Private Robin “Birdy” Perry from Harlem, New York is novel’s protagonist. He writes a letter to his uncle, Richie, explaining his thoughts on the possible war with Iraq and how he feels about disobeying his father’s wishes by joining the army. His uncle served in the Vietnam War and, like Birdy, wrote letters back home while stationed overseas. Birdy rereads some of these letters and assumes that his uncle can understand the jumpy feeling he has in his stomach. Uncle Richie, however, had joined a war already in progress. Birdy joined the army but never expected there to be a war. He jokes that the army should send pictures of their sophisticated military equipment to the Iraqis. This would cause the Iraqis to surrender without fail. Birdy notes that, even with all of the differences between the army that fought in Vietnam and the army he has joined—Vietnam War soldiers couldn’t recognize today’s modern, tech-savvy army—those soldiers would probably still understand the uneasy feeling of preparing for battle. Birdy admits that, as his uncle had predicted, he has been having doubts about joining the army. His dad is angry with him for joining the army instead of going to college.