Posted on Jul 10, 2015
Matt Gallagher here, author of Kaboom, stopping by for a Q&A on Tuesday the 14th of July. What questions do you have?
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"Kaboom: Embracing the Suck in a Savage Little War" by Matt Gallagher
When Lieutenant Matt Gallagher first arrived in Iraq in 2007, it was all too surreal. In the midst of a shift in U.S. policy from lethal operations to counte...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYymSklf7jc
*Post your questions below*
From RallyPoint Staff:
We’re excited to welcome CPT Matt Gallagher, author of “Kaboom: Embracing the Suck in a Savage Little War” for a live Q&A July 14 at 4:00pm EST. CPT Gallagher deployed to Iraq in 2007 with 2-14 Cav (https://www.rallypoint.com/units/2-14-cav-2nd-squadron-14th-cavalry-regiment-schofield-barracks-hi). The book was inspired by his wartime blog, "Kaboom: A Soldier's War Journal," which was untimely shut down by his COC.
He's also the co-editor of, and contributor to, "Fire and Forget: Short Stories from the Long War," a literary fiction anthology penned by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and family members. His novel "Youngblood," set during the American withdrawal from Iraq, is forthcoming in February 2016. He has written for the New York Times, The Atlantic, The Daily Beast, and Boston Review, among others, and lives with his wife and dog in Brooklyn.
CPT Gallagher was also fortunate enough to spend some time in Iraq with our very own Co-Founder CPT Aaron Kletzing.
If you haven’t already, we highly recommend grabbing a digital or print copy of this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Kaboom-Embracing-Suck-Savage-Little/dp/ [login to see]
It may have particular relevance to our OIF veterans on RallyPoint
CPT Aaron Kletzing
*Post your questions below*
From RallyPoint Staff:
We’re excited to welcome CPT Matt Gallagher, author of “Kaboom: Embracing the Suck in a Savage Little War” for a live Q&A July 14 at 4:00pm EST. CPT Gallagher deployed to Iraq in 2007 with 2-14 Cav (https://www.rallypoint.com/units/2-14-cav-2nd-squadron-14th-cavalry-regiment-schofield-barracks-hi). The book was inspired by his wartime blog, "Kaboom: A Soldier's War Journal," which was untimely shut down by his COC.
He's also the co-editor of, and contributor to, "Fire and Forget: Short Stories from the Long War," a literary fiction anthology penned by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and family members. His novel "Youngblood," set during the American withdrawal from Iraq, is forthcoming in February 2016. He has written for the New York Times, The Atlantic, The Daily Beast, and Boston Review, among others, and lives with his wife and dog in Brooklyn.
CPT Gallagher was also fortunate enough to spend some time in Iraq with our very own Co-Founder CPT Aaron Kletzing.
If you haven’t already, we highly recommend grabbing a digital or print copy of this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Kaboom-Embracing-Suck-Savage-Little/dp/ [login to see]
It may have particular relevance to our OIF veterans on RallyPoint
CPT Aaron Kletzing
Posted in these groups: 
Q&A
Q&A
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 26
I had the pleasure of serving with CPT Matt Gallagher in Hawaii. I highly recommend both "Kaboom" and "Fire and Forget." Great books. Looking forward to "Youngblood" sir. All Cav!!!
PV2 (Join to see)
Good to know about the books. Thanks for the recommendation
SFC Mark Merino
Small world!
CPT Matt Gallagher
Big MSG Stank! Great seeing you here. Was a pleasure serving with you, too, miss those times in B-Quad
Another question, actually -- CPT Matt Gallagher, when is your next book coming out, and what is it going to be about?
CPT Matt Gallagher
You are a good pal for this question, my man! My next book is a novel entitled "Youngblood." It's set during the American withdrawal from Iraq, so a couple years after we were there. It'll be published in February 2016 by Atria/Simon and Schuster. (It's available for preorder now, for anyone interested, at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, IndieBound, etc.)
Though it's fiction, my hope is that it'll resonate with veterans of OIF and the Global War on Terror. I'm a writer who believes good fiction can find a deep emotional texture and resonance that's just as powerful as the "truth" and reality. Storytelling is a part of all of us, of course.
Though it's fiction, my hope is that it'll resonate with veterans of OIF and the Global War on Terror. I'm a writer who believes good fiction can find a deep emotional texture and resonance that's just as powerful as the "truth" and reality. Storytelling is a part of all of us, of course.
CPT Matt Gallagher
This is great. One of my former NCOs calls me Bieber all the time on Facebook, though Scott Baio may be a better comparison.
