. The guilt and lust for vengeance gave administration after administration carte Blanche in the (vague) name of national security, scoffing at Ben Franklin's statement about trading essential liberties for temporary safeties. This is where America is in 2022 and the garish violations of privacy of FIRST PLATOON from 2012 are just now coming to light. Is it too little, too late?

The place is Zhari District, Afghanistan, June 2012. Sharing the space around Strong Point Payenzai was FIRST PLATOON, Charlie Troop, 4/73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. The locals lived life simple and Hobbesian; nasty, brutish, short, and ruled by a network of Taliban insurgents. The Americans lived the 'well-financed' Army life, one deployment at a time. After a decade of futile warfare, the DoD thought it found a tech based solution to the human insurgency problem: Mass biometric data collection, Identity Dominance, and biometric enabled intel. Eerily sounding like what 2022's new majority owner of the communication platform Twitter has in mind, the DoD's way of throwing a lot of money at problems sounded good in theory but was virtually guaranteed to run into major snags in execution. Cranking through a solid history of fugitive apprehension and criminal documentation via the Bertillion measurement system, Finger Prints, databases, and DNA, FIRST PLATOON also demonstrates the problems of combating insurgent warfare by revisiting the Maginot Line and Fort Apache, illustrating that the more things change (with the help of technology) the more they stay the same.

Sitting about seven thousand miles away from the United States, it could be argued that what happens in Afghanistan in response to 9/11, stays in Afghanistan. But Tora Bora ain't Las Vegas, and that couldn't be farther from the truth. Unleashing gadgets with creepy names like BAT, HIIDE, and SEEK on those populating JSOC's JPEL (marked for death) list only opened Pandora's Box, paving the long way to eventually finding them deployed on the US population. Right alongside a cool mention of Kaiser Soze from THE USUAL SUSPECTS, FIRST PLATOON has a lot of interesting info to share, among them combat biometrics, Black Helix, FOIA, stovepiping, consequence management, VSP, BDA, and 429 Status. Also going to generous length in documenting the shortcomings of DoD policy and sponsored gadgets and technology, GiGo seems to be a big part of biometric data and what to do with it. Given the profit driven private sector crutching US law enforcement, predictive policing has already found its way to combating gangs, who're said to exhibit the same characteristics as tribes in Afghanistan. When Ronald Reagan used to host the GE sponsored TV program GENERAL ELECTRIC THEATER in the post World War II era, ending with the slogan 'Progress is our most important product,' it correctly identified that nothing would ever stand in its way, not even concerns for privacy, liberties, and freedom. Once "Dataveillance" becomes more commonplace and forces self-censorship, conformity, and anticipatory obedience on the populace, what happens to fundamental rights and democracy? By looking at a tough time in a hard place by an American unit, FIRST PLATOON gives a preview of hard times in a tough digital space in America, and perhaps how to prepare for it.

[Edward R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The connection between UAPs and EMF.

This is another interesting book by Annie Jacobson, the fifth I've read thus far, having read them in the following order of completion: "Operation Paperclip" on Sep 6, 2023, "The Pentagon's Brain, An Uncensored History of DARPA" on October 28, 2023, "Phenomena" on Dec 16, 2023, "Area 51" on Feb 26, 2024 and "First Platoon" on Mar 25, 2024.

For me, the crux of this book was the last two chapters, Chapter 20 "The Genetic Panopticon" and Chapter 21 "The Court of Public Opinion", the preceding chapters providing the very important context and background from historical research and the affirmations of soldiers of 1st Platoon, C Troop, 4th Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.

The impetus for my interest in her books are UAPs. UAPs in the literal sense of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, not in the sense of Extraterrestrials. And especially the connection between UAPs and EMF. Therefore my attention was especially riveted when I read the following paragraph on the last page in the last chapter of "First Platoon":

One technology being pursued gave me pause: a “handheld, manpackable [machine] with holographic capabilities.” The Pentagon aims to have its hyper-enabled operators carry a device that has “the ability to project images that are not real but seem real, and have the ability to develop personalized message campaigns for the image to project.” In other words, three-dimensional deepfakes, to trick the enemy—in real time.

