Chris returns to the United States and is reunited with Taya, who has been both worried about his safety and angered by his prolonged absence from his family. These are not the only problems in Chris's life: he has trouble bonding with his young children and discovers that another SEAL, Mike Monsoor, has been killed in combat. At Mike's funeral, Chris is reunited with Ryan Job and has the opportunity to pay his respects to Marc Lee, whose grave is near Mike's. Chris's time at home is also marked by bar fights, a signature part of life as a SEAL, and one that, given some of Chris's close connections among the authorities, carries few real repercussions.

Despite these dark notes, Chris is eager to get back into battle. It is his belief that the aggressive elimination of enemies is the best military strategy; at one point, he gets into an argument with Dick Couch, a military author who is more favorably inclined to a "hearts and minds" nation-building approach. Unfortunately, Chris is no longer in top physical condition. He must undergo intensive physical therapy to deal with an untreated knee injury from his time in Fallujah and suffers from elevated blood pressure.