Books
Violence of Action by Marty Skovlund: Violence of Action is much more than the true, first-person accounts of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the Global War on Terror. Between these pages are the heartfelt, first-hand accounts from, and about, the men who lived, fought, and died for their country, their Regiment, and each other. Objective Rhino, Haditha Dam, recovering Jessica Lynch, the hunt for Zarqawi, the recovery of Extortion 17 and everything in between… These stories have been told many times in barracks rooms, bar tables, and backyard barbecues but they have never before been shared with the general public. It is time for those stories to be heard.
First Train Out of Denver by Leo Jenkins: On a tenebrous winter morning in Denver, Colorado, Leo Jenkins felt the weight of the world crushing him. Leo has a decision to make—maintain a comfortable position in a career he’s no longer passionate about—or take a massive leap of faith. Giving up everything he’s ever known, Jenkins sells his business, purges every possession that won’t fit into a single backpack and sets off into the world in pursuit of answers. Equal parts social philosophy and travel adventure, First Train Out of Denver takes the reader on an around the world quest for meaning in a seamlessly senseless world. Along the way Leo accepts a challenge from another former Army Ranger to see how far they can travel together in three weeks with nothing but a backpack and one hundred dollars to raise awareness and funds for a veteran charity. By any means necessary, the two manage to traverse two continents and film an award-winning documentary along the way.
American Warrior: The True Story of a Legendary Ranger by Gary O’Neal: From his first tour in Vietnam at seventeen to fighting in both Gulf wars, O’Neal was nothing less than a super soldier. A minefield of aggression bordering on a justice-seeking vigilante, O’Neal kept fighting even when wounded, refusing to surrender in the face of nine serious injuries and being left more than once. O’Neal earned countless military honors as a member of the elite Army Rangers corps, a founding member of the legendary first Department of Defense antiterrorist team, a member of the Golden Knights Parachuting Team, and more, devoting his life to training the next generation of soldiers. His unbelievable true stories are both shocking and moving, a reminder of what it means to be a true American hero.
The Reaper: Autobiography of One of the Deadliest Special Ops Snipers by Nicholas Irving: Irving shares the true story of his extraordinary military career, including his deployment to Afghanistan in the summer of 2009, when he set another record, this time for enemy kills on a single deployment. His teammates and chain of command labeled him “The Reaper,” and his actions on the battlefield became the stuff of legend, culminating in an extraordinary face-off against an enemy sniper known simply as The Chechnian.
Of their Own Accord by Gary Dolan: Based on real incidents, this is a quintessential Vietnam war novel about the role Army Ranger units played conducting raids by small teams on the ground and directed and supported by their officers in the air. This book tracks the experiences of a young West Point graduate who volunteers for a Ranger unit in-country, learns his trade, takes care of his men, accomplishes his missions, and deals with a macho posturing, cowardly martinet of a company commander. The young officer’s thoughts and emotions while coping with these challenges and his longings for the young wife left behind in the States are aptly represented.
Ashley’s War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield by Gayle Lemmon: In 2010, the Army created Cultural Support Teams, a secret pilot program to insert women alongside Special Operations soldiers battling in Afghanistan. The Army reasoned that women could play a unique role on Special Ops teams: accompanying their male colleagues on raids and, while those soldiers were searching for insurgents, questioning the mothers, sisters, daughters and wives living at the compound. Their presence had a calming effect on enemy households, but more importantly, the CSTs were able to search adult women for weapons and gather crucial intelligence. They could build relationships—woman to woman—in ways that male soldiers in an Islamic country never could.
Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan by Doug Stanton: Horse Soldiers is the dramatic account of a small band of Special Forces soldiers who secretly entered Afghanistan following 9/11 and rode to war on horses against the Taliban. Outnumbered forty to one, they pursued the enemy army across the mountainous Afghanistan terrain and, after a series of intense battles, captured the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, which was strategically essential to defeat their opponent throughout the country.
A Night in the Pech Valley: A memoir of a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the Global War on Terrorism by Grant McGarry: In its earnest firsthand telling, Grant McGarry’s A Night in the Pech Valley reveals the character and courage, and dedication and determination, of our elite Army Rangers. McGarry gives us an unvarnished and authentic glimpse of becoming a soldier and serving under fire. He shows the old rallying cry “Rangers lead the way” still rings true.
Briar Lake: The Sins of the Past by Cora Kane: Superstition, an inexplicable undertow, disappearances-when the highway bypass came to Doth, Virginia, most locals stopped going near BRIAR LAKE. Most of them, that is, except DEIDRE WEST. No matter what Deidre does, no matter how well she hides her keys, she just can’t help herself. She’s willed from her bed only to find herself in the thick forgotten woods that surround Briar Lake. And it’s the very last place she wants to be.
My Military Dad Does Things A Little Different by Vincent Vargas and the Article 15 Crew: A new childrens book that will be available on Amazon on November 25!
Team of Teams by General Stanley McChrystal: When General Stanley McChrystal took command of the Joint Special Operations Task Force in 2004, he quickly realized that conventional military tactics were failing. Al Qaeda in Iraq was a decentralized network that could move quickly, strike ruthlessly, then seemingly vanish into the local population. The allied forces had a huge advantage in numbers, equipment, and training—but none of that seemed to matter.
Triumph Over Terror by Bob Ossler: The day that changed the world—September 11, 2001—propelled America into the long war, the Global War on Terror. Like many Americans who serve our country, Chaplain Bob Ossler donned his firefighter turn-out gear, boarded a plane, and made his way to Manhattan to help in any way possible. He was escorted onto the smoldering, quaking heap, dubbed “The Pile.” Entering into the Gates of Hell—the crematorium and morgue for nearly 3000 beloved souls—an electrifying chill of horror shot through him.
The Ghosts of Babylon by Jonathon Baxter: very war triggers the question—what’s war like? The Ghosts of Babylon offers eyewitness accounts of warriors who lost their innocence dueling in the sands of the Iraqi inferno or fighting in the chilling Afghan mountains or on the khaki-colored plains. Wounds enshrouded under the bandages of headlines and sound bites will never bridge the gap between soldier and civilian.
A Soldier to Santiago: Finding Peace on the Warrior Path by Brad Genereux: Is forgiveness and peace within the grasp of those who spent their lives pursuing the next mission on behalf of their country? Brad Genereux traces two parallel journeys—one through the inferno of war in Afghanistan, and the other through the healing purgatory of the Camino de Santiago. Juxtaposed between a combat zone and The Way of Saint James, experience two adventures and the two lives of one man. Willing to sacrifice his life to aid the Afghanis, Brad’s candid account chronicles the challenges to carry out missions while operating under a complex chain of command, Afghani corruption, and deadly sabotage by the Taliban.
If you are looking for a publishing company to work with, please check out our partner at Blackside Publishing!
(Continued On Next Page)
© 2023 The Havok Journal
The Havok Journal welcomes re-posting of our original content as long as it is done in compliance with our Terms of Use.
