Troops Books

Far better written than most, Class 29 transcends military memoire to become an emotinally authentic, engagingly human account that will interest even readers who are not SEAL afficiandos.

I'm a sucker for a story, and John Carl Roat knows how to tell one. He has one of the most incredible writer's voices I've ever encountered. It's like sitting with him over coffee and listening to him spin yarn after yarn about the earliest days of SEAL training.

Roat's dry and often wry sense of humor had me laughing out loud on every page. Endearingly willing to admit to his own human shortcomings, Roat sees the humanity in others. In a few strokes he captures those essential elements of character that make a reader care. Over and over I cheered, and sometimes, I cried.

In one memorable scene, in which another trainee reaches back to give Raot a hand over an obstactle course, Roat talks about how the trainees themselves in subtle ways played a part in who made the grade and who didn't.

Other books about SEAL training will give you detail, endless detail, about SEAL training today, but no other will make you understand so well what makes a man become a SEAL, and what becoming a SEAL makes of a man.

Mary Margret Daughtridge, Romance Author, SEALed With A Kiss
SEALed with a Kiss: Even a hero needs help sometimes...

This book is real!! It's a fast easy read with no dull moments. It is a testament to the tough nature of seals past and present.

John Roat's book demonstrates the toughness and determination that was required in the early days of SEAL training.

I enjoyed the way that he describes in great detail the training that he went through. It's like you are right there with him.

Also, there are many stories about their "interactions" with their instructors.

I especially appreciated the last chapter in the book where the author describes, by observing the training the candidates currently go through, the differences in training between then and now. The training now has causes less long-term damage to the body, especially to the knees (the duck-walk was a favorite of the instructors back then).

Above all as you read the book you can see his loyalty, after all these years, to his team members.

To the point, easy to read and like a couple reviewers said " It makes me proud and it made me laugh" Who thought SEALs would be such down to earth enjoyable guys.

This was written for my Classmates and like them it has brought me nothing but joy. The book comes from the heart, theirs and mine. I've been pleased to hear how much help the book was for some in getting through BUD/S. I do love the questions from young men who aspire to become Team Members so feel free to ask. I will do my best to answer.
realnavyseal@yahoo.com

John Carl Roat
Class-29, UDT-21, UDT-11, SEAL Team 1

A comprehensive story of a less well known battlefield of World War II. Some confusion over the repetition of numerical regiments, but all-in-all good reading.

Field Marshall Slim was ordered from Iraq to Burma to take command of the front in the upcoming Burma debacle. Under Wavell first, and Auchinlek later, he retreated with the Commonwealth armies into India, and later on led the allied armies into victory against the Japanese forces.
His writing is clear, concise, and he does not spare himself from criticism, Often after describing an order he gave, or wished he had given, he will go on to explain how his plan was a mistake, and how he should have done it instead. This is precious insight on the mind of the commander. In many first person war stories, we are told what happened, but not why, and when errors are committed, there is always a lot of blame sharing. Here it is different. Slim tells you what he did wrong, when, and why. This is refreshing.
He shows great respect for his enemy, and describes the enemy's gallant attacks and heroic defenses with respect and appreciation for the heroism of the Japanese soldier. He does not fail to condemm the Japanese war crimes.
He exhibits great wit in describing the different attitudes of the Indian, Sikh and Gurkha soldiers. In one instance, after a Japanese attack in Inphal, some Gurkhas had been ordered to bury the enemy bodies. One of these wasn't dead yet, so the Gurkha trooper gets ready to cut the enemy's head off with his Kukri knife; a British officer tells him "Don't kill him!", and the Gurkha answers "But sir, we can't bury him alive!" Episodes like this give a great sense of realism and "being there" to the whole story.
The best book I've read to date on the Burma front.

I have always heard that Defeat into Victory - Battling Japan in Burma and India, 1942-1945 by William Slim was an excellent book for military leaders and planners. Despite this, I was resistant to reading this book for several years. Field-Marshal Slim, after all, was a failure. He failed to stop the Japanese advance in Burma and took a shockingly long time to retake Burma.

After finally reading this book, I must admit I was wrong. This book is useful on at least four levels. First, it is a good read on a little known part of World War II. Even if one is knowledgeable about General Stilwell's experience in the China Burma India (CBI) Theater, this highly focused work will provides new and interesting insights on that theater of war. Second, Field-Marshal Slim was forced by circumstances to be very creative is his tactics, techniques, and procedures. It is useful to see how many of these ideas were adopted in modern militaries and how many still might have value. Third, Field-Marshal Slim has some very specific and interesting "lessons learned" spelled out in the last section of his book. Fourth, leadership as applied in combat, in a bizarre multi-cultural environment, and in the disease ridden tropics might be useful for both current military folks and those in business.

It was a surprise to learn about the relatively large number of troops involved in the Burma campaign. Like most Americans, my image is of a few aviation and engineering units and that the bulk of the fighting, to the extent there was any, was done by Chinese units and a handful of "special forces/commando" units. It was insightful to read about the difficulties in mixing the militaries of different nations. The British attempt, largely successful, at outsourcing the fighting to Indian and West African units was meaningful as well.

