It’s the same….old song….

Well, since we didn’t actually finish the war in Iraq (for political reasons that are largely irrelevant to this post. I don’t care that people disagree whether we should have gone or not. We did, and we left without finishing the job properly. Now our butts are on the hot seat once again.) the troops are spinning up to head back over. There is no way that this problem can be solved with jets and rockets. It is going to take combat troops to put down some lead. The same will happen in Afghanistan next year- mark my words.

Having served multiple tours in both countries  at a soldier’s level I have seen the best and worst Man has to offer. War is not supposed to be fun or glamorous. John Wayne wasn’t smoking a cigarette saying good job when we took Baghdad. Slightly disappointing, that. I’ve seen things that few others can say they have. Abraham’s gardens, the ziggurat of Ur, crossed the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, stood watch against communist North Korean soldiers on the 38th parallel for a few winters. Through all of these experiences there is nothing that can replace the bond felt by soldiers. We live in a small section of the world where there is no racism, or very little, where the color of your skin doesn’t matter. All we care is if you can do your job or not. Perhaps the civilian world would be a better place if it had similar exposure?

At any rate, with 9/11 behind us and Veteran’s Day approaching, I won a publishing contract through a contest on Facebook. Pretty cool, right? I have had the fortune of having 12 fantasy/ science fiction novels in print since I retired from the Army in 2011 but now I finally had a vehicle to deliver the stories of men who actually fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not some general who didn’t actually do anything but make decisions. These stories, mostly my own, range from telling a complete stranger his son was dead, to a communications sergeant fighting for his life during the infamous Thunder Run, to a rescue mission for two downed helicopter pilots in a Baghdad suburb. They are real, emotional, and without the Hollywood mock up. Let’s face it, Lone Survivor was a great tale, but the overwhelming majority are normal, everyday Joes like you and me. If you’re interested, swing over to Amazon and check it out. Tell a friend. Any support would be greatly appreciated. http://www.amazon.com/Long-Home-Christian-Warren-Freed/dp/1631030086/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=1-2&keywords=a+long+way+from+home+christian