I had already thought one common thread in these books was UAPs, whether intentional or serendipitous, beginning with my read of "Operation Paperclip". Then, when I read the following on page 434 in "Area 51", I wondered how "Stalin's hover technology" and "hover and fly technology" could be called "electromagnetic frequency". Could this have been a veiled metaphor to describe midair holograms? I could imagine holograms being produced in a windowless room in Las Vegas. Stalin had been seeking ways to induce mass hysteria in the United States, akin to the hysteria produced by the 30 October 1938 broadcast of "The War of the Worlds" on the CBS Radio Network:

"There was another [important] EG&G engineer,” he explains. That engineer was assigned the task of learning about Stalin’s hover technology, “which was called electromagnetic frequency, or EMF.” This engineer “spent an entire year in a windowless room” inside an EG&G building in downtown Las Vegas trying to understand how EMF worked. “We figured it out,” the EG&G engineer says. “We’ve had hover and fly technology all this time.”

Another apparent connection between UAP (now called Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, rather than Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) and EMF is on page 395 in "Phenomena" (Green is Dr Kit Green):

“I’m interested in the notion of people injured physically by anomalous events,” Green tells me. “Often these events are perceived as [involving] unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs, drones, high energy radio frequencies that confront people face-to-face and cannot be explained.”

Continued on page 396 in "Phenomena":

“These individuals carried top-secret clearances that were as high as mine,” says Green, including Q clearances for nuclear secrets. “And yet they told me they saw things that could not be easily explained. They reported seeing raven-like birds on their bedposts . . . orbs floating down the hallways in their homes. A disembodied arm hovering in the air. These individuals were not crazy,” he says.

Then on page 191 in the "Submarine" chapter of "Phenomena", biologist researcher Dr. Allan H. Frey is introduced. He was interested in the effects of EMF energy directed on the human body:

A few government scientists broke ranks and discussed the government’s shortcomings in the arena of electromagnetic weapons. They included the biologist Dr. Allan H. Frey. Since 1960, Frey had been working on classified and unclassified Defense Department contracts, including ones with the Office of Naval Research and the U.S. Army. He was one of the nation’s most dedicated researchers working to understand the effects of microwave radiation on the human body.

Pages 184 - 194 in the "Submarine" chapter of "Phenomena" is peppered with very important content concerning EMF, especially the discoveries and insights made by Dr. Frey. He was the first to publish on the Microwave Auditory Effect (MAE), also called the Microwave Hearing Effect or the Frey Effect. Frey's "Human auditory system response to modulated electromagnetic energy" appeared in the "Journal of Applied Physiology" in 1961.

All in all, another important read in a series of connected books.

[Tim Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book, but the author jumped from one story line to another in ways that made it difficult to follow the main point of the book.

Ms. Jacobsen is well-regarded and the book is a well-researched treatment of her subjects. She begins the book recording the birth of biometrics as a tool of both law enforcement and military operations, then describes how "identity dominance" through biometrics became central to the military's main counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan.

In Parts III and IV, she describes the experience of First Platoon, a small unit of the 82nd Airborne Division, defending a strongpoint in Taliban country. While biometrics was an important part of their mission, the narrative at this point almost entirely dropped the thread of biometrics and told First Platoon's story. It's a compelling story, but I found myself wondering what the book's subject was: was she telling First Platoon's story, or was she writing about biometrics as a tool of warfare?

Part V attempted to tie the two stories together, describing errors in biometrics that impacted First Platoon's story. At the same time, though, the author introduced a major sub-narrative: then-President Trump's pardon of a First Platoon commander based, the author concluded, on poor data from the military's biometric data base.

The book ends with excellent questions: do we want to live in a society where the government has data bases of our personal identifying information (fingerprints, DNA, facial recognition, iris scans, etc.) and where we are under surveillance at all times? This is an excellent question, but doesn't naturally grow from the bulk of the narrative--the use of these tools for military purposes in Afghanistan. (Though it's clear from her research that most of Afghanistan's population was included in the US military data base.)