The use of helicopters and air mobile brigades was one of the many innovations that Field Marshal Slim implemented. The development of riverine forces was also interesting and potentially worth study since the U S Navy has decided to reintroduce such forces based on lessons learned from Iraq.

From page 535 - 551, Field Marshal Slim offers some specific lessons learned based on the Burma campaign. The only area where I think he is less than intellectually honest is his discussion on "Special Forces". Field Marshal Slim rejects the usefulness of special forces, but if one reviews his actual campaign, he seems to be inclined to argue the usefulness of small groups of elite forces that act as enablers of larger amounts of indigenous troops. Likewise, he is adamantly against commando and amphibious troops as "special". His argument is that all troops should be trained to do these types of things though perhaps not to the level that so called special forces are trained to.

Finally, Field Marshal Slim managed to survive in a complex and bizarre multinational environment. It seems as if the United States might be in such situations in the future. Indeed, NATO forces in Afghanistan and Multi-National Forces in Iraq are - while different in detail - much the same in terms of the diplomatic and relationship building that is required of senior military officers.

This is a solid book for a variety of reasons. I highly recommend it.

Field Marshall Slim, Viscount of Burma, never lets us forget that it is the soldiers in the field that win battles: not politicians in their ivory towers, or generals in their bunkers far behind the action. Slim's theory is that politicians give guidelines for the campaign, and generals provide the training and backup so that the soldiers can get on with their business. He should, when possible, not get in the soldiers way.
This is a marvellous account of how the Commonwealth managed to stem the Japanese tide in South-East Asia. The main part of the book describes how he managed to restore morale and discipline in the army that was so humiliatingly defeated in 1943. That part should be compulsory reading at any management school. His solution was simple: he accepted that the defeat was due to faulty planning of the general staff. He then set out to provide training and equipment to the front-line troops. Since he commanded a multi-ethnic international army, he saw that every unit was supplied according to its own special needs. He even put his own staff on half-rations if any field unit lacked provisions - which usually quickly solved the problem!
As few generals and politicians he understood that war is about individuals and small units - they just add up to something bigger.
Slim could really write, the book is full of small anecdotes and self-ironic humour. When he writes about the actions it is af we were really there in the midst of it.
Finally, and most importantly: the book is totally devoid of any racism or demeaning of the enemy, it is incredibly respectful of his own native soldiers and of the Japanese enemy.

Field Marshal Slim's excellent memoire of the fighting against the Japanese in Burma and India during 1942-1945 is remarkable on at least two counts. First, the Allied armies were badly beaten and hustled unceremoniously out of Burma in 1942, yet reorganized in time to defend India and went on to liberate Burma in 1945. This feat was all the more remarkable for being fought over some of the most rugged jungle and mountain terrain in the world, under often horrendous weather conditions, at the distant end of the Allied supply lines. Second, Slim's account is exceptionally candid with respect to his leadership, to include mistakes made (his and others), to his opinions of his allies and opponents, and to the political wrangling that goes on in any coalition military effort.

The China-Burma-India Theater of World War II did not include large numbers of American ground forces, and has therefore been left largely in the shadows of the fighting in Europe and the Pacific theater. However, the Allied forces inflicted a massive military defeat on the Japanese Army under extraordinarily difficult conditions; there is much to learn from the common sense, improvisational approach employed by Slim in planning and organizing his campaigns.

Slim arrived in the theater as a brand new corps commander just at the start of the Japanese invasion. His efforts to cobble together a defense were repeatedly overturned by the relentless Japanese attack and by the scarcity of resources. Slim managed to extract his forces and in successive positions as corps and army commander, rebuilt them into the force that went back into Burma. Slim's account is comprehensive, even exhaustive, describing both the operational-level planning and administrative support and much of the tactical level fighting in the jungles. His high regard for his multi-national army, composed of British, Gurkha, Indian, Chinese, and American forces, and his care for their morale is evident throughout his account.

"Defeat Into Victory" is a long read at over 550 pages; the casual reader may be overwhelmed by the length and level of detail. The student of military art without prior background in the China-Burma-India theater may have some challenge putting Slim's account into proper context. The limited selection of maps are a bit difficult to read but enable the reader to follow the course of the campaigns.

This book is very highly recommended to the student of the military art looking for a very readable account of the Allied campaigns in Burma. Those who persist to the end will be rewarded by Slim's retrospective on the fighting in Burma and the surprisingly modern conclusions he draws from the experience.

This is an awesome book. I laughed and cried. It's heartbreaking and uplifting. I highly reccommend this for all US citizens - whether you are associated with the military or not. It gives an understanding of what the military members and their families deal with, and who they are.

This book was very moving. I laughed and I cried. There were sad stories and poignant stories and many positive stories. I recommend this book to anyone wanting a real look at how the military and their families feel about going through these deployments. I also recomment it for families going through the deployments now. I have learned a lot about what my son may be going through and may not be willing to share with us right now.

This book really gives you a taste for how it is in Iraq...I think everyone should read it...especially Pres. Bush.

