Devrat Kamath’s Reviews > Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War > Status Update

Close to death, he had never felt so completely alive. There had been split seconds in his life when he'd felt death brush past…On this day he had lived with that feeling, with death breathing right in his face like the hot wind from a grenade across the street, for moment after moment after moment, for three hours or more.

Aidid thought nothing of ordering people killed, even his own people. Howe had evidence that Aidid’s henchmen were inciting demonstrations, then gunning down their own supporters in order to accuse the UN of genocide.

“Stebby, you better gather your stuff,” his commanding officer told him. “You’re going to war.”
…
On his way to the airport Stebbins stopped by his house to say a quick goodbye to his wife. It was the tearful scene you’d expect. Then when he got to the airport they told him he could go home, they wouldn’t be leaving until the next day.