Soldier for Life: Leader Lessons From The 12th Sergeant Major Of The Army Jack L. Tilley, by Jack Tilley

MWSA Review
A proven formula for leadership

"Soldier for Life" is more than a memoir of an American soldier who advanced through the ranks to become to most senior enlisted man in the U.S. Army. It also contains real life lessons that benefit managers who lead teams of people in any military and civilian workplace.

Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) Jack Tilley, now retired from the military, began his story as a 17-year-old high school student who joined the Army as something do after graduating from high school. At the time, he had no goal in life. His lessons began with basic training, Airborne School and on into Viet Nam as tank crew member during the intense fighting of the 1968 Tet Offensive. He left the war zone as an escort for the body of his best friend.

Tilley candidly described the emotional highs and lows of his career — from duties as a basic training drill sergeant, tank commander, platoon sergeant, first sergeant, chief instructor, and sergeant major at the battalion, brigade, division, Central Command and Department of the Army levels. Through each of these assignments, SMA Tilley learned and applied critical lessons in working with others; some lessons from his own mistakes, others via sage advice from peers and higher ranking mentors. Essential to earning respect and superior performances from subordinates is through one's personal actions, he wrote, rather than just with authoritarian orders.

During his 35 year tenure as a soldier, Tilley experienced an Army in constant change, the most significant included becoming an all-volunteer force, significantly enhancing educational standards for NCOS, and the controversial adoption of black berets as the standard headwear. As a division command sergeant major, he later served along the Iron Curtain in Germany during the Cold War, with the peacekeeping force in Bosnia during the breakup of Yugoslavia, and in the early years of the Global War on Terror. He was the 12th Sergeant Major of the Army when a commercial airliner deliberately crashed into the Pentagon where he was serving.
Tilley and his co-author, retired Command Sergeant Major Dan Elder, tell Tilley's story in a well-written narrative of an Army and a soldier in transition. Through this book, they share many lessons learned in getting the best results from others working in your organization.
"Soldier For Life" is must reading for every soldier —enlisted, NCO and officer—and every civilian who want to develop leadership abilities that are essential for success.
By Joe Epley, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
This book is more than just an autobiography of Jack L. Tilley, the 12th Sergeant Major of the Army, it is a series of leadership lessons based on selected stories from his more than 35-year career. The last Vietnam veteran to serve in that position from 2000-2004, SMA Tilley was at the Pentagon when terrorists crashed a plane into the nation’s largest "office building" on September 11, 2001. He and his co-author, Dan Elder weave a story beginning with Tilley's enlistment into the United States Army in the summer of 1966, his deployment to Vietnam, his ascension to positions of great responsibility, and describe influential events leading up to his eventual selection and assignment as the 12th Sergeant Major of the Army. Unique to his story are the "Understanding Tilley" segments that close each chapter where Tilley reflects on the chapter events, describes how those events influenced him, as well as explore lessons that the reader can use in their own journey.

ISBN/ASIN: 0996318100
Book Format(s): Hard cover
Genre(s): Memoir
Number of Pages: 242

The Twilight of the Day, by Ian A. O'Connor

MWSA Review
"In The Twilight of the Day, author Ian A. O'Connor tells an exciting tale that could be more fact than fiction. Based on actual events and a recurring theory, the author sets the stage for the secret transfer of American prisoners of war from North Vietnam to Libya at the end of the Viet Nam war. This story is totally believable and is told in a way that keeps the reader's attention from the first chapter until the end. 

The fact that all of the transferred POW's have degrees in a field related to nuclear physics or nuclear engineering gave me an idea right away what Gaddafi's regime was up to.  Their Libyan kidnappers demand that the American military personnel build a nuclear weapon.  They American's try to resist until it is made clear that they are not the only ones at risk.  Their families back in the US are too.

I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in historical fiction, the Vietnam war, and the fate of our still missing POWs.
Reviewed by Bob Doerr, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
The Twilight of the Day is a powerful story of human triumph in the face of impossible odds. It is a story of hope; a story of one man's resolute faith in God and country when lesser men would have succumbed.

Navy Captain James Vincent Trader endured years of relentless torment as a prisoner of the North Vietnamese. His true descent into hell began when he and nine others were sold in 1973 to a rogue country for 70 million dollars. Who was the buyer, and what was expected of these men? The answer is found in a closely guarded secret held by this extraordinary fraternity of pilots. 

The Twilight of the Day is a work of fiction steeped in fact and is guaranteed to keep the reader on the edge of his seat until the last page.

ISBN/ASIN: 9781511890137
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller, Literary Fiction
Number of Pages: 218

Let Go The Movement Process, by Sean Wyman

MWSA Review
Let Go the Movement Process, by author Sean Wyman is a short but heartfelt memoir and self-help book.  

Wyman's earnest recounting of his childhood is definitely gut-wrenching.  The author chronicles his parents' split-up; various short stays in a series of foster homes; his attempts to cope with an abusive, drug-dealing stepfather; and having to defend himself from repeated violent episodes in school.  He also provides details about how he continued to face adversity and challenges as he grew up and entered the work force.  

To overcome many obstacles in his life, the author relied on his faith and a motivational series of steps, which he codified into an acronym involving the letters of the word "movement."  Having successfully navigated his own life's challenges, the author offers to share his system, so that others can "Let Go the Movement Process."

This book might appeal to those looking for help overcoming adversity or learning how they might discover a path towards a purpose-filled life.  However, the reader should be warned that the version of the book submitted for review requires a significant amount of editing.
By John Cathcart, MWSA Awards Director and Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
So many people today refuse to let go of their past and it keeps them from having the life they deserve. They hold onto the self-doubt, fear, and insecurity that holds them hostage from having a purpose driven life. In this book, I share my story of being held hostage by my past, finally realizing it, and a finding a movement process through divine intervention to let it go. Now I have been called to help you discover this process so you can let go of your past and move forward with your life. It took me over 40 years to discover what you will learn in a much shorter period of time in this book. So as you get started, allow me to be the first to say "Welcome to the Movement"

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1539414360
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Religious/Spiritual
Number of Pages: 102
 

Missing Star, by Don Westenhaver

MWSA Review
Don Westenhaver's MISSING STAR is a well paced telling of one Marine's refusal to give up on the love of his life.

Danny, a Marine recently returned from the World War I front, is happy to be back home, but dismayed to find that his long time love, Joyce, has gone missing after finally catching her big Hollywood break.  Danny vows to find her, and sets forth on an adventure fraught with danger as crooked cops and corrupt businessmen try to keep Danny from finding out the truth.

