What Are You Currently Reading?

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I hear that there are some really good "support guy" stories in Violence of Action.

I don't believe I have read any of those yet, what I have read I am really enjoying. The writing is nice and concise; enough detail to paint a picture, but not overwhelm and bore. Looking forward to the rest.
 
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I don't believe I have read any of those yet, what I have read I am really enjoying. The writing is nice and concise; enough detail to paint a picture, but not overwhelm and bore. Looking forward to the rest.

Let me know when you get to this vignette, I think it's in the "Swan Song" story:

SAS troops to stop wearing skull badges
 
Not sure if this the right thread to post this but I found this article pretty fascinating Stealing the Enemy's Urban Advantage: The Battle of Sadr City - Modern War Institute

MWI publishes a lot of really great content. Their "tip of the spear" podcast is particularly enlightening. I also like John Spencer's series on "megacity warfare."

This article, however, is an all-time MWI favorite of mine:


Competition, Call of Duty, and “Naked Chicks with Guns”: Lessons on Teambuilding from an Elite Special Operations Unit - Modern War Institute
 
Currently reading the "Killing School", by Brandon Webb. Amazing book about the midset of a sniper. I highly recomend it.
 
Currently reading the "Killing School", by Brandon Webb. Amazing book about the midset of a sniper. I highly recomend it.
Since you are just 15, try to curtail the Brandon Webb worship about 25% - 50%. There are a metric shit-ton of "I was there" books to read; start with the Vietnam era books. (Skip the Red Cell shit) The Nam era was the proving ground for much of what the Military is today. Checkout Chickenhawk by Robert Mason, Fields of Fire by James Webb and The Five Fingers by Gayle Rivers.
 
Since you are just 15, try to curtail the Brandon Webb worship about 25% - 50%. There are a metric shit-ton of "I was there" books to read; start with the Vietnam era books. (Skip the Red Cell shit) The Nam era was the proving ground for much of what the Military is today. Checkout Chickenhawk by Robert Mason, Fields of Fire by James Webb and The Five Fingers by Gayle Rivers.

Fields of Fire was a very interesting and enlightening read.
 
That's a incredibly dense read. Any reason why you're reading it?

LL
Honestly one part is because of Jordan Peterson. The other part is because I want to know more about that time in history. I feel like to many people want communism and socialism to come back because they feel disenfranchised and I feel like this book is a good reason not to go back.
 
Let me know when you get to this vignette, I think it's in the "Swan Song" story:

SAS troops to stop wearing skull badges

Read both the article and read past the squirrel patch story, took me awhile since I've been reading slowly. It was a good chapter, I can't imagine how that staffer felt after they were dismissed from that assignment after that patch colored their impression even though I believe the narrator mentioned the transfer was unrelated.
 
I just finished Triple Sticks by Bernard Fipp, a memoir of an A-4 pilot from checking into his squadron through a 1967 deployment to Vietnam. Short, but good, it offers a different perspective on the air war.

Currently reading: The Fleet at Flood Tide by Hornfischer. This covers the Pacific War in 44-45, mainly focusing on Saipan/ the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. Hornfischer is an amazing author and I highly recommend his books.

On deck, starting Ian Toll's Pacific war trilogy.
 
Also began Start with Why by Simon Sinek

Start with Why was good; can see why it's on my commander's reading list. It's a 2011 publication, would be interested in an update based on some companies he profiled e.g. Southwest.
 
Start with Why was good; can see why it's on my commander's reading list. It's a 2011 publication, would be interested in an update based on some companies he profiled e.g. Southwest.

His “Leaders Eat Last” seminar is a big hit with civilian managers in the USG. I think he has an interesting personal story.
 
I'm re-reading Forsyth's The Day of the Jackal because it's just so damn good. They did a great job with the movie version, too. If you haven't read the book or seen the film, both are well worth the effort.

Forsyth covered Africa and France for the BBC and worked in the shadows as an unpaid stringer for MI6.
 
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I finished "Violence of Action" a few days ago; I enjoyed the book, always cool linking up history with POV accounts. Near the end of the book the vignette of the family member(s) left behind was an important placement of the opposite side of the coin. One reads all these bad ass recollections of hard men doing hard stuff, then one gets to see what effect it can have at home. To say it puts it in perspective would be cliche, but it does just that. Often like many, I'm drawn to the war bits however mundane; but at that point you miss half of the story; the people that are left behind.
 
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