Military Veteran

Love and hope often arrive in the strangest places and in the strangest ways. During his tour of duty in Iraq, Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman of the U.S. Marines endured the emotional stress common for those involved in bloody battles for freedom. Although the rules forbid pets, Kopelman and his comrades adopted an abandoned puppy left behind after the battle for Fallujah. The dog (named Lava) befriended the Marines and journalists, and was eventually smuggled out of Iraq.

Jay Kopelman sets forth more than a dozen lessons, including: Life can change in an instant, but you'll be able to handle it; passion for something can help you tap into your most powerful reserve of energy; have a standard operating procedure for everything; and never forget who you are or how you got here. Active and retired troops, soldiers' friends and families, and everyone who has ever loved a dog will embrace this book.

On Easter morning, 1972, Marine captain John Ripley braved intense enemy fire to blow up a bridge during the North Vietnamese "Easter Offensive." Ripley became a legend within the Marine Corps for his daring act of heroism. His story is described here by fellow Marine John Grider Miller. Miller lays bare Ripley's innermost thoughts during the 3 hours it took to place and set the fuses while some 30,000 enemy troops and 200 tanks prepared to cross just yards away. Such a compelling act of raw courage and personal resolve is rarely encountered.

What does it mean to kill for your country? How do you learn how to do it? What does it feel like in the moment? Once the killing starts, how do you control it? And what happens when you kill the wrong person or don’t kill someone you wish you had or look back, years later, at the people you killed? America has been at war in two countries for more than a decade. The killing that has been done and is being done is a crucial aspect of war and an integral part of the memories servicemen bring home with them.

Meet eight combat-injured men who sustained life-altering injuries. Hear eight inspiring stories of heroism and the re-building of independent, productive and fulfilling lives after seemingly impossible circumstances. This project looks at the struggles of these incredible men to reshape their lives after combat.

The 1942 raid on Dieppe was an attempt to test the enemy readiness, and take some pressure off the Russian front. It was a costly disaster, but lessons learned there were of the utmost importance to the D-Day planning. After a massive build up of men and materials, the D-Day landings finally took place in Normandy on June 6th, 1944. Despite vicious battles and stubborn resistance, within 12 weeks the Allied forces invaded Paris.

This is the exciting true story of a legendary leader and the men who fought by his side in World War II, told in his own words. The summer of 1942 was an unforgettable time for the World War II Allies. Until that year, defeat had followed defeat. Pearl Harbor came first for the United States, and then the loss of the Philippines; Britain had its Dunkirk and had lost Singapore; and the Soviet Union was fighting a desperate battle against the Nazi Army on its entire Western front.

Patti, the mother of Army medic Jon, and Jennifer, sister of infantry soldier James, forge a dear and lifelong friendship as their soldiers fight to stay alive in one of the most dangerous cities in Iraq. The story begins separately with the Patti and Jennifer's recollections of the day their soldiers deployed to Iraq from Ft. Lewis, Washington. As the book progresses, their separate stories of Army life grow together as their soldier's deployment continues.

In "Boots, Barrack, and Belly Laughs," Mr. Gates breaks down the misconception that military experiences can't be humorous. Quite the contrary, as he unveils the universal language of humor that binds military personnel together.

Cam Warren is back from duty in Iraq. He's haunted by what he's seen, and the only thing he wants is to be normal again - especially when he sees Hayley Arsenault, the girl he left behind when he went off to war. But how does a scarred soldier learn to let in love?, the girl he left behind when he went off to war. But how does a scarred soldier learn to let in love?

Figuring out your next move after transitioning out of the military should start before your last day. Prepare yourself emotionally and professionally to put those hard-earned skills in context of the civilian world. The transition from military to civilian life is more than just a title change; it is a whole new life experience with the sense of excitement and possibility that accompany a transition. Whether you're preparing to retire or separate, Success After Service will help all veterans succeed in the civilian workplace.

He called himself Staff Sergeant Keith, but word around C Troop had it that the spooky guy in tiger suit fatigues wasn't an enlisted man, maybe not even army. Some thought he was from CIA. But the air cavalry troops were told that he had their commander's blessing, so they took him along. C Troop was engaged in its toughest fight of the war, flying South Vietnamese soldiers and supplies across the border into Laos in an audacious attempt, late in the war, to turn the tide of battle, cut American losses, and shorten the war.

This volume contains the United States’ explanation for the war, a review of Vietnam’s history and the war’s and US armed forces in it, as well as various problems during it, including drug and racial problems, desertion, sedition, and treason.

Navy veteran Mike Schindler, Founder and CEO of Operation Military Family, tells the stories of our returning heroes so that we might gain a true understanding of life for returning vets and their families. While addressing some of the hardships of returning vets, Schindler also reveals another side of America's heroes - the side that celebrates the triumphs and hirable qualities offered by our veterans.

Every war has its "signature wounds", injuries inflicted by frightening new weapons and tactics the U.S. military has never faced before. Blistered flesh from mustard gas in World War I. Petroleum burns from oil and gas igniting on the surface of the Pacific in World War II. And now, lost legs, hands, and most devastating of all, genitals, as a result of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in today's war in Afghanistan.

He went in as a military history buff, a virgin, and a teetotaler. He came out with a war bride, a taste for German beer, and intimate knowledge of one of the darkest parts of history. His name is Dean Joy, and this was his war. For two months in 1945, Joy endured and survived the everyday deprivations and dangers of being a frontline infantryman. His amazingly detailed memoir, self-illustrated with numerous scenes Joy remembers from his time in Europe, brings back the sights, sounds, and smells of the experience as few books ever have.

FNH Audio presents an unabridged reading of Colonel Millett's historical study of the U.S. Marines in the Korean War and their combat operations around the Punchbowl during 1951 and 1952. This study examines how the Marines fought and were commanded, including numerous anecdotes from both the Marines on the front line and those commanding them. It covers the various changes of command and the associated problems, and how the inter-service conflicts effected the men on the ground.

When placed against the odds in fighting a bloody battle on the small South Pacific island of Peleliu and subsequently moving the fight to Okinawa during the last battle of World War II, Judge Braswell Deen Jr. takes the listener back to a time when he and other United States marines showed great courage and love by offering their lives where the rest of the world might have the chance to be free.

A moving collection of prose and poetry written by veterans of the military. Their stories and poignant, sometimes excruciatingly humorous, personal experiences span history from WWII to the Cold and Vietnam Wars, to the conflicts of the Persian Gulf and Iraqi Freedom, and even to little-known clandestine operations in remote corners of the globe. Written by veterans of every branch of the services, each writer has answered the call to defend and protect human values both great and small.

Kayleen Reusser has interviewed 250 World War II vets. In her first compilation of published stories, she has gathered 28 accounts of experiences with D-Day, Battle of the Bulge, Battle of Remagen, Okinawa, Iwo Jima, and more. Ideal for non-military listeners, these stories will explain in the words of the vets the sacrifices made by our nation's oldest veterans. This compilation is part of an effort the author is making to preserve a significant part of our national heritage.