Black Flag Journals: One Soldier's Experience in America's Longest War by Dennis John Woods

 

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.

Buy links

Amazon * BN * Audible

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.

CSM Woods combat tours include;

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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Redemption: Episode One: Messenger of God: Iran Attacks by Ed Benjamin

 

An orphaned teenager becomes an Air Force TOP GUN and meets seven Iranian fighters in a sneak attack on American planes. After experiencing a near death experience during the battle, the Air Force grounds him from flying and he faces a fate to him worse than death - being medically retired from the air Force and unable to fly.

Buy Links

Amazon Kindle * NOOK * Apple Books * KOBO * SCRIBD * Vivlio * 24 Symbols * Mondadori Store * Angus and Robertson

Ed Benjamin retired from the United States Air Force in 1990 where he served as an aircraft maintenance supervisor.

He currently works part-time as a proposal writer helping companies obtain business with federal, state and local governments.

He also writes short stories; some of which he offers for sale via digital download. He is currently working on a full length novel featuring Harry Miles.

For more information, visit Ed's website at http://EdBenjaminBooks.com

Ed Benjamin social media links =
Author website – Ed Benjamin Books and Stories - https://edbenjaminbooks.com

Twitter = @Col Benjamin = https://twitter.com/colbenjamin

Ed Benjamin = main account = https://www.facebook.com/ed.benjamin.71

EdBenjamin.Author = Facebook subaccount = https://www.facebook.com/EdBenjaminAuthor

LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/edbenajmin/

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers.

#BookReview 'Finding Home' by Mathew Chase

While safety and peace seem like they should be birthrights, some of us are born into situations that simply don't allow for these niceties. With a father who sold drugs and a mother who depended on them, the world felt anything but calm to author Mathew Chase.

Growing up in one of the toughest parts of Philadelphia, Mathew learned things in his first few years of life that most of us never have to learn, like how to survive hunger when there's no food in the house and no one there to notice . . . how not to cry or show fear while being beat with a shoe by a foster parent . . . how to mask any signs of vulnerability when passing the dealers and gangsters on the street . . . or how to fight when one or a bunch of kids jump you on your way home from school.

Somehow, Mathew knew he had a choice. He could conform to the status quo and become a victim of the mentality generated by this environment, or he could find a way to break free and build a different kind of life. Joining the U.S. military at age 18 as an exit route from what he'd known forever seemed like a promising solution, but it carried an exacting price tag of its own.

Mathew's childhood began to seem like it had been easy compared to the brutality of training and fighting in Iraq while witnessing the slaying of friends who had become like brothers. Would Mathew ever find home? Follow the author's journey through seemingly endless challenges and failures to understand how these selfsame circumstances mold him into a mature and courageous man. In Finding Home, pain and heartbreak are transformed to what they truly are - stepping stones to ultimate strength and personal freedom.

**My thoughts**

Mathew's story is one that you hate to read, because it doesn't seem possible that such horrific abuse still takes place in this day and age. We know it does, but it just seems so archaic. People today are more aware, aren't they? Don't we have bigger movements and help to stop this? Isn't the cycle ever going to end?

At the same time, Mathew is one of those lucky ones who consciously chose to break the cycle. He didn't want to continue down the road his family had started him on. He knew that better was out there and that he wanted to be better. He was also fortunate enough to meet people along his journey who contributed to his life change.

The first part of the book is devoted to Mathew's rocky childhood, dealing with the abuse, drugs, and fighting that permeated every home he ever had. He then goes into more detail about various experiences when deployed in Iraq, stories that none of who who have never been there will never be able to truly understand. 

Every experience that Mathew had in his life helped to shape him. He was smart enough to be able to look for the lessons within both the positive and the negative experiences in his life. He sprinkles his wisdom within his stories and provides a summary at the end. If anything, you should take away from his story that you do have the power to alter your destiny and can learn from whatever life throws at you. Look within yourself and fight to persevere.

I did feel at times that he was rambling a bit, stringing together brief synopses of multiple events. Some of that could conceivably be reworked. But, Matthew is the teller of his story. He tells it the way that he wants to. I got the impression that we were hearing Mathew's unique voice through the entire read. It wasn't filtered through anyone else, just raw and true. Many kudos to him for being brave enough to put his story out there.

Buy on Amazon | B&N | Xlibris Publishing Co.

 

Mathew Chase's Facebook Page | Literary Addicts

 

---

Follow the tour

Giveaway ends November 2nd, 2015 at 11:59 pm EST
a Rafflecopter giveaway

'Married to the War' by Marica Love

Blurb:

Her journey, her love, her loyalty. A young Aussie meets the love of her life, a young Croatian man she connects with while she is on a holiday in the former Yugoslavia. A man she'd later become engaged to. Their love suffered its first hurdle when he went into the military while she returned to her homeland, only later on to not be denied when she goes to Croatia to be with him. But their greatest test was yet to come... war had come to the European region 1 year after she had arrived to be with her one true love. Can the bonds of love, and later family, survive the trials of inner-turmoil and spiritual struggle that only war can spawn? This is the story, of Marica Love.

Buy links

CreateSpace / Lulu

About the author:

Marica Love's passion for humanity, music, creativity, and living an abundant life is rivalled only by her love of children; motherhood is the root of her greatest successes. 

Born and raised in Australia, Marica is the eldest of four siblings. She moved to Europe at the age of eighteen and stayed until the end of the Croatian War of Independence in 1995. Marica's personal journey is candidly chronicled in her new book, Married to the War, the first in a series. 