I am a military wife. My young daughter and I survived 12 months while my husband served in Iraq. This book was absolutely amazing. I cannot come up with the words to describe how much this book meant to me. I don't know about other spouses, but no matter how much my husband and I talk, it is not easy for him to communicate his thoughts or feelings on his service in Iraq. It was even difficult for him to describe his life over there when asked directly. I think a lot of it is him trying to protect me, but also, his brain does not work that way. He was there, he did what he had to do as a soldier, end of story. This book brought me insight into my husband. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me sick. It made me angry. It made me happy. It made me joyful. It made me all of these things at the same time. I am so thankful to the organization(whose name escapes me right now) that made this book possible. It is a book that touched my heart and soul. I will never be the same, and I am greatful for that. It is in know way a "light" read. I read it quickly, as I do everything, but because I was hungry to read more, to know more, to feel more. Do not read it without a box of tissues next to you.

I am a NCO in the army and have been to Iraq 4 times and this book sent chills through my bodie many times with the pure honest look at war. Most of the stories are reflections of events that any service member will identifie with. Then there are some events told in this book only a select few will truely grasp. This is a must read if you would like a insight into the mind of a Military member who has been deployed. I cant recomend this book more then just get it read it and prepair to get choked up. I know i did

Small Unit Leadership: A Commonsense ApproachThis book is a no nonsense aproach to leading small units and helps you spot problems before it starts or gets worse. It shows ways of getting the job done.

Written for the small-unit combat leader, Col. Malone's no-nonsense reviews of what inspires and motivates individuals within units, as well as his easy-to-use 4-part typology and checklists for how to deal with individuals and units, are highly-recommended. This will definitely hold a treasured spot on my leadership bookshelf for years to come.

A tiny, little book - but packs alot in there. This little book clearly conveys its messages via very easily understandable examples. Sometimes it is a bit too combat-centric, but for the most part, is applicable to most leadership roles.

The author had a really good opportunity to write a fantastic book-- there are stories about delegation in there that opened my eyes to new possibilities in employee development and the unique relationship between the strategic level (management) and the tactical level (supervisors/NCOs).

Where the book fails are the war stories. The author makes liberal use of war stories in his material that are marginally on topic but I feel do not address the issue of small unit leadership. If anything, the war stories discuss the effects of NCO's and CO's doing NCO work; it doesn't state how to lead either from the position of a Colonel (which I would think equivalent of a VP/GM) or explicitly state his goals for his NCO's (supervisors). I honestly ended up skimming through the first half of the book looking for something useful-- eventually the author does get to the point and the book begins to expand on his thesis; I found the fluff annoying. I personally wouldn't have bought the book alone; I ended up purchasing it as a group deal with the Three Meter Zone.

That having been said the book goes over some very interesting points in how to develop NCO's and team leads; it also goes into the psychology of group mentality briefly and there are some very good insights to be had there.

Now that I've gotten the base information from the book it's sitting in a corner of my bookshelf-- I might pick it up again if I need to correlate information with the Three Meter Zone. This book unfortunately doesn't stand by itself as a good business model-- though realistically, the author hadn't intended this so I can't fault him for it.

I was an NYPD supervisor (Sergeant and Lieutenant)and found this book very helpful. Even if you *aren't* in a military or law enforcement organization, this book can help you. It talks about leadership and personnel management issues that apply to *every* supervisor or leader in *every* business or profession. For example, Malone breaks down personnel into 4 categories:

*Willing and able - Tell this person what to do, and when you want it done by, and leave them alone.

*Willing but UN-able (such as the "new guy") - Help this person with training and coaching to do what you want done.

*Able but unwilling (the classic shirker)- Needs motivation and supervision to get the job done.

*Unable and unwilling - ideally, would not be in your organization, but if you are stuck with them, need training, motivation, and supervision to learn what they have to do, and then get it done.

(Obviously, if a poor perfomer had personal problems of some kind, their supervisor would have to address those appropriately.)

Malone's explanation of these categories alone is worth the price of this book.

Another great leadership book: "Top Performance" by Zig Ziglar. He's a sales trainer, but really understands the core of leadership and teaching. Easy to read (I got it on audio tape), and well worth your while.

In 1991, I had the privilege of being a student at the School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth under the direction of then Col James McDonough. A man of deep reflection, he was also passionate about soldiers and ensured that everything we did as students in teh study of warfare and campaign design kept them in mind.

Now I am a university professor offering courses in US military history. Part of what I do is to expose my students to leadership and battle at the small unit level. There is no better book for that purpose concerning Vietnam than McDonough.

Every student takes something different away from this book because, unlike many assigned books, they read it. The book captures you right from the beginning. You really can't put it down. And, it contains more lessons about life and leadership than I can express here.

Knowing the author personally in 1991-1992 is special, for I saw in him then the character that had developed from his time in Vietnam. He tells it like it is, he means what he says, and he stands by his word. His book is more than just a memoir, it is therapy for a man who must live with the past, both for better and for worse.

