Review of <i>Connected Soldiers: Life, Leadership, and Social Connections in Modern War</i>

John Spencer provides a glimpse into Soldiers' lives in combat during the Global War on Terror as well as the leadership challenges of building a team in the era of the internet.He underscores the importance of cohesion in the military.Spencer repeatedly quotes Audie Murphy, the most decorated Soldier of World War II, who told a reporter that he fought bravely because his friends were being killed.1 The internet complicates the task of building a team; as Soldiers increasingly immerse themselves in the outside world, they become less inclined to bond with their comrades.Spencer proposes a basic solution: good leadership.Good leadership, according to Spencer's book, is characterized by proficiency in influencing others towards the right standards and fostering teamwork.2 He illustrates this through his personal experiences and testimonies on fostering cohesion during his first deployment in 2003 as a platoon leader.Spencer later recounts how he transformed an incohesive company into a champion team within the battalion during his second deployment in 2008, despite the challenges of maintaining Soldier connections in the digital age.Unit cohesion is a function of good relationships that grow organically.Spencer provides numerous insights into the natural development of cohesion.His focus on boredom is particularly interesting.He writes: "Research indicates that strong bonds are actually forged through social cohesion during the long hours of boredom that characterize soldiering."