Once hailed by a newspaper photographer as "Nice, friendly, flamboyant and savvy", Marica embraces those accolades and flourishes in every role she undertakes. She was the station manager, a member of the board of directors, on on-air presenter and program manager with WOWfm 100.7 for five years and was the producer of her television show 'Unsigned & Inspiring' on CH31 in Sydney. Music serves as an endless source of motivation and inspiration to her. As the owner of The Cake Pop Emporium Pty Ltd in 2013, she had the honour of serving political dignitaries, the Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard and MP David Bradbury in her store.

Marica is not influenced by other's opinions and expectations. When the calling came to start over in life again, she embraced the opportunity. She is guided from within and will continue to bring her ideas to life with the influence of God and her Angels. A strong will, tenacity and compassion are virtues which enabled her to begin again and she is thriving.

She currently lives in Sydney with her beloved pup, Ellie Mae. When not writing or furthering her skills, Marica enjoys hanging out with her adult children, traveling, the beach, cooking, movies and pampering sessions. 

While she continuously grows as an individual, passing on the gift of creativity and self-discovery is important to her.

Please visit her Facebook Fan Page - 'Marica Love' for news and updates.

The Things They Carried

My friend and I had just gotten home from a long day of shopping and hiking. We were preparing to relax in front of the TV, watching movies and football. I was looking through the DVDs when I noticed a new book sitting on the couch. It was The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. I was familiar with the title, but couldn't remember what it was about. I assumed that it was for his book club, but he said he picked it up at a book swap. I started to read the first chapter and was immediately transfixed.

The story is technically fiction, depicting a group of friends fighting in the Vietnam war. Some of the chapters, or stories, are told in limited third-person. (That means it is written in third-person, but you only "hear" the thoughts of one character.) Others are told in first-person. When the book begins, it is more of the third-person type, which makes it seem more like entertaining storytelling. As the book progresses, though, the perspective shifts to more of the first-person. The line between fiction and autobiography begins to blur. The main character telling the stories shares the same name as the author. Both of them are writers who had served in Vietnam. And both of them have written the same previous novels.

Meet Jimmy Cross, who believes his unrequited love for Martha has caused the death of one of his friends. Rat Kiley is a medic who slowly loses touch with reality. Henry believes that wearing his girlfriend's stockings around his neck will protect him against anything. Bobby Jorgenson is a green medic who freaks out when he is presented with his first emergencies. Mark Fossie is in love with the beautiful Mary Anne, who comes over from Cleveland Heights, and slowly gets sucked into a nightmare. And there are many more.

Obviously the stories in The Things They Carried are based on the author's real experiences in Asia. They are painfully honest. And as he even states, you just can't make up these situations.

I am a big fan of war novels, especially those that take me deep into the action. It isn't so much that I want to read about the blood and guts aspect. I want to understand the thoughts and emotions being experienced. I have naver been in the service. I never will be in the service. I will never truly understand how or why we go to war and what makes a person want to be on the front lines. The closest I can get is well-written works like this one.

I finished the book in 1 1/2 football games. And the second game was one that I was actively watching. I picked up the book during commercial breaks and time-outs.

That being said, I read awfully fast. It is a compliment to the author if I can zip through a 230-page book in four hours. I may not remember all of the details. I may not be able to dissect certain scenarios in a book discussion. But I became one with the characters. I experienced the book on multiple levels. And to me, that is what reading is all about.

Mrs. Lieutenant

Numerous stories are available about the Vietnam War, especially with the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. We hear heroic stories about the fallen and the survivors. But there were other American faces who were deeply entrenched in the affairs overseas, whose stories are rarely told. Phyllis Zimbler Miller tells us about the devoted wives of those soldiers in her novel Mrs. Lieutenant.

Told from the points-of-view of four women, Miller touches on the courage, fear, heartbreak, and inequality of men and women during the Vietnam conflict. Sharon Gold is a Jewish woman from the North, who is opposed to the War, yet fell in love with and married an ROTC officer. Kim Benton is a Southern Baptist from North Carolina who lost most of her family at a young age, and relies on her insanely jealous husband Jim for love and support. Donna Lautenberg is a Puerto Rican army brat who married a white man. Wendy Johnson is a black woman who grew up in the South, where her doctor dad and devoted mother tried to shield her from the racism so pronounced down there.

Under normal circumstances, the odds are low that these four women coming together as friends during this time period. But they have a couple of fundamental things in common. Each is a misfit of sorts within the society at Fort Knox. And they are bound by intense love for their husbands, and fears of them being sent to Vietnam.

The four women learn how to take on their new roles as Army wives by following rules set forth within a book called, "Mrs. Lieutenant." They share a few of their hopes and dreams, but each one is hiding a secret. Truth comes to light as they get to know one another and learn how to relinquish their former prejudices and ideas.

The almost 500 pages pass by quickly as you delve into the lives of these four women and their husbands. It takes a while to keep each woman straight, especially when so many other characters make brief appearances throughout the story. But each character comes to life in Miller's storytelling, almost as if these were women she really knew once upon a time. Phyllis Zimbler Miller was also once a "Mrs. Lieutenant," and presumably drew upon those experiences to tell her story. The book is dedicated to the wives of AOB 21 during the same timeframe as the book. Sharon Gold, the first character to whom we are introduced, even talks about keeping a diary of her experiences at Fort Knox to later write about them.

You become concerned for each woman and feel her pain as she must come to terms with different decisions made by her husband. You reflect on your own opinions of war, whether it is Vietnam, WWII, or today, as especially the men demonstrate different ideas of the time. You also reflect upon the friends in your own life and all of your preconceived notions and stereotypes.

Mrs. Lieutenant is going to appeal to women more than men. But it allows women a different way to try to relate to the Vietnam War, and introduces it to them in a way that is perhaps more palatable than other war novels. It's also soft enough to teach teenagers and young adults about the era. While I enjoy reading war novels, I did appreciate how this one told the story from a completely different point-of-view.

Purchase Mrs. Lieutenant: A Sharon Gold Novel