When the people of Ammon saw how the Nephite army suffered in defending them, they considered breaking their oath to lay down their weapons and defend themselves; Helaman persuaded them not to break their oath. Two thousand of their sons (who had been too young at the time to have made the covenant) volunteered to fight for the defense of the Nephites and the Ammonites. The young men asked Helaman, the son of Alma the Younger and a leader of the church among the Nephites, to be their commander. The young stripling warriors fought alongside the Nephite army and were one of the Nephites' most effective military units. Though every soldier was wounded at one time or another, there were no fatalities among the warriors. Helaman attributed this to the upbringing provided by their mothers and the great faith they exhibited.