Westenhaver does a great job of developing the character of Danny, and revealing his motivations for what he does.  A good Catholic boy who was forced to fight and kill for his country, he carried those wounds with him back home.  The story Westenhaver creates shows Danny using what he learned as a Marine to tirelessly search for his lost love, even though he isn't sure she even wants him back.  

Colored with the author’s own experiences as a Marine and in the oil industry, this book offers an interesting story line, memorable characters, and gripping action.  Definitely worth the time and effort!

by Rob Ballister, MWSA Awards Director and Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
Danny Parker, a pilot wounded in the Great War, returns home to Long Beach, California, in 1919 hoping to reconcile with his former girlfriend, Joyce Villareal, who is now a silent movie star. But Joyce has disappeared. Danny and Joyce were best friends since first grade. As juniors in high school their friendship became romantic. But just before graduation, Danny surprised Joyce by announcing he planned to study for the priesthood. Angry and hurt, she broke up with him and moved to Hollywood to become an actress at Paramount. Three years later, he left the seminary and enlisted in the Marines, eventually becoming one of the first Marine aviators. He crashes in France and barely survives a horrendous battle. Finally home in Long Beach, he has no desire to return to the seminary or the service. His physical wounds have healed but not the emotional trauma of death and destruction from so many months of combat. His only plan is to resume a relationship with Joyce, if she’ll have him. Bu first he has to find her. Danny searches her bungalow near Griffith Park, finding a hidden diary which mentions dates with three men, whom she refers to as the Comedian, the Daredevil, and the Producer. He visits Paramount Pictures in Hollywood, where Joyce has been filming Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with John Barrymore. Paramount assigns a detective to the case. The Los Angeles Police Department is strangely unconcerned. The search for Joyce has given Danny’s life meaning again. He enlists the help of the stunt pilot who taught him to fly, an old priest scarred by the Indian Wars, a police chief who prefers justice to politics, and a big tent evangelist who preaches women’s rights. Clues lead to a former Barnum & Bailey showman who owns hundreds of Nickelodeon theaters and is now running for mayor of Los Angeles.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-50690-366-8, 978-1-50690-367-5
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 261

Invasion: Ice Hammer Book 1, by Basil Sands

MWSA Review
Basil Sands lead novel in the ICE HAMMER series is a non-stop thought-provoking thriller that I could just not put down!

Set in Alaska in the present day, the world is turned upside down when the new Russian confederation, along with China and several Muslim factions, invade the United States and Canada.  The larger US cities are nuked at the outset, and smaller civilian populations around other major ports are conquered and ruthlessly controlled.  Veterans and rugged citizens in and around Anchorage, Alaska are left to band together to survive, and eventually take the fight back to the enemy.

Brad Stone, a Marine "no longer on active duty," finds himself leading fugitives through the woods away from the conquering Chinese.  Along the way, he meets up with others who bring unique skills to his small group, and together they plan to survive.  Through propaganda and just dumb luck, Brad finds himself being called "the Ice Hammer," by both the resistance movement and the Chinese.  Struggling with his own demons of faith and haunted by the wife he feels he couldn't protect, is he up to the challenge of being the focus of the fight to reclaim the lifestyle that was taken from his country?

The action is fast, the characters are amazing, and there is plenty to keep the reader engaged.  This is every bit as good as Jeff Edwards, Tom Clancy, or Dale Brown; fans of those authors will gobble this up and wait for the sequel.  No sex to speak of, but with some gory war scenes, this is probably a "PG-13" read, but definitely worth it for fans of the military techno-thriller.  Highly recommended!

By Rob Ballister, MWSA Awards Director and Reviewer

Synopsis:
It only took an instant for the world to come crashing down. 

The bombs came first, and the troops were close behind. Life in the dream that was America ceased when a deadly new alliance of Communist states from Russia, China, and their allies invaded from the North. 

The invasion splits Brad Stone's family apart. His wife, Youngmi, is captured and exploited by Alaska's new Communist warlord. Brad and his sons narrowly avoid massacre and retreat into the icy wilderness albeit in separate directions. Brad, a former Marine, finds himself thrust to the front as the warrior they call “Ice Hammer” – a leader, a legend, and the most wanted man in occupied Alaska. 

Brad, Youngmi, and their sons Ben and Ian must find their way through the horrors of war. They may not live to see victory, but they will not live as slaves. They have already learned a brutal truth: 

The age of peace has ended. The age of the Ice Hammer has begun.

ISBN/ASIN: B01NAJRXFE
Book Format(s): Audiobook, Kindle
Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 340

65 Below, by Basil Sands

MWSA Review
Basil Sands delivers another thriller with 65 Below.
 
Retired Marine Marcus Johnson has returned to his Alaskan home after years of hunting bad guys.  He is ready to trap, fish, and maybe rekindle his love with sexy but dangerous Alaska State Trooper Lonnie Wyatt, who moved on from him when he was reported missing in action many years ago.  However, when some North Korean special forces troops are discovered stealing a dangerous biological agent, Johnson has to return to action along with some of his special forces buddies to make sure the threat is stopped…COLD.
 
Solid action, rough and tumble military characters, and a unique story all combine to make this a worthwhile read.  I first found the overlapping timelines a bit distracting, but once I figured them out, they really enhanced the story.  Sands has a solid understanding of special forces and the military in general, and is second to none regarding his knowledge of Alaska.  All of the above roll together to make this an enjoyable, exciting read.
 
Techno-thriller fans who like Jeff Edwards, Tom Clancy and Dale Brown will love this.
Reviewed by Rob Ballister, MWSA Awards Director and Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
A nearly forgotten bunker in the frozen wastes of Alaska is hiding a weapon that could end the world. 

Retired Marine Master Sergeant Marcus “Mojo” Johnson – returned to his family homestead in rural Alaska after twenty years of chasing bad men – enlists an elite team of combat veterans and personal friends to intercept the enemy before it releases a decades-old secret that can’t be destroy and was never meant to be found. And it all plays out in the brutal, beautiful Alaskan wilderness, in sub-zero temperatures where human flesh freezes in mere minutes.

The chase is on, and only Mojo and his allies can stop the apocalypse before it begins.

ISBN/ASIN: B01M7P00OF
Book Format(s): Audiobook, Kindle
Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 307
 

Memories from Vietnam: 45 Years and a Wakeup, by Bill Strouse

MWSA Review
If you're looking for a genuine book on the Vietnam war experience, Memories from Vietnam 45 Years and a Wake-Up is your book.  Authors Brad Newell and Bill Strouse did a great job in compiling the experiences of members of Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Regiment, 11th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division while in Vietnam from December 1967 until November 1971.  The authors served in Bravo Company themselves at the time, and their presence in the conflict alongside the other veterans who contributed to the book provided added credibility and focus.