Platoon Leader was an excellent read, and one I would recommend for all those enjoy military reading. I would especially suggest it to all junior military leaders. Entertaining and well written, the author discusses at length his role as a leader, and what he views as good and bad leaders. The aspect of the book I enjoyed the most was it allowed the reader to see leadership, on a small-unit level, working in real-world combat conditions. Unlike many books leaders read for professional development, it shows how leadership works when employed and doesn't just philosophize about leadership principles.

James McDonough provides an in-depth look at infantry platoon operations in Vietnam. This is a must read for anyone who intends to pursue a military career. The book is very graphic, but also very succint and to the point. McDonough doesn't waste time with superfluous details, every word is well chosen and critical to the telling of the story. Once you begin reading, you will not want to stop. It is a quick read, and well worth the time it takes.

"Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat," by James R. McDonough, chronicles the author's experiences as an officer in the Vietnam War from 1970-71. His platoon is charged with manning an outpost next to the village of Truong Lam.

This is a fascinating, well-written account. McDonough fills his narrative with vivid details that really made his story come alive in my mind. He doesn't flinch at describing the goriest and most horrific images of war. There are also moments of irony and bitter humor. Also noteworthy is the informative material about tactics used in Vietnam. And the author humanizes the story by touching on such "down-and-dirty" issues as the latrine his platoon used.

McDonough's story is populated with a compelling cast of characters. Particularly intriguing is his exploration of relationships among the various groups he encountered in the war zone--U.S. enlisted men, his fellow Army officers, Vietnamese military allies, enemy forces, and the many civilians caught up in the conflict.

While rich in scenes of combat, "Platoon Leader" goes beyond being just an action-packed war yarn. The book explores the ethics and morals of war. McDonough deals directly with the danger a soldier faces in becoming dehumanized by the brutality of war. He vividly portrays the struggle of a leader to remain wise and humane, yet also tough and resolute, under the most trying of circumstances. This book is both a profound meditation on wartime leadership and a powerful work of American literature.

As a junior officer I have an entire list of professional reading that I am trudging my way through, but so far McDonough has been by far the most enjoyable and has made the biggest impact on my own leadership style. Both Platoon Leader and Defense of Hill 781 are great books, but Platoon Leader is so far the best military memoir I have read. It has been over a year since I read this book, but the three things that have stuck with me are:
1. Do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason.
2. Death in a combat zone is more about just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sooner or later your luck runs out, but you have the duty to your fellow soldiers to do everything in your power to protect them.
3. The stealing of a bottle of soda from a grandmother leads slowly but inevitable to the rape of her granddaughter. If you let your soldiers steal at all you are setting the stage for what atrocities they will commit later. You must always be vigilant in your discipline.

While I do not have combat experience, I am currently serving in Iraq and know second handedly that these concepts still hold true.

Other than the leadership aspect of the book, Mcdonough is just a great story teller and is able to make the book engaging and addicting.

I am behind the curve ball here as I write this review after so many good ones have already been written. Like most of the other reviewers, I enjoyed reading this book and learned quite a good deal about this aspect of the Gettysburg campaign that haven't been touched previously. I thought the author wrote well, did his research and gave the Civil War historians all over a great service. The way many of us looked at Lee's retreat and Meade's pursuit have changed forever after we read this book.

But I cannot help but to believed that the author have drawn a wrong conclusion about the campaign. Call me a traditionalist but outside of saving his supply trains and the fruits of his forging, Lee left Pennsylvania with very little else. His army was in tattered, he have forever lost any sort of strategic initiative and he will be on the defensive until the war's end. His successful retreat enabled him to fight on but not to victory. Only because Meade's army was equally damaged as Lee's did he escaped. But Meade's army was rebuilt, reinforced, resupplied and regroup. Lee's army after Gettysburg was the shadow of its former greatness and that too was grinded down. Brown is wronged and rest of us who happened to be "traditionalist" in nature is right, Gettysburg was the last major hurrah of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Never again will Lee threaten the Army of Potomac with devastating defeat of any kind...tactical ones yes but nothing that will change the course of war. Best way to look at this would be this: if in late July of 1863, God came to Lee and gave him a choice between having his army back before Gettysburg in exchange for all the supplies he has taken from Pennsylvania, he would take that exchange in a heartbeat!!! Nothing could replaced what was lost at Gettysburg, not all the cows, horses, wagons and other material that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have to offer could do that.

This book is great piece of work on the subject but the author drew a wrong conclusion. Retreat is an army in defeat, not of victory and no matter how rosy it turned out well for General Lee, he lost something far more important at Gettysburg then anything he could have saved in this retreat. I am bit surprised the many of the reviews written on this book haven't caught on to this yet.

Most accounts on the Battle of Gettysburg give limited coverage to R.E. Lee's retreat from Gettysburg.. The text notes "The idea for the Pennsylvania campaign arose many months before. It was born in a desperation caused by the looming collapse of the Army of Northern Virginia if it remained in war-ravages central Virginia without adequate food and supplies for its men and fodder for its horses and mules." Consequently, from the moment that Lee reached the Maryland side of the Potomac River the countryside was scoured by Confederate quartermasters and commissaries of subsistence for food, fodder and supply. Interestingly, "The effort to obtain food, fodder, and equipment would never stop; even the three days of battle at Gettysburg did not interfere with it." The author, Kent Masterson Brown, addresses in detail the acute logistical problems attendant to Lee's army's retreat from Gettysburg with the critical supplies that had been foraged.

