Chris returns home, begins to bond with his son, and to readjust to the easygoing routines and everyday conflicts of civilian life. Although combat has not erased Chris’s joking personality, Taya notes that Chris has become emotionally distant. Nor does Chris spend all his time with his family; he devotes part his time to infiltration training at a program run by CIA and FBI specialists and parachuting exercises.

Chris’s spirits drop when he learns that his friend Marcus Luttrell has been reported missing in Afghanistan. (Fortunately, Marcus lives, and later records his experiences in Taliban-occupied territory in the book Lone Survivor.) Chris is given a few new comrades in arms—among the new SEALs assigned to his platoon are Ryan Job, who is somewhat out of shape but exhibits both good humor and abiding determination, and Marc Lee, who is highly religious but adapts well to the rough SEAL lifestyle. Chris is more satisfied with his superiors, since his new commanding officer and master chief bond well with the soldiers under his authority—and are willing to send the men into combat.

In the meantime, Chris’s relationship with Taya is placed under considerable stress; both Chris’s impending return to Iraq and smaller incidents, such as his decision to get additional tattoos, cause new tensions to arise.