I enjoyed reading this book.  Reading it, I imagined a group of veterans sitting around and telling stories from their own memories in that war.  Some stories would make them cry and some would make them laugh. The individual chapters felt just like that, as though you were there with that circle of veterans, and they were talking straight to you.  The book isn't about one person's experiences, it's about how the war affected a tight knit group of soldiers, true brothers-in-arms.

I recommend this book for anyone with an interest in the Vietnam War or wishing to learn more about a soldiers life in combat.
Reviewed by Bob Doerr, MWSA Reviewer

Synopsis:
69 short stories from soldiers of Bravo Co., 3rd BN, 1st INF REG, 11th LIB, Americal Division, presented chronologically in 1968, providing a more personal look into the daily routines in the lives of infantry soldiers, both in combat and at rest. Stories are humorous as well as sad, and provide a different perspective on the Vietnam conflict. The stories begin with jungle training in Hawaii, then transport to VN on a troop ship, and follows the soldiers for their one year tour of duty operating in I CORPS from the South China Sea west to Laos and Cambodia.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-9966598-0-2
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Nonfiction, History, Memoir
Number of Pages: 261
 

Free Fire Zone, by Dennis Maulsby

MWSA Review
Sometimes we are compelled to fight evil. To do so we must become evil at times. This novel is about the risk of becoming that which you confront.

Free Fire Zone by Dennis Maulsby is a complex novel. It is a combination thriller, literary fiction and science fiction.  The novel speaks to the pain of war and the horror observed therein and the inner battle the warrior fights to resist becoming what he has to be on the battlefield.  Maulsby addresses the demons created by PTSD, but he brings his demon to life, imbuing it with personality and power beyond any description I've read before.  One does what one must in war in order to survive and support his warrior brothers.  There is heart-rending, heart-changing danger in doing that.  Maulsby tackles the topic head on, breathes life into it, even if it makes a reader uncomfortable.  This mature audience reading for sure.
Review by Mike Mullins, MWSA Reviewer
 

Author's Synopsis:
In his ecstasy of power, he is mad for battle …
Pure frenzy fills him. — Achilles in the Illiad.

Welcome to the Free Fire Zone, also known as a free kill zone. In Vietnam, it was enemy territory, all the friendlies and neutrals moved out. Anyone found in such an area was considered hostile, a legitimate target that could be killed on sight, no questions asked. Each of the sixteen stories in this book originate from this zone, any subject, any genre fair game.

Free Fire Zone is a book of linked short stories, each introduced by a poem. Arranged in chronological order, seventeen stories follow the life of Lieutenant Rod Teigler, from his combat experience in Vietnam through a civilian life plagued with a re-wired brain. A mind now shared with an alternate berserker personality struggling to become dominant.

ISBN/ASIN: 987-1-63275-082-2
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy/Sci Fi
Number of Pages: 252
 

Snowden's Story, One Marine's Indebtedness to the Corps; by Lawrence F. Snowden

MWSA Review
“Snowden’s Story” is a fascinating look at the life of a member of the "greatest generation:" Lt. General Lawrence F Snowden, USMC (retired).  The memoir begins by covering Snowden’s early years, college, and his entry into the Marine Corps.  

Explaining that he has already covered the subject “in another volume [of] an Oral History Interview,” Snowden skips over his combat experiences on the beaches of Iwo Jima, and instead covers a few memories associated with time spent recovering from his wounds from that battle.  He then moves on to a rather detailed recounting of his movement up the ranks of the USMC.  At the time of his retirement, Snowden had reached near the pinnacle to which any Marine officer can aspire: a 3-star general in contention for the top job, Commandant.

After retirement from the Marine Corps in 1975, Snowden worked several years with the Hughes Aircraft Company—where the close ties he had nurtured with Japanese military and civilian officials paid great dividends.  Snowden's connection with Japan is a recurrent theme that runs throughout the book.  At the outset, the Japanese were the enemy. Then, as the scars of that war began to heal, he started to appreciate the human side of his former adversary.  Eventually, he considered the Japanese valued friends; and he theirs.

Although Snowden explains that he wrote the book because he wanted to tell "my great, great grandchildren (strictly family) something about my life because they didn't get to see me or know me," the book has wider appeal.  Snowden's detailed accounting of his assignments during his long Marine Corps career—including almost every person with whom he worked throughout his career—makes an important contribution to USMC history.

The last several chapters are much more personal and moving.  This is especially true in the chapter entitled "The Declining Decade," which is a sometimes brutally honest look at the realities of reaching the twilight of life.  Sadly, the prediction Snowden makes at the beginning of this chapter—“God will call me home to the Big Marine Corps Base in the Sky sometime in the 2016-2020 timeframe”—proved accurate.   General Snowden passed away on February 18, 2017.

"Snowden's Story" certainly accomplishes the mission Snowden himself set out for this book: providing a record for his great, great grandchildren and beyond.  More than a personal story for his family's history, the book will also appeal to those interested in the details of a life dedicated to service.

By John Cathcart, MWSA Awards Director and Reviewer
 

Synopsis:
Lt. General Lawrence F. Snowden has experienced much over the course of his lifetime. A true Southern gentleman, General Snowden presents a humble account of his many accomplishments. At the age of 95, his mind is as sharp as a tack, his wit dry, and his demeanor humble and thankful for all he has achieved in an extraordinary life. This volume, which can serve as a companion to the oral history of General Snowden’s military career (History Division, U.S. Marine Corps, 2011), is a gift to his children, grandchildren, and future generations. It is also a tribute to his beloved Marine Corps and to all the citizens of the United States. General Snowden is the oldest surviving member of the Marines' assault on Iwo Jima during WWII. He served his country in three wars, then founded the Reunion of Honor, which continues to this day as a symbol of friendship between the American and Japanese people, honoring those who served on both sides with annual reunions at Mount Siribachi on Iwo Jima. In 2015, General Snowden was inducted into Florida's Veterans Hall of Fame in recognition of his service to his country and his advocacy for elder Floridians. In 2016, the Commandant Marine Corps presented General Snowden two awards for lifetime public service, one from the Secretary of Defense and one from the Secretary of the Navy. After retiring from his military career and a second career in international business, General Snowden moved to Tallahassee, where he continues to inspire young and old with his philosophy of honor, service, and gratitude.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0985943844
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Audiobook
Genre(s): Nonfiction, History, Memoir
Number of Pages: 262

A Long Way Back, by J. Everett Prewitt

MWSA Review
When Anthony Andrews arrived in Vietnam, in June, 1969, he was expecting to accomplish exactly what he had been sent to do by his editor at the Washington Post. As a black reporter embedded with American troops, he was to send home positive stories about the experiences of young black soldiers. But Southeast Asia was about to change his life forever with two unusual events.

When a Chinook helicopter delivered seven soldiers to his base, Anthony was only a casual observer, but what he saw suggested a story that needed to be told. The new arrivals were filthy, their uniforms tattered, their eyes haunted, their bodies showing signs of severe malnutrition. Two were wounded, and—strangest of all-- all of them were black. Anthony watched as they were hustled away with no chance for questions or greetings or interviews. His attempts to learn more about the men and their mission failed to get any information—not even their names.

Shortly thereafter, the commander of the unit to which he had been assigned sent him out to accompany a reconnaissance mission. Without warning, their foray turned into a gun battle. The leader of the squadron failed to appear, enemy troops ambushed the Americans, and Anthony’s escort was killed. Facing North Vietnamese soldiers sneaking up from the rear, Anthony grabbed his unfamiliar gun and killed several of them, thus alerting his squad in time to avoid danger.

Those two events defined the rest of Anthony’ stay in Vietnam. His abrupt introduction to the horrors of jungle warfare left him suffering from what we recognize today as PTSD. He compared the disorder to carrying a snake in one’s pocket. As he tried to deal with his own trauma, his efforts to learn the story behind the seven black soldiers became more and more frustrating. No one would talk about the incident, and the seven men simply disappeared.

Anthony returned home at the end of his tour, still suffering the effects of PTSD and still unable to forget about what he had seen. He watched helplessly as his career, his marriage, and his health collapsed.

In Part II, readers learn the horrific details behind the event Anthony had witnessed. The story of the seven black soldiers is told in gut-wrenching detail, both from the black soldiers’ own point of view and from that of the female Viet Cong guerrilla who pursued them. The descriptions are not for the faint-of heart nor for those unprepared to deal with the effects of unchecked racism and human cruelty.

In Part III, the stories come together, as Anthony manages to work through his personal traumatic experience by finding his seven black soldiers, each of whom shows up carrying his own private “snake.” This is not a pretty story, and despite a somewhat happy conclusion, not everyone will enjoy reading about this particularly dark period in America’s history.
Review by Carolyn Schriber, MWSA Reviewer
 

Synopsis:
When a reporter for the Washington Post sees a group of wounded, half-starved, black troops disembark from a helicopter in Cu Chi during the height of the Vietnam War, he senses a story but receives no cooperation from the army or the soldiers.

The men, mostly noncombat soldiers, are the remnant of a squad sent on an illegal mission to Cambodia as punishment for their participation in a race riot at Cu Chi base camp. Led by a battle-fatigued sergeant, they fall under enemy fire. Their leader inexplicably disappears, leaving the ill-prepared soldiers to fight the jungle and enemy on their own.

Although forced to confront the shock of combat and a deteriorating family life, the reporter pursues the story, hoping to uncover the truth about what happened to those soldiers in the jungle.

An intriguing glimpse into the Vietnam War, A Long Way Back is a tense journey merging the lives of the soldiers and the reporter as they struggle to overcome their fear and face the battles they must fight to survive.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1514129265
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, ePub, Kindle
Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 380
 

Nazi Saboteurs on the Bayou, by Steven Burgauer

MWSA Review
This historical fiction is told from several geographic and character viewpoints that all affect the outcome.  It centers around the amazing Higgins boats that were critical the successful landings by American troops in World War II   The story involves U.S. Marines and Navajo code talkers, a fictional Nazi plot to sabotage production of the Higgins boats, New Orleans prostitutes,  a Mafia Don and an American crime boss who help the Allies both in Italy and in Louisiana, a Cuban banker who works with British Intelligence and the Mafia, and the brilliant minds of Bletchley Park code-breakers and Commander Ian Fleming of MI6.  Much detail is offered at each location including the struggles to get the design of the improved boats funded, the struggles to break codes, the realities of fighting in the South Pacific, and the reasons for changing to Navajos for code talking.  A good story for not only those who are interested in WWII but also for anyone who likes mystery and intrigue.
Review by Nancy Kauffman, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis
Nazi Saboteurs on the Bayou intertwines historic persons, actual events and distant locales of World War II with a fast-moving fictional Nazi plot to disrupt the manufacture of Higgins boats, the remarkable landing craft that won the war for the Allies.  Spanning the globe from amphibious landings at Guadalcanal, to the Navajo code talker school, to the exotic environs of New Orleans, to the secret world of Bletchley Park, this tautly written thriller, covering two weeks during the summer of 1942, combines a fully imagined cast of characters with the historically important figures of Andrew Higgins, members of American and British Intelligence, Navajo code talker Chester Nez, Commander Ian Fleming of MI6, along with a Polish intelligence officer, and “Silver Dollar Sam” Carolla, crime boss of New Orleans.

An old German is found dead in a New Orleans whorehouse.  Sewn into the lining of the dead man’s vest is a notebook filled with hand-drawn maps and notes about the comings and goings at military installations.  German conspirators fret that their local contact (the dead German) is overdue.  Mafia crime boss Nico Carolla, is soon drawn into the disposition of the corpse.

We move to the Pacific and meet the grandson of the dead German, PFC Brock, a U.S. Marine being trained for the landings at Guadalcanal.  Then we meet Andrew Jackson Higgins at the helm of the single most important landing craft ever built, the Higgins Boat, the steel-ramped landing craft that brought American troops to Pacific islands and to Normandy.  In his colorful manner, Higgins is instructing a class of Coast Guard newbies on how to properly drive and operate his nearly indestructible boat.  Higgins faces shortages of materials, manpower, and factory space.  The Mafia boss controls much of the labor supply.  Accommodations must be made to placate the mob family, who also have Old World connections in critical to the upcoming North African landings.

The Waffen-SS officers charged with sabotaging the Higgins Boat plant arrive, only to learn of the loss of the intelligence gathered by the dead German.  Now enter the code breakers at Bletchley Park who intercept the commando team’s messages, including one female mathematician through whose eyes we see inside Bletchley Park.

America is almost entirely dependent on Britain’s MI6 for intelligence gathering.  We meet Martina Amerada, a Cuban woman with a high-level banking responsibility, including ties to British intelligence, and who is Nico Carolla’s mistress.  Martina moves money for the crime family and provides diplomatic cover between the Palermo branch of the family and the planners of Operation Torch.  We are also introduced to the Navajo code-talker program essential to securing Marine Corps messages in the Pacific theater.