The text is broadly arranged into three sections: 1st disengagement at Gettysburg and crossing the South Mountain range; 2nd travel to Harrisburg and Williamsport; 3rd defense of Williamsport and Falling Waters, Virginia then travel to Staunton Virginia. "A slow, fighting retreat sounds simple in theory, but it is extraordinarily difficult in practice, particularly with a large army burdened by enormous trains." The trains were more than fifty-seven miles of wagon and ambulance trains plus ten of thousands of livestock. The text gives excellent, brief narratives of Lee's army's travels to the Potomac River, the cavalry attacks on the trains plus the engagements of the rear guard troops as Meade attacked.

Most interesting is Brown's accounts of attending to the sick and wounded. Those that could walk accompanied the trains while other wounded rode in ambulance wagons if available. However, for those seriously ill or wounded or who lacked transportation, surgical teams were ordered to stay with them. For example, of the 1,300 wounded in Johnson's Division, 446 were left behind. Ever effort was made to care for the sick and wounded whether they could travel or had to be left behind. Protecting the trains was exceedingly difficult; the escorts suffered along with the helpless wounded.

The entire army was in Hagerstown by the morning of 7 July. The author notes that"The movement of Lee's army from the morning of 5 July until the afternoon of 6 July was one of the most critical episodes of the retreat from Gettysburg, although it was far from being filled with battle action." "Lee's slow march and bold rear guard on 5 July had a profound effect on Meade and his lieutenants." Next Lee had to set up strong defenses until he could make arrangements for crossing the Potomac River. Using the ferries at Williamsport was exceptionally slow so that Lee's defenses must hold until he could build a pontoon bridge at Falling Waters. By 10 July the Williamsport defense line was almost ready, but Lee had limited time to cross the Potomac. The last person crossed the pontoon bridge on 14 July. The text narrates Meade's attempts to engage Lee and prevent his army from crossing the Potomac. However, the text concludes that "....there was nothing Meade could have done to prevent Lee from winning the race to the Williamsburg defense line or holding it."

Once across the Potomac River, The Shenandoah Valley served as the corridor for Lee's army's evacuation. The problem now was to take care of the sick and wounded and get them to the General and Receiving Hospital at Staunton, Virginia. Staunton was soon overrun with sick and wounded soldiers. The text provides a brief but excellent account of this phase of the retreat.

President Lincoln blamed Lee's escape on Meade's slow response. While Meade undoubtedly could have done better, Brown notes Meade's army "was in a desperate condition, many artillery batteries could not accompany their corps while his horses and mules pulling many of the guns and caissons were so exhausted and weakened by excessive campaigning and lack of forage that they collapsed...." Throughout Lee's retreat, Meade had critical supply problems that limited his response.

The author concludes "Although the battle of Gettysburg was indeed a Confederate loss, the invasion of Pennsylvania may not have been. In fact, Lee successfully brought his army and all its trains across the Potomac River. In the process, he managed to get out of Pennsylvania and Maryland more than forty-five miles of quartermaster and substance trains filled with impressed stores." One can only speculate on how, or if, the Army of Northern Virginia would have survived without these supplies. Lee's very successful retreat maintained the balance of power in his theatre of operations.

This is an excellently researched work; Kent Brown uses much previously untapped source material. This book is the major source of information on the retreat from Gettysburg and will be of interest to all serious students of Civil War History.

Retreat from Gettysburg provides the missing dimension to the campaign. Popular histories of the battle climax with the repulse of Pickett's Charge. The drama of how the Army of Northern Virginia extracted themselves from Pennsylvania intact to fight another day is equally as gripping.

Confederate survivors faced monumental challenges in their return to Virginia. Not only did the able bodied soldiers face enemy pursuit, but the retreating columns did so with the added burdens of their baggage, their wounded, captured Union men and wagon trains of captured materials.

Brown presents his detailed narrative in such a way as to keep readers in suspense until the last man safely crosses the Potomac. The heroic action rivals any that took place at Gettysburg and is supported by thorough research.

The scores of popular histories I have read about the battle usually end with "Lee did his best, got beat and went home" type epilogues. There was so much more to the story. Readers will marvel why the subject has not received such scholarly treatment until now. Retreat from Gettysburg will stand as a landmark work.

This book has far more detail on the events of Lee's retreat and Meade's pursuit after the Gettysburg battle than any other book I have read. It gives a lot of reasons why Meade was not able to quickly pursue and re-engage Lee before Lee crossed the Potomac. There is also a lot of insight into what Lee hoped to accomplish with his invasion of the North, and why Lee considered it worthwhile, even with his defeat at Gettysburg.

Like many of the other reviewers here, I am in awe of the detail here regarding Lee's retreat from Gettysburg. More than any other campaign of Lee's, this movement revealed his true abilities. The most difficult operation for any military organization is retreat. Lee conducted a masterful retreat. Mr. Brown illuminates this in painful detail, right down to the placing of skirmish lines and Lee's minute orders to his commanders.

