American Sniper

[Desert_Rat]

Just finished American Sniper. Add it to the list of must reads.

[DREADNOUGHT78]

I have the book but I haven't read it yet I loaned it to one of my buddies to read he is one of the Marine Scout Snipers on the books back cover and in one of the photo's inside the book. He (second from the left on the back cover pic) and the Marine with the beanie on are friends of mine. They spent a lot of time with Kyle during the (second) Battle of Falluja and they both share a bit of a different story than what they say the book reads. If your interested try reading Hogs In The Shadow's the USMC Scout Snipers in that book had SEAL snipers attached to their Sniper Platoon and the Marines S.S. in H.I.T.S. shared some of the same hides with the SEAL snipers and even one of the same photos as Kyle used in his book is in Hogs In The Shadows (baby crib shooting platform).

Here's the books I have and will be reading after I get American Sniper back.
Blood Stripes
Lions Of Kandahar
You Have to Live Hard to Be hard
War (Sebastian Junger)

[Doheny]

R.I.P.

[rmatt]

I was a contractor whose clients were the AT/FP guys in the Army. I'd love to read a book that covered what it was like as a contractor in Iraq when there were just as many as us there as there was soldiers.
Especially if you were like me, and others, who weren't a Fobbit.

Seems like all the contractor stories are either about Blackwater, KBR or just general stuff about money wasted/anti war stuff like "Iraq for Sale".

[bigmike82]

Any vet who wants this book in CONUS...let me know.

I'll buy it for you and have it shipped. PM me with your address and something that shows you're in the military (unit name, location, pic, whatever). I'll do this for the first five.

Anyone else...I'm happy to lend you my copy if you cover shipping.

[bigmike82]

Rmatt: I've read several PSC books that were interesting that didn't cover it from a BW viewpoint. There was a Brit (Ashcroft) who wrote two books which I thought were pretty good. There was one called Save the Last Bullet For Yourself which was a bit out of date, but I liked. There was one called Dispatches from Hell from the POV of an old dude working in Iraq as a PSC which was good.

Fair warning, I am not nor was ever in the military, so if I think something is good, it's from a civilian POV.

[OIFVet03]

I definitely need to read that book. It is on my list of books to read.

[thomashoward]

This year I've read Act of Valor and American Sniper, and I am halfway through Lone Survivor.

Read Service by Marcus Luttrell. another good read

[safewaysecurity]

Chris Kyle has the backing of 2 SEALs who were in the bar that night. Ventura hosts a tin foil "reality" program on TruTV....nuff said...

Well to be fair Ventura was a Navy Seal as well and an Independent Governor in Minnesota. I would hope there was some sort of video footage.

[call_me_ski]

Well to be fair Ventura was a Navy Seal as well and an Independent Governor in Minnesota. I would hope there was some sort of video footage.

Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura was NOT, nor was he ever, a Navy SEAL; though part of Underwater Demolition Team 12, he left the Navy 8 years before they were combined with the SEAL Teams, and SEAL status was not retroactive.

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199912/14_kastem_seals/

Practically the same thing, is not the same thing...

R.I.P. Chris Kyle

[mrock11]

I'd like to know if the story behind him knocking out Jessie Ventura is true or not. One of them is lying and I don't know who.

Well, one's a politician and the other was one of the hardest men to serve our nation. Figure it out, brother.

[epic1856]

I read the book a couple of weeks back. Good book.

I've found a place where you can get the book for free....your local library.

[18Dmedic]

Amazon is a good source for used books. I bought a few books there for pennies. Really good stuff.

I recommend this by Major Jim Gant. It is a must read for anyone deploying to Afghanistan:

http://www.stevenpressfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/one_tribe_at_a_time_ed2.php

It's an honest account by a true operator and a good friend. Highly recommended. ESP for those about to deploy.

[flipdiver]

Loved the book, I read it and also found audiobook on local library. Definitely a true American hero even to his last days! RIP C. Kyle! I also loved "War" by Sebastian Junger, although I am personally biased since my brother was one of the people mentioned in the book but overall good read.