The German commando team searches for the lost notebook by visiting the whorehouses Brock has been known to frequent, which leads to a murder and later retaliation by the Mafia against the German conspirators.  Half the German commando team perishes.  US marshals are drawn into the story as bodies are discovered in the nearby bayous.  The Mafia is suspected.  When the marshals confront Carolla, the marshals are put on the trail of the commandos which leads to the death of the marshals.

Bletchley Park is busy trying to crack the code imbedded in the Himmler messages, We move back to the Pacific where grandson Brock is involved in the bloody landings ahead of Guadalcanal.  Brock is wounded and nearly dies as the remaining commando attempts to demolish the largest Higgins Boat manufacturing facility in New Orleans. With the help of British intelligence, Nico Carolla prevents the plant from being destroyed and thus becomes the hero of the story.

Operation Torch gets underway and the Higgins boats prove their indispensability to the war effort.  PFC Brock recovers from his wounds, and Martina takes possession of all intelligence related to the German commandos so the threat never becomes public knowledge.

ISBN/ASIN:
978-0692808122 / 978-1370981212 / B01MYLUNUK
Book Format(s): Soft cover, ePub, Kindle
Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 324

First watch the short, video book trailer, then enjoy the book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQs2pwr89RI

A Passel of Trouble -- The Saga of loyalist Partisan David Fanning, by Joe Epley

MWSA Review
When Americans recall their first brush with the history of the American Revolution—for most of us way back in elementary school—one of the lessons remembered is likely to be that the country was divided into thirds.  One third of Americans supported independence, a third opposed it, and the final third was undecided or uncommitted.  

Most scholars now agree that although this bit of historical "common knowledge" was based on a letter President John Adams wrote in 1815; it appears that Adams was referring to the French Revolution and not the American one.  Even if less than a third of Americans were on the side of the British, and given our understandable focus on the “winning side,” it's easy to forget that there were tens of thousands of Americans who sided with England before, during and after the Revolution.  The Loyalist perspective is not normally the focus of historical fiction covering the period.

Joe Epley’s Passel of Trouble takes this relatively untraveled road by concentrating on the life of an actual Loyalist soldier named David Fanning.  To help transport the reader back in time to this tumultuous period of American history, Epley often uses the voice of a friend of David Fanning to serve as narrator.  

The first half of the book covers young Fanning’s introduction to the struggle by the Loyalists to defeat fellow countrymen intent on breaking all bonds with mother England.  Most of the action takes place in North and South Carolina.  Later on, as the enthusiastic young man continues to experience the horrors of war, we see a different man emerge—a war-hardened veteran.  By the end of the book—once the Loyalist cause seems lost—the protagonist strikes out in ways anything but heroic.

If the reader is expecting a chance to enjoy empathizing with a “good guy” on the losing side of the conflict, Passel of Trouble will not make it easy to do so.  Instead, Epley provides a detailed and unflinching look at how war has the devastating power to turn a once-honorable civilian soldier into a revenge-seeking killer.  

Thoroughly researched and filled with fascinating historical detail, Epley has given us a solid contribution to our understanding of this period and an interesting look into a part of the American Independence conflict not often explored.

By John Cathcart, MWSA Awards Director and Reviewer
 

Author's Synopsis:
"A Passel of Trouble" is a story that crackles with excitement -- bold action, narrow escapes -- set against the backdrop of the American struggle for independence. This exciting American Revolutionary War thriller is based on the actual exploits of one of the most courageous and notorious Loyalist partisans in the Carolinas -- David Fanning. When the Revolution started in 1775, Fanning fought in the first battle in the south at Ninety Six, South Carolina. For the next three and a half years, he was on the run except for fourteen times when captured by the patriot forces. His escapes were bodacious, his ability to survive in the backcountry wilderness under harsh conditions extraordinary. The last two years of the war found him in central North Carolina where his leadership and spectacular actions won admiration from the British, who made him a militia colonel. He was a hero to the Tory families in the region and a hated, vicious scoundrel to Americans fighting for independence. Historian James Watterson, in his biography of Governor Thomas Burke, who was captured by Fanning, wrote: “Fanning’s tactics defied suppression. His clandestine movements, executed usually by night over remote and difficult terrain, were exceptionally hard to contain.” Why did he side with the British? How did this uneducated teenage sergeant develop into a crafty and treacherous partisan leader who often outwitted superior size forces? How did the Quakers influence his actions? These are just some of the intriguing stories within the saga of David Fanning. Award-winning author and playwright Bob Inman calls the book "a compelling tale, mighty well told." Another noted author and attorney, Scott Syfert, said A Passel of Trouble is "A rollicking good read, but never at the expense of historical accuracy."

ISBN/ASIN: 9781535188821
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 432

Crap Shoot, by Robert Moriarty

MWSA Review
Crap Shoot, by Robert Moriarty—available exclusively in e-book format and almost short-story in length—covers two main events in the main character's life.  The book's opening chapter puts you in the cockpit of a Marine F-4B on a mission near the coast of North Vietnam in 1968.  In the following six chapters, the reader is transported back via flashback to the protagonist's initial training as a Marine Aviation Cadet—focusing on the budding fighter pilot's forays into bar hopping, craps shooting, and women chasing.  In the final two chapters, you'll return to that same F-4 cockpit and complete the combat mission you started at the outset.

Strap on your G-suit and oxygen mask and get ready for a wild and bumpy ride to a very different era.  Crap Shoot transports the reader to a time when any "blue-eyed, Marine fighter pilot" might say "it will be a cold day in hell before the Marine Corps lets a woman into the cockpit of a jet fighter," and not raise an eyebrow.  You'll find plenty of action and experience life among a very elite section of the military—the world of the Marine combat fighter pilot.  Not surprisingly—given the book's title—you'll also learn quite a bit about shooting craps.  

Moriarty's writing style is frank, direct and at once familiar and anachronistic.  Men—and yes, this was a period of time when an American fighter cockpit was exclusively a men's club—would use a self-assured, jargon-filled language that fit the rarified world in which they lived.  Their salty language was occasionally sprinkled with a mixture of Southeast Asian expressions that became a part of everyday conversation: "If I decided to didi mau I wasn't about to pin on any new hero medals."

There was a time and place where that sentence would need no explanation.  I spent the first part of my USAF flying career listening to words like those from the Vietnam combat veterans with whom I flew.  Over the years I got used to hearing—and still remember—expressions like "Sawadi kap" or "Layo Layo."  They became part of the lexicon—a connection to a different time and a different place.  Although the expression didi mau didn't ring any bells for me, a quick online search confirmed that the it comes from Vietnamese—Di, go; and Di Mau: Go quickly.  

