# Book promotion (?)



## Ravage (Feb 21, 2008)

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22QY7eIvY6Y"]YouTube - New Book Release: Desperate Lands[/ame]



> Author: Regulo Zapata Jr. was an Army Special Operations NCO and retired as a Master Sergeant in 2003 after 29 years of service with the U.S.Army Special Forces. He now lives in Santa Clara County, California.



any infos on this ?


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## tigerstr (Feb 25, 2008)

*Desperate Lands*

Let me put it this way.

Not the best book I ever read about SF and/or the GWOT, but  good "documentary" style. 

The author is a NG SF Master Sergeant (prior AD Ranger and SF NCO) and the book would probably be better if he was aided by a good pro writer, because it is very level and without rythm, so to speak.

Its a personal account of his tours, first in the Horn of Africa and later in Afghanistan.

Dont expect much "action" or many details about SF Teams TTPs etc. (probably because of OPSEC) but you will get a picture of the day in day out life in an ODA, the prep for deployment etc.

If you are really interested in the subject, it is an addition for a "library" of this kind.

Not for enthusiasts who want "blood, guts and glory" stories.

Kind of brings in mind the book "Honduras to Haiti" from another SF Team Sergeant, Ronald W. Johnson. Different times, different places but same sort of dry "calendar" style of writing.

For me the writer came through as a mid aged proffesional, very sober, doing properly what he has to do, but in a way going through the motions, so that he gets back with his life and family. 

Which probably is honest.

Hope it helps.


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## AWP (Feb 25, 2008)

tigerstr said:


> but you will get a picture of the day in day out life in an ODA, the prep for deployment etc.



This would make it a must read for me then. Everyone is so action oriented that they overlook the day-to-day life of Unit X or whatever. The commercials show you jumping out of airplanes, not the hours spent waiting on a bird that may or may not show up. All of that range time is impressive on TV and in the books....until you realize what it takes to safely run a range and don't forget policing the brass.

My point is that all of that cool stuff has hours of boredom and prep work behind it and I would rather see someone in the pipeline think about THAT than about the cool guy shit that they want to do. It isn't very glamorous at times.....


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## Ravage (Feb 25, 2008)

Worth reading then.


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## x SF med (Feb 25, 2008)

Freefalling said:


> This would make it a must read for me then. Everyone is so action oriented that they overlook the day-to-day life of Unit X or whatever. The commercials show you jumping out of airplanes, not the hours spent waiting on a bird that may or may not show up. All of that range time is impressive on TV and in the books....until you realize what it takes to safely run a range and don't forget policing the brass.
> 
> My point is that all of that cool stuff has hours of boredom and prep work behind it and I would rather see someone in the pipeline think about THAT than about the cool guy shit that they want to do. It isn't very glamorous at times.....



x2.  A lot of people forget about the low speed high drag stuff that is done day to day.


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## Rabid Badger (Feb 25, 2008)

x SF med said:


> x2.  A lot of people forget about the low speed high drag stuff that is done day to day.



X3 from me...

Same same C 3/7 vid.....we did that shit day in/day out...everyday...prepping for the big one.....It's fun and all..but the prep is the hard part waiting for 'the day'......

FYI: RJ's book, 'Honduras to Haiti'...is a good read.....but he sure incensed a lot of people with his 'I'm a hero' view of writing the book. RJ was the stay behind TS that didn't do all the 'cool guy' hard shit.....led from the rear...so to speak....

The chapters on the Ecuador climbing trip are a completely fictional account of he and his ODA's accomplishments.....

Makes me want to read Regulo's book....just to compare.....rant over....

:2c:


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## 8'Duece (Feb 25, 2008)

Interesting comments thus far. 

I can relate only to the convential side of things, but yeah, videos never show the all night heavy drip rig at LAC, nor the two hours laying on your main chute breathing in airplane fumes, and then realizing you have to take a piss only to again realize that somehow your having to pull it out from under a reserve chute, flight bag, and leg straps somewhere around the corner of the building at the tarmac. 

They never show having to rig your vehicle in the middle of the rain, at night, for  helo infil. Nor the guy that has to sling load the vehicle under a Chinook during that same rain and is getting pelted from the rotar blast in the face whilst trying his best to not get shocked and thrown down off the vehicle. 

Or how abou the time one of our gun sections had sling loaded 102 Howitzer osccilating so badly under neath the UH-60 that they crew chief had to "CUT IT LOOSE" to avoid taking the entire bird down with it. 

Brings back some good and crappy memories.


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## irnbndr (Feb 25, 2008)

Freefalling said:


> This would make it a must read for me then. Everyone is so action oriented that they overlook the day-to-day life of Unit X or whatever. The commercials show you jumping out of airplanes, not the hours spent waiting on a bird that may or may not show up. All of that range time is impressive on TV and in the books....until you realize what it takes to safely run a range and don't forget policing the brass.
> 
> My point is that all of that cool stuff has hours of boredom and prep work behind it and I would rather see someone in the pipeline think about THAT than about the cool guy shit that they want to do. It isn't very glamorous at times.....



Word...


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