Camilo Mejia joined the military in 1995 as an infantryman. In March of 2003, he found himself deployed to Iraq. Camilo's platoon sergeant and platoon leader did not approve of his leadership style as a squad leader, although Mejia simply wanted mutual respect and dignity to exist within his squad. The dehumanization that many squad leaders participate in in the infantry is what conditions infantrymen for their own dehumanization.

A good friend of Camilo's was disappointed when the man he shot lived; he was not going to get his first confirmed kill.

When Camilo asked how he was going to be able to communicate with detainees, he was told that they were like dogs, just keep yelling until they got it. Mock executions, simulated explosions, psychological torture were all being performed by Camilo's company.

After a firefight that left Iraqi civilians dead, a voice from a car called out to Camilo. Because of what he had been told about fake wounded, Camilo did not help this man. War is dehumanizing, and no one is immune.