Moriarty's authentic language and especially his depiction of aerial combat exudes authenticity—perhaps bafflingly so for those unfamiliar with the specialized lingo.  That same macho spirit and language might be a bit jarring to some.

If you're ready to climb into your trusty F-4 Phantom and go for a quick joyride chasing after MIGs—or the occasional beautiful craps player—you might want to give Crap Shoot a try.

By John Cathcart, MWSA Awards Director and Reviewer

Author's Synopsis: 
A young Marine fighter-pilot faces the worst odds imaginable over the flak-filled skies of North Vietnam when three enemy fighters jump him. Should he fight when all seems hopeless or turn and run to safety so he might return to fight another day? What are the odds of him making it home to his beloved wife?

Author: Robert Moriarty
ISBN/ASIN: B01A7BXEQI
Book Format(s):  Kindle
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 57
 

Animal Parts, by David Knop

MWSA Review
Cannibals, spirits and a protagonist with personal problems spell adventure in David Knop’s latest mystery.

Cochiti Pueblo Police Officer Peter Romero, a former Marine, tries to balance his life as a cop and his Indian heritage with his disintegrating marriage and his attraction to an FBI agent. 

Is any cop ready to tackle unknown killers that bite and disembowel their victims? Romero searches for the killers but has a difficult time explaining the mysterious help of a mountain lion he killed. As he delves deeper into the spirit world of his ancestors, he finds more questions that answers. He also finds that he has been chosen to rid the world of an evil that started generations earlier.

The author shares his knowledge of, and respect for, Native American mythology and history. This action is fast-paced and the characters believable in this third Peter Romero mystery.

by Pat Avery, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
A Cochiti Pueblo cop chases beastlike poachers murdering humans and seeks retribution for the spirit of a cougar in this thriller. New Mexico Game and Fish enlists Peter Romero to track and kill a mountain lion responsible for a hiker’s death and someone else injured. He succeeds, only to have Cougar, the animal’s spirit, appear later and demand vengeance against others who’ve murdered his mate and children. Pueblo governor Herbert Trujillo next sends Romero after poachers, who turn out to be hunters removing and selling specific parts from animals. The poachers take a shot at Romero once he’s on their trail, but during a subsequent confrontation, the cop sees what he describes as a creature with “serpent eyes” and “jagged dogteeth.” And there’s more than one of what he determines are cannibalistic windigos, whose murder victims likewise include humans. Romero works with FBI Special Agent Jean Reel on an investigation that takes them to Oklahoma, while the cop’s attraction to Reel complicates his goal of mending ties with estranged wife, Constancia. The fact that fellow law enforcers aren’t buying Romero’s windigo assertion doesn’t stop him from finding a way to slay the beasts. He’ll just have to prove that the men he suspects are murderous cannibals. Regardless, the protagonist fully believes what he sees, and he’s devoted to stopping the murderers, despite a fear that he’ll spend life in prison for offing reputed humans.

Author: David Knop
ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-944785-79-6
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 260

Sin Eater, by John Schembra

MWSA Review:
Starting in the 18th-century, some northern European cultures believed in a
mysterious figure known as a sin eater, who, by consuming a ritual meal
over the body of a person who had just died, absorbed all the sins of the
deceased, thus allowing his purified soul to escape eternal punishment for
his misdeeds. The practice continued through much of the 19th century,
particularly in Appalachia,  but faded and then disappeared in more modern
times. In John Schembra’s Sin Eater, the author has resurrected the
legends and transformed this shadowy figure into a modern day serial killer
who does not wait for death to provide his clients. This new sin eater
stalks the terminally ill and helpfully releases them from sins and life
simultaneously.

When the sin eater murders a chemistry professor on the grounds of a small
college, Sarah, an over-qualified campus policewoman, and Nico, a
socially-inept young history professor, team up to hunt down the
black-cloaked figure who threatens their school and community. If you
prefer your mysteries to tell a straight-forward story without too many
confusing dead ends and false leads, you’ll like this quick and easy read.
And if you prefer your police procedurals with a twist of romance and more
than a whiff of the supernatural, you may find this little book the perfect
way to spend a cold winter’s night.
By Carolyn Schriber, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
The shocking murder of a professor at San Donorio State College brings the city police to investigate, with Campus Police Officer Sarah Ferris as the college liaison. Sarah's friend, Nico Guardino, a history professor at the college, gets drawn into helping and while Nico and Sarah struggle to find the murderer, the killing continues. As Nico is inexorably drawn deeper and deeper into the investigation, he begins getting flashes of visions and deep feelings of dread that he knows are somehow connected to the murderer. He feels the connection becoming stronger, but how and why remains unknown. His visions and feelings are becoming more and more disturbing as the investigation progresses... 

Author: John Schembra
ISBN/ASIN: 978-1925191929 ASIN # B01M0TWRHH
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, ePub, Kindle
Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 200

The War Within, the Story of Josef, by Patricia Walkow

 MWSA Review

The War Within, The Story of Josef: A young man's wartime journey through cruelty and kindness, hatred and love, despair and hope.

Patricia Walkow expertly weaves a biography into a book that reads like a classic novel. In The War Within, the Story of Josef, we meet Walkow’s father-in-law during his time as a slave laborer for the Third Reich. Conscripted in his native Poland in 1939, Josef works first in construction on roads in the vicinity of the concentration camps. He’s then shipped to Germany to work in a factory. There, a deadly accident with a barrel incapacitates him severely enough that he cannot work. He will be executed by his captors when they discover his injury.

In defiance of the rules, Willie Mirz, a German ambulance driver, arranges for Josef to receive medical care by a German doctor and recover in a German home for a long enough time that Josef begins to fall into love with a German girl. This is a side to Nazi Germany that is rarely reported. Josef struggles not only with the amputation of his leg, but also with the concept of receiving aid from compassionate Germans at a time and place where they could be imprisoned or worse for helping him.

As Josef adjusts to losing a leg and grows to appreciate and understand his benefactors, he asks the question, “Heart to heart, are there any enemies?” It’s a profound and deeply philosophical question for a young enslaved Pole to ask. And it truly is the heart of this well-written and insightful book. Other threads that make up the warp and woof of this remarkable story are the themes of determination, courage, hope, fear, despair, love, joy, and new beginnings.

Meticulously researched and skillfully written, this novel begs us to depart from what we think we know and open our hearts to what can be. Josef Walkow and Willie Mirz have shown us the way. Patricia Walkow has faithfully recorded it. What will be our response as we make our choices throughout our lives?

