In the northern desert of Kuwait, the elite, specially trained U.S. First Recon Marines prepare to invade Iraq as the "tip of the spear" for Operation Iraqi Freedom. At the Camp Mathilda staging ground, Marines in First Recon's Bravo Company combat boredom, cramped tents, shortages of necessary supplies and armor, mustache protocol, officer ineptitude, a wind storm, an espresso machine fire and rumors of J-Lo's death while awaiting orders from Col. Stephen "Godfather" Ferrando, the raspy-throated Commander of First Recon. They also welcome a writer ("Scribe") from Rolling Stone magazine, who'll be embedded with Bravo's five-vehicle Platoon 2 unit, riding in a Humvee with Team Leader Brad "Iceman" Colbert, driver Ray Person and LCpl. James Trombley. After an unexpected and portentous mass delivery of pizza, the soldiers finally break camp, pack up their Humvees and cross the northern border into Iraq -- and into an uncertain future.