Despite the weaknesses of the narrative, the book's identification of--and questions about the surveillance state and over-reliance on biometric identity are excellent questions with which our society will have to grapple.

A separate intriguing message of the book--which the author does not explore--is the current American way of war which puts very young soldiers in an almost impossibly complicated situation. They are placed in Afghanistan (or Iraq, Syria, etc.) fighting on an adversary's terrain, inside an adversary's culture and usually--as was the case in Afghanistan--with the adversary ignoring rules of warfare under which our military must fight. The adversary understands our rules, and they use them as leverage against us. All the time, we expect young just-out-of-high-school soldiers to navigate this complicated labyrinth of cultures and rules of warfare, and punish them severely if they get it wrong. While I understand the author not taking this on--it is not a central part of her subject--we really must take it on. We owe it to our soldiers.

[Eddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not any Jacobson's best but still worth a listen. She reads her own books and she has a good voice so Annie's books are interesting and fun. However this book was a little scattered it seemed like she was writing three books in one in order to fill a book. Like the thesis for this book wasn't enough for an entire book it was a magazine article and she needed to make several hundred pages for the publisher to make a book and there's more money in books than in a magazine article. This is the second nonfiction book in a row where I've seen this and I don't know if any or all these other authors who definitely are using AI to fill in the holes to fill an entire nonfiction book which probably requires 300 pages or something.

Because the book kept jumping around first it was about soldiers in Iraq using digital mapping fingerprints to identify people and the story of one soldier who was accused of murder but then later pardoned. Okay that's an interesting story in and of itself on the high technology being used in the military today. But then the book started jumping around and back and forth and I just started wondering okay what is this book about where is it going didn't have a focus and the title is first platoon which is about only one part of the book and the rest of the book was all over the map. Again worth a listen but not Annie Jacobson's best book. So the book is two stars it was okay but you leave with your mind having wandered and not really learning anything focused cuz the book wasn't focused.

[John Splain · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone with professional experience and history with the FBI's IAFIS and DoD ABIS (among other Federal biometric systems), I found this to be a very compelling read. I was present at Janet Reno's 1999 press conference announcing the implementation of IAFIS and NCIC 2000. I participated actively in 2005 DoD discussions whether it should "make or buy" its own AFIS. So, somewhere around Chapter 4 or 5 I found myself wondering how thoroughly researched is this book? How is it that higher profile folks in the DoD biometric community aren't up in arms about what appeared to be serious errors? Thoughts like "that's not how that came to be", "that's not how that works", and "that's a biographic, not biometric search" came to mind. Of course, as all good story telling should, all of my concerns, save one, was resolved by the final chapter. The only assertions that I cannot resolve are how DoD ABIS is a "billion dollar system" (it's not) developed by a "Manhattan Project-style program" (it wasn't) that was also "cobbled together from parts in the FBI basement by Lockheed Martin" (it was). My best guess is that when the author refers to the former, she really means the DoD Biometric Enterprise, or at least a conglomeration of biometric, identity, and intelligence systems comprising DoD ABIS. Putting that aside, I highly recommend this book to those in the Federal biometrics community. It is well worth reading.

[Pavan Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

What does it mean for to be living in an age of biometrics, with the technology now available for governments, militaries and police forces to identify anyone, anywhere, at any time?

This book tells the story of a platoon of American soldiers deployed in Afghanistan as they attempted to monitor the hostile local population in the attempt to bring Western-style governance and rule of law to a country that is still ruled by traditions of family and clans.

Interwoven into this narrative of late-teenagers and early adult men on the battlefield, which ends in tragedy for many of them, is the overarching creep of the need for biometric data collection that has taken place, first by the military abroad and then back home by police

The author exposes how the Pentagon is obsessed with identity, with technology sufficiently advanced for individuals to be reduced to iris scans, fingerprints and facial scans, under the watchful eye of perpetual surveillance through high-powered cameras & drones up above

Rule of law is under threat as Americans will be scrutinized by a digital-genetic panopticon, with the entire population policed by ever-present cameras & algorithms. I highly recommend reading this book to discover how society is changing because of identity dominance

