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What are your favorite military or war-related books of any type that you have on your bookshelf? These could include fiction, historical fiction, books on leadership, PTSD, military stratefy, technical manuals, regulations, spiritual books, historical books, journals, references, etc.
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Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 21
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Steel My Soldiers' Hearts by Col. (Ret) Hackworth is by far my absolute favorite book on leadership and the application of a Mission First, Soldiers Always mentality.
Ender's Game (yes, the science fiction novel) by Orson Scott Card provides excellent examples of leadership as well as an excellent metaphor for the burden of command.
Not A Good Day To Die (Operation Anaconda) is in my opinion the best book written on Operation Enduring Freedom, outlining serious lessons learned by our Army while highlighting the outstanding potential of our NCOs to adapt on the fly to the terrain and enemy.
Ender's Game (yes, the science fiction novel) by Orson Scott Card provides excellent examples of leadership as well as an excellent metaphor for the burden of command.
Not A Good Day To Die (Operation Anaconda) is in my opinion the best book written on Operation Enduring Freedom, outlining serious lessons learned by our Army while highlighting the outstanding potential of our NCOs to adapt on the fly to the terrain and enemy.
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SSG (Join to see)
I have Steel My Soldier's Hearts. The leadership knowledge in that book are amazing.
But I have also read up on the writer...have you?....
But I have also read up on the writer...have you?....
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CPT (Join to see)
Absolutely, LTC (Ret) Hackworth led an amazing life of service, albeit his methods and decisions both as a Soldier and civilian call many things into question. The poise and character exhibited both in wartime and civilian controversy (ie the CNN/CBS/Adm. Boorda incident, resulting in his Ranger tab being identified as inappropriately issued) serve as a stern reminder that our character as Soldiers lasts long after we hang up our uniforms.
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Suspended Profile
I actually buy very few books other than professional library stuff (my rabbinic library is huge).
That being said, I have found that the vast number of books written by troops serving in OIF/OEF have been very compelling.
Far too many in this country really understand what folks went through during these wars. In previous wars, the conditions in the US were very different, and folks knew what was going on. During OIF/OEF, far too many people didn't even realize we were at war...
That being said, I do have a copy of "Rickover" on my shelf. I was a Navy Nuclear Power officer, so it was kind of required to have it... The other military books I have are on treating combat PTSD, since I specialize in that as a Pastoral Counselor...
That being said, I have found that the vast number of books written by troops serving in OIF/OEF have been very compelling.
Far too many in this country really understand what folks went through during these wars. In previous wars, the conditions in the US were very different, and folks knew what was going on. During OIF/OEF, far too many people didn't even realize we were at war...
That being said, I do have a copy of "Rickover" on my shelf. I was a Navy Nuclear Power officer, so it was kind of required to have it... The other military books I have are on treating combat PTSD, since I specialize in that as a Pastoral Counselor...
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The Bear Went Over the Mountain (Discussion of the Soviet War in Afghanistan from the Russian perspective)
Enders Game
Enders Shadow (The shadow series in general is a good point of reference. Tactics may not be realistic, but the ability to think outside the box and use the various tools is what is beneficial)
Enders Game
Enders Shadow (The shadow series in general is a good point of reference. Tactics may not be realistic, but the ability to think outside the box and use the various tools is what is beneficial)
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SGT (Join to see)
MAJ (Join to see):
Sir, reminding me of the Ender series just made my day. I'm going to go find those as Ebooks now and get back into a good read.
Sir, reminding me of the Ender series just made my day. I'm going to go find those as Ebooks now and get back into a good read.
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MAJ (Join to see)
You can actually get most of them in print at a Barnes and Noble for about the same cost (if not the exact same cost) as the Ebook!
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SGT (Join to see)
While I do prefer paper in hand over Ebooks, I cannot overstate the convenience of having novels on my phone to read at any moment of peace. They come so rarely in my house.
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MAJ (Join to see)
I can appreciate that. I have a combination of E-Books and Paper. I have a bad habit of collecting books, even if I haven't read them.
If you haven't read the entire Shadow Series from Card, you should. A couple have come out in the last few years. One to finish the series off as well as prequels. The Ender series certainly is more Sci-Fi oriented, but the Shadow series is more geo-political.
If you haven't read the entire Shadow Series from Card, you should. A couple have come out in the last few years. One to finish the series off as well as prequels. The Ender series certainly is more Sci-Fi oriented, but the Shadow series is more geo-political.
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Favorite is hard to define for me. I'll go with most useful.
Ranger Handbook SH 21-76
Engineer Bible FM 5-34
Rifle Marksmanship FM 3-22.9
Even that was harder than I expected, and I don't know how accurate it is, but it'll work for off the top of my head.
Ranger Handbook SH 21-76
Engineer Bible FM 5-34
Rifle Marksmanship FM 3-22.9
Even that was harder than I expected, and I don't know how accurate it is, but it'll work for off the top of my head.
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SGT (Join to see)
If we're doing manuals, I'd have to go with one that pretty much governs my whole career. TC 3-04.81 (Formerly FM 3-04.303). That's the bible for army Air Traffic Controllers, that and the JO 7110.65
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Death of the Wehrmacht (The German Campaigns of 1942), by Robert Citino
The German Way of War (From the thirty Years' War to the Third Reich), by Robert Citino
All my military History Magizines
The German Way of War (From the thirty Years' War to the Third Reich), by Robert Citino
All my military History Magizines
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SPC (Join to see)
I completely forgot about Western Front. I checked it out of my schools library at least once every year starting at 6th grade
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I like the Tom Clancy novels with Jack Ryan. I like the Stephen Coonts novels with Jake Grafton. I only own "Clear and Present Danger" so I have to say that is my favorite that I own. The others came from the library. Of all of the ones I have read "Final Flight" by Stephen Coonts is my favorite. It is a good story, it has action, it has intrigue, it has some other really great events that I won't detail.
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SPC (Join to see)
I keep reading these posts thinking "Oh yeah, that's a good one I completely forgot about that one" You just did again. Stephen Coonts took a year of my life that I don't regret missing
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