As if anyone needed another example of how random the chaos and violence of war are, the medic nearly dies from Walowick’s accidental gunshot and Gearhart’s mistake nearly gets the whole platoon killed. Like the Charlie Company fiasco, these accidents remind Perry (and readers) that in war, no one is safe, either from his enemies or even his own friends. Nate Turner dies horribly on his first mission, just like Jenkins did, further driving home this lesson. In light of this suffering, the questions about why the soldiers are fighting take on an even greater urgency, since they all want and need to know that their sacrifices aren’t pointless. But it’s becoming less likely that they’ll get their answers.