Black Flag Journals is a very personal book to author Dennis John Woods. Today he gives us more of the background of the book in addition to sharing an excerpt with us. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for even more insights. And best of luck entering the giveaway!
The story of America’s longest war is complicated and difficult to convey, unless you were there. Dennis Woods was there. By following his stories in Iraq and Afghanistan, we can sense the enormity of his combat experiences. Originally written for his daughter, Black Flag Journals is taken from the author’s nine battle book journals. It covers his time from the fall of the Twin Towers through his last combat tour.
Black Flag Journals contains not just stories from the first war of the new century, but a day-by-day record of events that other veterans may use to relate their own experiences. All who enjoy real life stories, and followers of history will connect with this first person account of America’s longest war.
Read an excerpt:
Rules of engagement
At higher echelons of command, the rules of engagement were used as a rheostat. That rheostat could be dialed up or down to adjust the level of violence. The level of violence was often adjusted to achieve military and political goals. At the soldier level, the rules allowed one to “kill with a conscience, if necessary.” I mention this now as, over time, the rules of engagement and what constituted a legal engagement would change from time to time based on conditions.
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Background of the book
Any book, especially one covering open warfare- house to house fighting in Iraq, valley to mountain top battle in Afghanistan, understanding the historical background and cultural setting is critical to understanding of the subjects’ actions- reactions. Where it concerns combat at the personal level, (ground level – face to face) cultural aspects become far more important than they are in historical narratives using a 10,000-foot (broad picture) perspective. The most difficult and troubling battle experiences I share in Black Flag Journals often open their personal meaning and significance when the historical and cultural background of the combatants is grasped.
In sharing my personal experiences in America’s longest war, I also share the social emotional impacts on myself and within my family. In this way a reader gains an insight through stories often only related between veterans. To achieve this, I often start a battle vignette by painting a word picture employing local background history. Often the illusive why some combatants behave the way they do is revealed through an explanation of local customs.
As a personal combat narrative Black Flag Journals was written from a series of 9 journals. My intention was to use them as a means of explaining my absence to my elementary school aged daughter. Based on my earlier wars, I assumed that the war of terror would last maybe two years tops. Little did I or anyone know that this would be our longest war. Prior to 9/11 my longest war was the 1st Gulf War which took 9 months. That time included Operation Desert Shield, which was followed by 30 days of small unit border skirmishes and air operations culminating in a 100-hour ground assault titled Desert Storm. So, on the day the Twin Towers fell I fully expected that I would be retired long before my daughter grew into an adult. The reality though was this war would carry us from elementary school to college and I would still be returning to Afghanistan.
Operation Urgent Fury, Grenada, 82d Airborne Division.
Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm, Saudi Arabia – Iraq, 82d Airborne Division.
Operation Desert Fox 1998, Qatar, 5th Group Special Forces.
OEF 2 Afghanistan, 82d Airborne Division.
OIF 1 Iraq, First Armored Division.
OIF 6 Iraq, First Armored Division.
OEF X Afghanistan, 173D Airborne Brigade Combat Team.
OEF XIII Afghanistan, 191st Infantry Brigade
CSM Woods civilian education includes a Master of Education, (training & leadership) from North Central University, Prescott AZ, and a Bachelor of Science from Excelsior, Albany, New York.
Military education includes the United States Sergeants Majors Academy class # 58, Army force management course, Jump Master, Drill Sergeant, US Army Recruiter, Infantry Small Arms Master Gunner, Artillery Master Gunner, Amphibious Warfare leaders’ course (USMC), Anti-Armor Leaders course, Machine Gun Leaders course, Artillery Mechanics repair course, Small Arms repair course, Nuclear Biological Chemical defense, and all levels of air load planning and hazmat certification USAF.
CSM Woods awards include; one Distinguished Service medal, one Legion Of Merit,( 5) Bronze Star Medals, 5 Meritorious Service Medals, 4 ARCOM, 4 AAM, 1 Humanitarian service medal, 2 Armed Forces Expeditionary medals, Afghanistan and Iraq service medals. German Jump Master Wings, Qatar Jump wings as part of 5th Group, Netherlands Jumpmaster wings. Other awards include; Department of Defense “Inventor of the year” (2003) with 45 separate inventions. CSM Woods saved the United States Government over one Billion Dollars through cost avoidance. He is also the first recipient of the GRUBER award for an outstanding field artillery professional.
CSM Woods is credited by the US Army Smart Ideas program as the inventor of;
• The 105mm Howitzer night direct fire sight system M913 GELON.
• The 155mm towed Howitzer night sight system.
• The dual use day/ night direct fire sight reticule.
• The Dual optic MILES Laser trainer.
• The Urban Assault kit (PALADIN) improved crew protection, 155mm system.
On his most recent tour to Afghanistan, CSM Woods pioneered the first use of artillery training rounds in combat as a form of scalable fire support designed to limit civilian death and collateral damage. He is the author of, ‘Black Flag Journals One Soldiers Experience in America’s Longest War’, and numerous magazine, newspaper articles, including training pamphlets concerning Artillery, night vision, and combat operations.
Twitter: @djwoodswrites
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Dennis-John-Woods/e/B01KU91GFI%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15660793.Dennis_John_Woods
Koehler Book: https://www.koehlerbooks.com/book/black-flag-journals/
One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Follow the tour for more chances to win.
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Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThis promises to be a very interesting read.
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it Mary Preston. As this is the 20th anniversary of 9/11, 2001 I updated the manuscript to include the end of America's Longest War. Based on journals that I kept for my daughter it bears witness to many events little covered in international press.
DeleteThank you for hosting Black Flag Journals today. I'm currently in Hawaii 6 hours behind East Coast time on a Television show production set, I'll check in throughout the day to answer questions.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment Rita. This edition of Black Flag Journals represents an updated manuscript that includes ISIS, and the 20th anniversary of the attacks of 9/11, 2001. Don't forget to sign up for the $50.00 Amazon / B&N gift card.
Delete#war, #afghanistan, #afghanwar, #Iraqwar, #Gunfight, #proudamerican, #history_war
This sounds like an interesting book.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the post Kim. It contains some events seldom covered in the international press. One example is that we were using conflict habituated marriage counseling with Afghan forces as a method of increasing their capacity. The problem to solve was their deep interpersonal conflicts.
DeleteSounds like such a good book.
ReplyDeleteGreat post - thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete