Birdy is an eighteen-year old kid from Harlem, New York. After witnessing the events of 9/11, he felt helpless and wanted to do something to make a difference. Against his father’s wishes, he joined the army. He is assigned to the Civil Affairs unit and becomes a part of First Squad, with Jonesy, Captain Coles, and Marla. Birdy’s Uncle Richie served in the Vietnam War, and Birdy feels his uncle can understand his reasons for wanting to try and make a difference. Birdy’s faith in humanity and God are tested time and again throughout the novel. Birdy mentions that he’s not the hero type, though both Jonesy and his mom have alluded to this. By the novel’s end, he wonders if soldiers have to be the hero type in order to contain all of the death and destruction that they witness on a daily basis.

Jonesy is a blues-loving soldier who talks in riddles all tied around God or the blues. Though many people often can’t understand him, he fills in the role of both comic relief and the wise sage throughout the novel. He compares war to the blues with startling clarity. He befriends Birdy while the unit is stationed in Kuwait before entering Iraq and tells Birdy that they have to watch each other’s backs.