No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honour

It is easy to hear about the war as a civilian and look away disinterested. It may even be effortless to assume it is a job like any other leaving family and friends at home while one goes to seat away in war zones. With the training, anyone can do it. Right? Wrong. We have heard possible every military story conceivable. However, there is a side that we rarely ever get to see or hear. The true unadulterated view from the inside. The side that is uncensored. In ‘No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honour’, Chrsitian Bussler takes us on a tour of the life of a Marine Reservist. One whose job description is to retrieve fallen comrades and prepare the bodies for eviction back to the US for burial. Everyone who has a job would like to have work to do every day. It is not the case for Mortuary Affairs Marines. If they are working, it means they have lost a member of the family. It is incredibly difficult but they are not to bring grief to the job. The MAs may not be out there winning the war but they take good care of those who put forth the final measure of devotion. This book is a profound dedication to them.

This is an autobiographical account of the Mortuary Affairs Marine life. The author takes the reader through the harrowing ordeals. From The call to action to the battle ridden areas they call home when on duty. The book goes into in depth details of what the job entails. The author does a good job of giving vivid descriptions of the landscape and situation therein. From the comfort of the couch, the tension and heat jump right out of the page into the living room. The author talks about the sacrifices required to be a member of the defense forces in a way that renews the reader’s appreciation for them. The positivity and bravery when faced with their own mortality is both devastating and motivating. These people leave their lives behind to fight for freedom. That something that seems so damningly mundane could be so hard to achieve is astounding. The narration in this book is effortlessly flowing.  

The author forgets to explain some military jargon but that only goes further to authenticate the military experience for the reader. There are some spellings and grammatical errors but those take nothing from the value of the book. The reader might not be able to put it down after they are done. They will also think about it for weeks after reading it. The subject is heavy but the author does a good of not devastating the reader too much.

Unlike most glory seeking stories in the market, this book is a genuine dedication to people who give up their lives for the sake of patriotism. It is a must-read for anyone who deems himself or herself a patriot. It gets 5 out of 5 every day for the quality of writing and subject.