Unlike some of the other reviewers, I do take exception to the idea of the entire ANV operation in Pennsylvania being a great raid as novel. This has been advanced by several other historians for some time. What is done here in this book, however is to detail just how much it was a foraging raid done on an army scale. He actually lists the CS regimental seizures down to individual horses and curry combs. He then notes Federal messages regarding the clothing, toys, etc found in captured or broken down CS wagons. All of this provides plentiful evidence that the ANV's primary mission was foraging with a major battle being secondary at best.

The maps and illustrations are good, the prose is readable, and though the detail at times can be mind numbing, the book remains a fast read. Mr. Brown has taken a subject covered almost to overkill and written something fresh and thought provoking. As noted above, anyone (like myself) who had been a critic of Meade's for failure to bring Lee to battle on advantage will likely change their mind after reading this evidence. Meade's people were in worse straits than the retreating CS forces due to logistical failures. His cavalry was worn and poorly supplied, it actually can be considered a minor miracle they were as successful as they were in their pursuit. The pursuing Federals had to follow through areas repeatedly stripped of food and supplies by the retreating CS forces. Conversely, the CS forces as they contracted became stronger (relatively) while the Federals became more strung out. Mr. Brown's illustrations of the strength of CS defenses at Falling Waters and Williamsport highlight the correctness of Meade's decision not to attack with his strung out forces before it was too late.

This book does a great service to a largely ignored aspect of the Gettysburg campaign. I do agree that Gettysburg was not the decisive point in the East and also that in a logistical/strategic sense Gettysburg was a victory for the CS. The ANV survived and despite the irreplaceable manpower loss, gained enough materially wise to last until homegrown resources could sustain it further.

This book is well worth the price. It is an eye opener and knocks some traditional historical concepts on their butts. Mr. Brown has done history a great service with this book.

The second edition of this book was recently offered and I'm really pleased to finally get a copy. Melonpool is very rare among internet strips as it has well-developed characters with charm and personality and is well-drawn. It's been favorably compared to Calvin & Hobbes for good reason. It does help to start at the beginning (and this book starts just there) so you can get to know the circumstances the characters are living under and their basic personalities. Steve Troop deserves to be in newspapers and it's a shame that none of the syndicates have recognized his talent.

Melonpool is a great comic. It is a funny book with stories for all ages. The author does parodies on all different kinds of popular media. The chacters make for a funny story in every strip. Steve Troop,(the author) is brillant. I like this book better than Peanut , Garfield, or Calvin and Hobbs. If you buy this book, you wont regret it!

If you're a fan of comic strips, then you really should be let in on a little secret-the best comic strips today aren't in newspapers; they're online. One of the first, and greatest, online comics I read was Mayberry Melonpool. Troop's work will remind you of the heyday of most great comic strips; there is an aura of good feelings about these strips that is just infectuous, that will make you smile if you're not already aughing out loud at Steve's unabashed silliness. While this book contains a collection of great comics, by far the best part is following Steve Troops journey as his characters and strip evolve. If you enjoyed books like "Pre-History of the Far Side" or "The Essential Calvin and Hobbes," then you will want to check this tome out.

The Ultimate Melonpool is a great book about the evolution of one of todays most popular internet comic strips. Reading this book gives the reader the story behind his most popular works. His witty, timely humor is also apparent in the fantastic collection of strips in this book. This book must be read by any fan of witty humor. His website is updated daily with new strips. You should expect to see Troop's strip syndicated shortly.

In a world of sub par performances, it's nice every once in a while to see an instant classic like the Melonpool saga. This book is not only a superb collection of some of the best cartoon art available, it's also a glimpse into the mind of one of the world's truly misunderstood geniuses. I KNOW Steve Troop. I've broken bread with him. I've bowled with Steve Troop. I've held covoluted discussions with Steve Troop. Those of you who were never as lucky might benefit from reading this book...

I purchased this for my boyfriend upon him returning home from Fallujah. He didn't open it once. It's just not a book that a war veteran wants to read, or even be reminded of. He went through enough and all he really needed was professional help. Not a book that reiterates the pain and struggles that families endure.

My son suggested I read this before he comes home from his tour of duty in Iraq. It has been very helpful to understand what he has to deal with in terms of adjusting from daily combat and normal day to day life at home. Most people don't have a clue what these brave men and women have to deal with. They cannot just turn off their emotions just because they are back home.
Eveyone who has a loved one serving in a war zone should read this book.

It wasn't the war, it was when I returned home and could not function. I applaud this book for it's intent and gratitude that it gives to our young warriors. It is one of the few written for "our" generation. Thank you

-Timothy Kendrick author-PTSD: Pathways Through the Secret Door

I was skeptical when purchasing this book, but the topics are discussed in such a way that you do not feel like you're reading "self-help". The focus is not on PTSD (although that is one of the topics covered), but more on a healthy transition from a chaotic environment. I would recommend this to any serviceman, spouse, parent, or close friend.