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two major storylines in this nonfiction book. The first, and the heart of the story, and what my 5-star rating is primarily for, is the story of a group of soldiers in First Platoon and their tragic deployment in Afghanistan. Their story made me sad, horrified, and angry. It's heartbreaking. But I think we honor these soldiers by learning their stories - their lives before, during and after the war. The second, larger story is about the use (and misuse & abuse) of biometrics in warfare; and the expansion/extension of its use outside of war, outside of the military. At first I was a bit unsure about this story line when the author went all the way back in history to explain "Anthropometry"("the first scientific system used by police to identify criminals"), and then proceeded to to the discovery of and use of fingerprints in crime solving. It was a lot of detail and took me away from the story of First Platoon. But as the author moved forward and started talking about the last 20+ years, leading up to the use/weaponization of biometrics in the war in Afghanistan, it regained my interest. And this storyline is revealing & disturbing. But for me, the main reason to read this book is the story of the individual soldiers in First Platoon.

[Joel O · Rating 5 out of 5]

An eye-opening trip into biometrics and Identity Dominance. Many of us have voluntarily submitted our fingerprints to complete a background check. Others have been forced to give up their prints due to an arrest. Millions have voluntarily sent their DNA to for profit businesses in hopes of connecting with our past. Still others have been forced, by rule of law, to relinquish DNA samples. We readily accept a world filled with hundreds of millions of surveillance cameras and even install them on our homes, nurseries, and cars. We expect our government to provide the best intelligence gathering capabilities to our armed forces to ensure they have the tactical edge over our enemies. Facial recognition software, iris scans, and camera technology are racing into the future and we’re along for the ride. But what if all these technologies were consolidated into one massive intelligence gathering tool? What if that massive system could collect data on anyone without their knowledge? Read this book. Understand there is no anonymity left in our world, but be prepared to learn the frightening truth about some of the technology that really does exist and how it can be used and misused.

[Ronnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard/read about this book after reading books on the Pentagon and DARPA. When I started reading I felt like a was reading a modern version of a book of the effects/affects of the violence from the Civil War which Matthew Pearl wrote so eloquently about. But then Annie grabs you by the intellectual throat with such vine and vigour that you can't put the book down. Artificial intelligence. Biometrics. Panopticon.(The sight of God)...Drones...Cameras in stores and at every street corner. Facial identity .Usage in war and now in civilian life. Good .Bad...and Very Ugly. Then I felt I was reading a newer version of Lt. Calley and the My Lai Massacre....(Paging Seymour Hersh)...This book drips with freshness and fierceness.. Freshness because its all current on a daily basis. Fierceness because she maintains an honesty that at times leaves you gasping for psychological and cerebral air.Its a nightmare book. Annie's written other books.But this is something. I was able to get it from Leominster Public Library.

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book broadly address two issues: 1) the war crimes committed by Clint Lorance in Afghanistan and 2) the large scale collection of biometric data.

Topic 1 - the war crimes of Clint Lorance. I learned that there is a non-profit organization called United American Patriots that defends American servicemembers they believe to have been unjustly convicted and wrongfully imprisoned on war crimes charges. Annie Jacobson appears to have found information that shows Lorance was pardoned based on false information regarding the identities of the men he had ordered attacked.

Regarding topic 2 - biometric data, I learned technology being developed that can collect finger prints from a distance. In general, the controversy over privacy is expanding beyond what people do on the Internet and is moving to air drones (that hover above cities taking videos) and the ability to collect biometric data without consent.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

What starts as a war story morphs into a courtroom drama all enwrapped in a cautionary tale of high tech. Ms. Jacobson brings to light the military's effort to capture biometrics from nearly all the Afghans who came into contact with the US military. This created a citizen data base enabled to identify and convict terrorists. Pair this with advanced real time surveillance, you have a top-notch means of putting away the bad guys. A grand ideal for law enforcement. So good, the FBI and DoD brought these high-tech tools home to the USA. No wonder people fear a "deep state" civil service.
All this was subject enough for the book.

Yet, just to show what could go wrong, the author tied these programs to a heinous war crime. The story shifts to a complex detective story, complete with many twists. I couldn't put this book down.