By Betsy Beard, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
The War Within, the Story of Josef, is a creative nonfiction biography of Josef, a teenage Christian Polish slave laborer, forced to work in Nazi Germany during World War II. The setting is Nazi Germany, French Occupied Germany after the end of World War II, and New York City. The span of years for the story is 1943-1954. Josef was a real person, and experienced all of the events in the story. At the outset of the story, Josef awakens after his left leg was amputated due to an accident in the factory where he worked in Southern Germany. A talented mechanic, even at his young age, Josef has a natural ability to understand, repair and fabricate machinery. Because of his usefulness, his life is spared, although slave laborers are normally considered expendable, and when injured, are summarily executed. German citizens are prohibited from helping slave laborers. Yet, Willie, a German ambulance driver only a few years older than Josef, saves Josef's life by taking him to the hospital and allowing him to recuperate in his own home. Willie lives with his mother, Sonya, a loyal German. Through the course of his recuperation, Josef fights his hatred of the Germans; Sonya roils with emotion as she comes to see the injured boy as a human being, rather than an enemy, and Willie questions his own motivations for helping the young Pole. Ella, a young German girl who is a cook and maid in a nearby house, befriends Josef. She struggles with her own mother's decision to remove her from school, forcing her to work as a servant. Josef and Ella fall in love and keep their love a secret through the war. When the war ends, they remain in French-occupied Germany, marry, and start a family.

Author: Patricia Walkow
ISBN/ASIN: 978-1519181015
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Biography
Number of Pages: 357

The Art of Peace, by Robert Moriarty

MWSA Review
In his book The Art of Peace, author Robert Moriarty tells us about his experiences in the Marines and, in particular, his experiences in the Vietnam War. His writing style helps the reader easily visualize the events as they unfolded in his life. The author is very blunt in portraying his feelings as a young man who looked forward to proving himself in combat and then pointing out how those feelings changed as he became more aware of the duplicity within the military and government leadership directing the war. One might not agree with everything the author says, but he lays out a very provocative argument that the Vietnam conflict was based on a desire by senior leaders to get involved in another war and not the Gulf of Tonkin crisis.

This is a good book for anyone with an interest in learning more about close air support during the war in Vietnam or an interest in Marine air power in  general. Moriarty’s wide range of skill with a variety of military aircraft gives him significant credibility. The book also provides an interesting look at the psychology of combat veterans and their perceptions of leadership and rear echelon support personnel.

As I have mentioned, a couple different themes run through the book. The author did a thorough job covering both of them.

by Bob Doerr, MWSA Reviewer
 

Author's Synopsis:
This is a reflection on the current status of the US military from the youngest Naval Aviator during the Vietnam Era, a veteran of 832 combat missions in various fixed wing aircraft during 20 months in Vietnam. It is both an autobiography and a commentary on war from someone who was a warrior.

Author: Robert Moriarty
ISBN/ASIN: 1533153930
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Nonfiction, History, Memoir
Number of Pages: 281
 

The Road to War: Duty & Drill, Courage & Capture, by Steven Burgauer

MWSA Review
In The Road to War, author Steven Burgauer weaves a cohesive representation of the diaries of Captain William C. Frodsham, Jr., an Army Officer and POW camp survivor of World War II.

The book’s subtitle, Duty & Drill, Courage & Capture, is aptly named: From December 8, 1941—the day after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor—to August 9, 1945, we accompany Captain Frodsham through his call to duty, basic training, Officers Candidate School, deployment to the European theater of war, Omaha Beach, skirmishes through French hedgerows, capture by the Germans, life in various stalags in Poland, liberation by the Russians, and his return home.
Having visited the D-day landing beaches several times, Captain Frodsham’s memoir offers me a front-row seat to the experiences of a very real soldier on that beach. I find it humbling.

In the early stages of the Captain’s memoirs, the reader sees him as an enthusiastic recruit, an ace at almost all of his training, and a cocky young man. As the war progresses and he has still not seen combat duty, he looks forward to deployment overseas. A good section of the book is dedicated to “Drill” and explains his various assignments and posts. Perhaps a bit too much, but it is tolerable.

The Captain mellows the closer he gets to actual battle, and his cockiness dissipates as he faces the brutal reality of loss of some of his men, injury, blood, and capture. His descriptions of life as a Prisoner of War (POW) are also quite interesting and made me appreciate the work of the Red Cross more than I had before I read the book.

Insights into the military lives of officers vs. enlisted soldiers are offered, and to a reader such as myself who never served in the military, the stratified structure of military life is quite revealing. Most of the time, military terms are explained throughout the book, although there are a few instances where I had to look up some things. I wished for a cheat sheet to look up the differences among squad, platoons, companies, brigades, regiments, and so on. There was a reference to a specific bureaucratic form, too, and I had to research it. There was a minor copyediting error or two, and reading the text on the photos was difficult.

These are minor inconveniences, however, because Mr. Burgauer’s book is highly engaging, and it is a memoir worth reading for its insights into human altruism, courage under fire, and adaptability to extremely difficult situations. It flows well, and is both enlightening and heartfelt.

Reading it, I found author Burgauer constructed a window into Captain Fordsham’s psyche and soul.

by Patricia Walkow, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
A riveting first-person account of a brave young man caught up in a cataclysmic World War. This is the story of Captain William C. Frodsham, Jr., who — shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor — enlisted in the U.S. Army Infantry, where he excelled in basic training, became a junior officer, and eventually led a combat boat team ashore on OMAHA BEACH. Six days later, in French hedgerow country and under withering German fire, Frodsham was wounded and taken prisoner. He spent the next year as a German POW, where he suffered great deprivation before finally being liberated by advancing Russian forces. His training, his courage, his capture. The reader is taken for a first-person tour of the times at home and then tunneled into a vastly different world on the battlefield and in a German prisoner-of-war camp. A truly remarkable story.

Author: Steven Burgauer
ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-13: 9781530012510, ISBN-10: 1530012511
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Memoir
Number of Pages: 292

They Called Me Doc, by Larry C Miller

MWSA Review
Larry Miller's THEY CALLED ME DOC is an honest, intimate look into what has to be one of the hardest jobs in the military; that of a combat corpsman among infantry Marines in combat.

Miller does an excellent job of setting the story, providing a history lesson at the beginning of many of the major stages of the book so the reader understands the background.  When that is established, he goes full bore into the meat of his experiences, and pulls no punches.  He draws the reader in almost to the point where the reader can smell the smoke and the blood.  It's a vivid accounting of war, including the positives of lives saved, and the agony of those lost, told from the point of view of someone right there in either case.  Along the way, there are also anecdotes and stories of camaraderie that any vet will immediately recognize, regardless of when they served.

