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"The War I Always Wanted,"
By Brandon Friedman
"The welcome mat for memoirs by veterans of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom might never wear out so long as they write with the savvy of Brandon Friedman . . . Friedman's take is vivid, frank, precise and dramatic."
--Military Times
"Add Brandon Friedman's The War I Always Wanted to the ranks of outstanding non-fiction produced by officers from elite combat units in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Always truthful, often excruciatingly so, The War I Always Wanted rises at numerous points to the level of literature."
--Steven Pressfield, author of Gates of Fire
Buy The War I Always Wanted here.
"A Time To Lead,"
By General (Ret.) Wesley K. Clark
"A Time To Lead confirms the rewarding benefits of military service at a time when such service is experiencing considerable strain. It also includes a comprehensive description of America's current national imperatives, which deserve serious consideration."
--General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., former Secretary of State
"This is a primer on leadership forged in battle and by decades of experience. . .This isn't just a book; it's a manual for leading people and living a good life."
--Barry McCaffrey, General, USA (ret.)
Buy A Time to Lead here.
"Love My Rifle More Than You,"
By Kayla Williams
"Whip smart, sassy, with a mouth as foul as a sailor's, 28-year-old Sergeant Kayla Williams. . .tells what it's like to be a female soldier in Iraq."
--Booklist
". . .echoes military memoirists from Julius Caesar to Ernie Pyle."
--Publishers Weekly
". . .a shocking, on-the-ground view of one military woman's experience in Iraq."
--Bookmarks Magazine
Buy Love My Rifle More Than You here.
"How to Break a Terrorist,"
By Matthew Alexander
"...a riveting, fast-paced account that reads like a first-rate thriller."
--Publisher's Weekly
" ...an absorbing behind-the-scenes look at the secret intelligence war within a war."
--Military.com
Buy How to Break a Terrorist here.
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On the one hand, I agree our military should have some cultural adaptability and needs to do the right thing when it comes to making local leaders it interacts with feel comfortable or in acquiring intelligence. I agree that this can often extend beyond language and handshakes.
But where do we draw the line? How about uniform items? What about all those wannabe-high speed COs who wear the checkered scarves to look like spec-ops guys or carry AKs to look like billy badass? You know what that guy looks like from the air when his helmet is off? Or at night? A Muj.
I'm of two minds. On the one hand, you have to be flexible, and not so rigid in your own culture that you are unable to adapt to those you are working in. On the other hand, a professional military is just that, and I'm anything but convinced telling soldiers to shave constitutes malpractice or zealotry.
Speaking only from my own experience as a Marine, I know that Marines get nasty in the field and to a degree that's fine, but at the same time, following up on the little details can make sure troops stay and feel professional and don't develop an inertia of slacking that results in a non-give-a-shit attitude that is hard to control.