First Platoon is an American saga, a story that illuminates a developing transformation of society made possible by new technology. Part war story, part legal drama, foreboding at every turn, it is about identity in the age of identification. About human biology (physical bravery, trauma, PTSD, amputation, ghost pain) in the age of biometrics (iris scans, fingerprint scans, voice patterning, detection by odor, gait, and more). About the power of point-of-view in a burgeoning surveillance state. About the profound issues around an erroneous presidential pardon. Ultimately, it is an investigative expose that reveals a post-9/11 Pentagon whose identification machines have grown more capable than the humans who must make sense of them. A Pentagon so powerful it can cover up its own internal mistakes in pursuit of endless wars.