As a disability service provider, I found this book particularly helpful. It is practical and to the point. Veterans can find tips on everything from how to sleep better to how to relax and cope with stressors. The triggers of anxiety are explained well, as are the ways veterans typically handle their pain. At the end of each chapter are helpful tips for family members. After I read it, I ordered ten copies of this book to give away to student veterans and their families.

Fred Ray was kind enough to send along a review copy of his excellent book Shock Troops of the Confederacy: The Sharpshooter Battalions of the Army of Northern Virginia. Fred is the descendant of one of those sharpshooters, which is what got him interested in the subject.

To be candid, before Fred's book was published, I was not aware that such special duty battalions even existed in Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, other than references to Eugene Blackford's sharpshooters in the first day's fighting at Gettysburg. The book has changed that misperception of mine.

Fred Ray has written an exceptional book. It's a comprehensive tour de force of its subject, and one that should probably stand as the definitive word on its subject for a very long time. It's an extremely valuable and useful addition to the existing body of knowledge about the Civil War that was probably long overdue. The book is thoroughly researched and well-written. From my perspective one of the book's best features is the abundance of detailed, useful, and quality maps. Those maps address actions that have not been previously mapped. Fred drew the maps himself, and he did an excellent job it.

Of most value to the book for is its emphasis on the critical role played by the Confederate sharpshooters on many battlefields of the Eastern Theatre of the Civil War. Of particular value to me was the focus on the role played by the Confederate sharpshooters during the fighting for the Jug Bridge during the July 9, 1864 Battle of Monocacy. Before reading Fred's work on the subject, I had never seen any discussion of the role played by the sharpshooters in the fighting for the stone bridge on the National Road. Fred's analysis is detailed and comprehensive, and helps us to fill a big hole in our study of Jubal Early's raid on Washington.

I can't say enough good things about Fred Ray's book and can highly recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in the subject. I guarantee you that you will learn something new. I certainly did.

CAN'T WAIT to use the information from the book to actually trace JEB's steps.

Fred Ray has seized upon a little known aspect of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and through extensive research has, incredible for 2006, developed his research to add a new wrinkle to its accepted history. My own research centers on only one of these battalions and my scope is therefore somewhat narrower, but I know that these sharpshooter units existed and that they were in reality utilized to their fullest. I would therefore probably be considered a pretty tough critic. Fred has independently discovered many of my own more focused sources and added many more to satisfy his premise.
His in-depth narrative incorporates proof ranging from mere mentions to laudatory thanks for the actions of the sharpshooter battalions in virtually every action from summer of 1862 through the end. Although the narrative is obviously meant to demonstrate the value of the sharpshooter battalions to the army, it presents a well-written, accurate military chronology of the war. His endnotes are rigidly supportive of the narrative and his maps are excellent and precise, again always supported by endnotes.
Fred Ray goes further than just the ANV, exploring weapons, opponents' sharpshooter organizations and similar tactics in the western Confederate Army of Tennessee.
I would highly recommend this book to any serious student of Confederate military actions during the War Between the States, particularly those who want to understand everything about the Army of Northern Virginia.

In his book, Shock Troops of the Confederacy, Fred Ray covers a little known aspect of the Civil War. Napoleanic warfare was still the primary means of conducting battle during the American Civl War however, the sharpshooter units on both sides did remarkable work. These men received little mention but by all accounts were deadly adversaries and prized by their commanders. They were also the predecessors to the modern day snipers, currently at the forefront of the war on terror. The tactics and method of warfare used in Civil War skirmishes by the sharpshooter units are still applicable in the modern military.

Mr. Ray's work is an excellent reference for modern day students of the art of sniping, whether law enforcement or military.

Brian K. Sain
AmericanSnipers.org

In this thought provoking book, the author starts out with a brief history of light troops followed by the history of the skirmishers of the Army of North Virginia. Although the Union side began the war with more and better light troops, they allowed them atrophy while the Confederates who faced them, learned from them. Innovation in the ANV tended to originate in Ewell's old division, commanded by Rodes. When the war began, the standard system was for each regiment to have one or two light companies sent forward as skirmishers. This had flaws. It was difficult to coordinate between all the companies, with Rodes' bad experience at South Mountain clearly showing the potential result. Soon, he formed for his brigade a special sharpshooter battalion to cover the front, and by the beginning of 1864 this was standard in every brigade in Lee's army. Because Lee's army was decentralized, innovation of this sort was encouraged and could spread. To enter a sharpshooter battalion, high standards of bravery and marksmanship had to be met so that the units did not become a collection of misfits. The men fought as light infantry, not as snipers in the modern sense, and used the best weapons available, including captured repeating rifles. The psychological effect on enemy infantry could be great, knowing that someone who was aimed at would likely be hit. The author's battle descriptions are quite useful. He shows how at Gettysburg Iverson's sharpshooter battalion got diverted into the low ground to face the Union XI Corps, which was threatening the division's flank, but with Iverson's brigade not protected properly, disaster resulted. At North Anna Confederate sharpshooters successfully screened the entrenchments, hiding them from view and allowing the Union army to unknowingly enter a trap. Most of the book covers the Overland Campaign and the '64 Valley and Petersburg campaigns, by which time new assault tactics were being developed to capture enemy pickets or assault earthworks. This, the author argues, shows a link to later infantry tactics developed by the German stormtroopers in World War I.. Unlike many other Civil War historians, the author is broad minded in looking at the broader tactical context - looking to events abroad both before and after the Civil War. The Franco-Prussian War, however, is given little attention. The author's interpretation of the use of Prussian columns differs with Nosworthy's, who believes that skirmishers were the main effort, with the company columns merely supporting them. So the author may over-emphasize the Boer War as a result. This is a minor flaw only; the book gives a good discussion of weapons and their accuracy and flaws as well as a good treatment of range estimation training. The book fills a void and should be a treasured volume to anyone interested in Civil War tactics.