What can I say, after 4 years of ROTC and 4 years of active-duty having only buzz cuts, I love having a mop of boy-band hair. I'm afraid if I ever cut it it won't grow back the same
What can I say, after 4 years of ROTC and 4 years of active-duty having only buzz cuts, I love having a mop of boy-band hair. I'm afraid if I ever cut it it won't grow back the same
Matt - Thanks for putting the time aside for us. After hearing you and CPT Aaron Kletzing spent some time together downrange, I know many of us would enjoy hearing your favorite memory of him or the time you had serving in the same unit. As junior Officers thrust into such a whirlwind deployment, what advice would you give current JMOs preparing to face unique challenges and lead a team of military professionals like you did?
CPT Matt Gallagher
Not only did CPT Aaron Kletzing serve together in Iraq, but we bunked together. So I know all about his love for little chihuahua dogs and sleep masks.
But seriously, he was one of the best junior officers I had the pleasure of encountering, let alone serving with. He's very innovative, as you well know, but what I most appreciated about Aaron was how devoted he was to making things work as well as they could. He wasn't ever a "good enough" type of leader, which can sometimes occur in the military.
My general advice for JMOs has always been pretty straightforward - "don't be a douche." Your NCOS are gonna be professional and capable, they need you to show up and make the unit better, not be a detriment. Nothing wrong with making a mistake, as long as you learn from it. That's why you're there, to learn and be a better leader going forward!
But seriously, he was one of the best junior officers I had the pleasure of encountering, let alone serving with. He's very innovative, as you well know, but what I most appreciated about Aaron was how devoted he was to making things work as well as they could. He wasn't ever a "good enough" type of leader, which can sometimes occur in the military.
My general advice for JMOs has always been pretty straightforward - "don't be a douche." Your NCOS are gonna be professional and capable, they need you to show up and make the unit better, not be a detriment. Nothing wrong with making a mistake, as long as you learn from it. That's why you're there, to learn and be a better leader going forward!
Loved reading Kaboom! I was one of the 2-104 CAV soldiers from the PA Guard that relieved 2-14 in 2009.
CPT Matt Gallagher
Hooah! Boy, were we glad to see you guys. Am sure we treaded some of the same dirt and streets
MSG(P) (Join to see)
Lovely little place it was haha! Your book was a great find after I got home, thank you for writing it!
Thanks for sharing some of your time with us here today. I am a PL currently deployed in a allied nation in the ME. I don't maintain a blog as you did but I am very active and vocal here on Rallypoint. As you found when your blog was shut down by those in the higher echelons of the Army for it's contents but I would like to know a few things in relation to that. Was your company and battalion leadership aware of your blog and its contents? If so, were they supporting you in your endeavor or were they distancing themselves?. Next, did you ever take into account the potential impact you would later have and at any point did you filter you writing in relation to this? I am looking forward to your answers.
CPT Matt Gallagher
I'll try to be thorough on this but not write a novel. Yes, my CoC was aware of my blog - I registered it with them and the Brigade PAO before we deployed. For the most part, until the very end, they were supportive of it and its contents - mostly because someone at the Division level had said social media (when used properly) could be a good COIN tool, etc.
When it got shut down, the fact that I hadn't violated any operational security was key. I mean, I got yelled at and called some unflattering things by a Lieutenant Colonel, but c'est la vie, words are just that.
As for the potential impact of my posts, I became aware very early on that my soldiers' families were reading the blog. It mattered to me that I portray them accurately but positively, because I was and remain very proud of them and what they accomplished in Iraq, under some pretty crazy conditions. And there were missions I knew I couldn't blog about, even after the fact, because of OPSEC-type stuff. A raid on a mosque with a Ranger platoon comes to mind, though I did end up writing about that mission in the book, once I was out.
When it got shut down, the fact that I hadn't violated any operational security was key. I mean, I got yelled at and called some unflattering things by a Lieutenant Colonel, but c'est la vie, words are just that.
As for the potential impact of my posts, I became aware very early on that my soldiers' families were reading the blog. It mattered to me that I portray them accurately but positively, because I was and remain very proud of them and what they accomplished in Iraq, under some pretty crazy conditions. And there were missions I knew I couldn't blog about, even after the fact, because of OPSEC-type stuff. A raid on a mosque with a Ranger platoon comes to mind, though I did end up writing about that mission in the book, once I was out.
First, Kaboom! is an awesome book and everyone on RP should really check it out. Second, what did you find most challenging about writing a complete book, and what advice do you have for first time writers? What has been the biggest surprise for you?
CPT Matt Gallagher
Just trust yourself. And write like a beast. As Hemingway said, the first draft of anything is shit. But once you have that first draft, it's out of the head and you have something to mold, something to work with. Don't be intimated by the process, just focus on each sentence, each page as best you can.
I didn't know I had a brother that was commissioned. Can't wait to read the book, Matt. Erin go bragh.
CPT Matt Gallagher
Slainte, my fellow Gallagher. You see our cousin Conor McGregor fight on Saturday? I'm not usually a UFC guy but he's hilarious
SSG Sean Gallagher
He is funny. Calling that other fighter out for ducking him. Hopefully he keeps kicking ass.
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