Hospital corpsman, grunts, or anyone who enjoys military memoirs will find this a worthwhile read, and those unfamiliar with corpsmen will gain a great understanding of those who were called ""Doc."

Review by Rob Ballister, MWSA Awards Director and Reviewer

Author's Synopsis
I have waited for over 45 years to tell this story, initially because I just wanted to forget the war and get on with making a living and raising a family. The other reason is that 45 years ago the American fighting man was not held in very high esteem and no one was ready to hear anything good about the Vietnam War or the men who fought and died there. This book is less about me and more about the sacrifice, incredible hardships, and heroic actions displayed by the Marine Grunts that I had the privilege to treat during battles on the DMZ. This is really their story.

Author: Larry C Miller
ISBN-13: 9781530012510, ISBN-10: 1530012511
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Memoir
Number of Pages: 292

The Honor Was Mine: A Look Inside the Struggles of Military Veterans, by Elizabeth Heaney

MWSA Review
“The Honor Was Mine: A Look Inside the Struggles of Military Veterans” by Elizabeth Heaney, is a thought-provoking, occasionally humorous and incredibly moving memoir.  A civilian therapist for many years, Ms. Heaney decides a change is needed in her life.  She leaves her well-established practice, her home, her friends and signs up as a contract civilian counselor with the Department of Defense.  The author begins work in a program begun after the onset of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to provide strictly confidential counseling on military bases.  She starts with little knowledge of the military; and her baptism by fire provides for some interesting scenarios.  Gradually, she is able to adapt and reaches out to soldiers and spouses in need—often in creative and ingenious ways.

The many moving stories describing her encounters with specific soldiers and spouses are heart-wrenching.  What solace do you give soldiers leaving their families for a year-long deployment?  What comfort can you provide the spouses and families of those left behind?  What psychological/emotional challenges do soldiers face after being in a war zone for a year—perhaps losing comrades, fighting an unconventional or unseen enemy and living with adrenaline rush 24/7?  What fears lurk in the minds of those family members who cannot share the nightmares and horrors of war?  How can a family survive and prosper when they seriously question whether they and their returning hero can ever return to some sense of normalcy?   Can the wounds, both physical and mental, heal?  Sometimes there are answers…sometimes not.  Each case, each story is unique.  And, what toll does secondary PTSD have on those providing the counseling?

Ms. Heaney tries her best to answer these and many other questions with honesty and professionalism.  She struggles to educate herself on the military world and to help the soldiers feel at ease with her enough to share their burden.  Along the way, she has her eyes opened to the courage, honor and dedication exhibited by our warriors.   

This book is well written.  As the spouse of a 20-year veteran and a caseworker for the American Red Cross, many of these stories hit home for me.  I was brought to tears at several points in the book—a soldier trying to come to grips with his buddy’s death; a young private holding his child for the first time; the care a fallen soldier’s possessions receive; the excitement of a small child seeing her father after a year; the heartbreak of a marriage that didn’t survive the overwhelming stress of repeated deployments.  I could feel each soldier and/or spouse’s pain and anxiety through her words.  

Before reading the book, I was unaware that such a program existed.  I am grateful to know about it now.   This book should be mandatory reading for military and civilian alike, and will definitely appeal to those in and outside of the service. 
Review by Sandi Cowper, MWSA Reviewer
 

Author's Synopsis
The Honor Was Mine by Elizabeth Heaney The Honor Was Mine carries readers into the lives and hearts of combat veterans who face the daunting task of finding their way back home. Elizabeth Heaney, a psychotherapist with thirty years of experience, arrives at her first military base with no previous exposure to the military, and no grasp of military culture. Gone are her comfortable counseling offices with polished wood floors and soft lighting; she now works in cement block rooms and motor pools, in hallways and parking lots. Her ignorance of the military leads her to address an officer by the wrong rank, mistakenly stand in a restricted area, and has her head spinning during acronym-filled chats with soldiers. Counseling sessions are also different than anything she is used to. Unlike her private-practice clients who arrived to sessions eager to share, Heaney discovers that the warriors’ reticence and pride make vulnerable conversations tenuous and difficult. She must learn to listen differently and inquire more carefully as she feels her way into their world. Paul tells her he’s been home for five days and isn’t sure how to talk to his wife: a year-long deployment doing solitary work left him more comfortable with silence. A staff sergeant meticulously prepares a dress uniform for his buddy’s funeral and speaks in hushed tones about the fine soldier he was. Deborah, a commander’s wife, sits on a park bench and talks about going to eighty-seven memorial services. These conversations introduce Heaney to the astounding burdens soldiers carry as they return from combat. One turning point comes as she speaks with SGT Devereaux. They stand in his cluttered, closet-like office, and he begins by joking about his struggles with PTSD. As Heaney gently invites him to say more, Devereaux becomes skittish and begins to stammer. Then he tells the story of his goofy, gregarious nineteen-year-old friend who went out on a mission and never came back. Devereaux’s voice fails him as his eyes fill with tears; in the silence, Heaney begins to fully realize how much pain is hidden in the hearts of our warriors. Over the years, Heaney speaks with privates and commanders, infantrymen and engineers, soldiers fresh out of boot camp, weary warriors who’d been deployed numerous times, and service members from every branch of the military. She helps them bridge the gap between war and home, working with those who have battles scenes burned into their memory, who fight debilitating battles within themselves, and who fear their hearts and psyches may be broken forever. Increasingly, Heaney becomes overwhelmed and scared as she realizes the steadiness she must maintain in order to listen to what the warriors need to say. As she returns to her temporary housing each night, the image of having spent her day “catching hearts falling through the air” haunts her. Eventually, she must come to terms – or not - with how the depth of the soldiers’ needs will never be met within the parameters of her job, which instruct her to help veterans with “short-term daily living skills.” Moving back and forth between the soldiers’ stories—told in their own words—and her own story of change, Heaney plays the roles of observer and helper, outsider and intimate. The Honor Was Mine gives readers an opportunity to sit next to her and hear the intimate accounts, not of what happens in war but of the heart wounds that fester but too often remain unspoken and unheard. Until now. The Honor Was Mine shows readers why the phrase “Thank you for your service” is not enough to bridge the divide between war and home. A deeper listening and larger compassion is necessary if our service members are ever going to truly come home.    

Author: Elizabeth Heaney
ISBN/ASIN: 978-1503935747
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Audiobook, Kindle
Genre(s): Creative Nonfiction, Memoir
Number of Pages: 286