This is a great resource for individuals looking for some leadership pointers.

I recently re-read this book, curious to know to what extent its content remains relevant. My conclusion? It is even more relevant today than it was when first published in 2004. In Richard E. Cavanagh's Foreword, he recalls a discussion during dinner with Peter Drucker and Jack Welch who shared the same opinion that the United States military services do the best job developing leaders. What we have in this volume is an adaptation by Frances Hesselbein and General Eric K. Shinseki (USA Ret.) of Field Manual 22-100, Army Leadership, with assistance from Alan Shrader. Hesselbein and Shinseki also wrote the Introduction. The material is carefully organized within seven chapters, followed by a Conclusion that reviews the most important points, correctly noting the unique and compelling role that the U.S. Army has played since June 14, 1775, when the Continental Congress authorized enlistment of riflemen to serve the United Colonies for one year.

With regard to the book's title, "Army leadership begins with what the leader must Be, the values and attributes that shape a leader's character...People want leaders who are honest, competent, forward-looking, and inspiring...People willingly follow only those who know what they are doing. One of the quickest ways for a leader to lose trust and commitment of followers is to demonstrate incompetence...Character and competence, the Be and the Know, underlie everything a leader does. But character and knowledge - while absolutely necessary - are not enough. Leaders act; they Do...They solve problems, overcome obstacles, strengthen teamwork, and achieve objectives. They use leadership to produce results."

I realize that these concepts seem simple. In one sense they are. However, in this context, I am reminded of what Oliver Wendell Holmes once said: "I would not give a fig for the simplicity this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity." The challenge to any organization when developing leaders is to guide those involved to the other side of complexity." The composite of excerpts from Be-Know-Do identifies core concepts, to be sure, but it also describes the character, competence, knowledge, and results-driven initiative that the U.S. Army seeks to develop within every one of its soldiers, regardless of rank. "No one is only a leader; each person in an organization is also a follower and part of a team. In fact, the old distinction between leaders and followers has blurred; complex twenty-first-century organizations require individuals to move seamlessly from one role to another in an organization, from leadership to `followership,' and back again."

Hesselbein and Shinseki are to be commended for their skillful adaptation of Field Manual 22-100, Army Leadership, but also for the inclusion within the narrative of relevant material from sources outside the U.S. Army organization. For example, they quote prominent business thinkers throughout the narrative: James Kouzes and Barry Posner on leadership by example (page 24), John Gardner on the importance of a shared vision (page 30), Patrick Lencioni on teamwork (page 86), and John Kotter on a leader's "quest for learning" (page 132). Readers will also appreciate the provision of various "Exhibits" such as 5.1 that provides a brilliant illustration of Team-Building Stages.

Those who share my high regard for this volume are urged to check out Frances Hesselbein's other works that include The Leader of the Future 2: Visions, Strategies, and Practices for the New Era co-authored with Marshall Goldsmith, On Leading Change: A Leader to Leader Guide co-authored with Rob Johnston, and Leading for Innovation: and Organizing for Results co-edited with Goldsmith and Iain Somerville. Also, I highly recommend the wealth of resources available at the Leader to Leader Institute (http://www.leadertoleader.org/), a non-profit and tax exempt organization that includes a subscription to its magazine among several membership benefits.

Since I became a civilian a few years ago, I've struggled somewhat with explaining to my team how to adapt what I "know" about Army leadership into terms they can understand.

This book does a great job of putting the fundamentals of Army leadership into terms civilians can understand, and better yet, implement or integrate into their leadership experience.

The fundamentals apply to every organization, and I highly recommend it to any student of leadership!

Although this book is required reading, not only for ARMY OCS, but also for other applications, it is quite possibly the most BORING read ever.

While the information is quite valid *and* genius, basically the ARMY's system on leadership, it is just plain boring... Sorry, it's the truth.

For the price, the information is golden. In fact, even if the price were higher it would still be worth what you pay. But even still, this was a painful 171 pages to read!!

BUY IT. READ IT. GET IT OVER WITH...! :)

The world's benchmark with respect to leadership is the market driven capitalist company, however it seems they have lost their way when compared to the US Army. After you read this book you will be shocked to find out how far ahead of private business the US Army is in the area of Leadership.

Ultimately the US Army has determined that in some fashion everyone that reports to you is also a leader and needs to be trained and respected as such. The US Army's leaders are actively developed at all levels so that they can lead and develop others - no lip service here.