This unofficial military guide was written from the perspective of an Iraq combat infantryman’s viewpoint. It presents a unique view of the war on terrorism that many categories of readers will find fascinating and highly informative:
Those planning to enlist in any military branch with a unit likely to be deployed in a combat zone or recently enlisted in such a unit will find this unofficial military guide to be a treasure trove of tips that could prevent loss of pay grade, and maybe even their life.
Also, survivalists, campers, military enthusiasts/history buffs, and those interested in getting an up-front-and-personal perspective of what really went on in Iraq, will find this special report of great interest.
Auhor's Note:
Rules of an intelligence agent:
Admit nothing
Deny everything.
Make counter accusations.
Demand proof.
The good news
If you survive your tour, by God’s Grace, you’ll have stories to tell your grandkids.
The bad news…
…well, don’t think about that. Pessimists do not belong on the battlefield, especially when the insurgents can smell fear like a fart at a party. I’m going to give it to you straight from a grunt’s point of view.
My Tour of Duties were primarily Asia and the Middle East. However, the experience I’ve gained is also valuable to anyone stationed or contracted anywhere in the military ranks. For as many years as I’ve been an Infantryman (trusted, busted and trusted again) the combat missions were nothing like I’d ever expected.
Training is important, but what gets you through is adaptability. Up was down over there, left was right, and circles were squares. There were battles going on all around us, some of the most powerful were waged from within.
This manual is a little unorthodox and there is very little structure to it, which is fitting to the subject matter. Foreign soil makes hardly any sense to the average Westerner, and the people we fight have absolutely no clue about our culture except that they envy it. So much so that some are set to destroy all freedom with terrorist acts. A lot of violence occurred because of a newly-liberated Iraq, and if there is even one paragraph of this manual that will contribute to your survival on the battlefield (or garrison) then my efforts were worth it.
Please take any knowledge here and from your own training, even though it may still not be enough. Think. Wherever you are. Think, but not too much. Your reactions are crucial. Two things a Special Forces Operative told me before I left:
“If something doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t.”
The second, “If something isn’t right, shoot it.”
His buddy added, “It’s better to be tried by twelve than carried by six.”
Some of the following chapters will contain a story about a crucial moment in my tour. Then we’ll go over what I did (or didn’t do) so that you don’t make those same mistakes. In this book are many short, brisk chapters that may imprint your subconscious more effectively than the less and thicker chapters would. As I just mentioned, you want to retain as much of this as possible when chaos strikes. God was very good to me. More than a few stupid choices I made during my military career should have left me kicking the ol’ oxygen habit. Instead of re-inventing the wheel, read this report from cover to cover, and any others on the subject. If you’ve already been deployed and the bullets are flying too soon for you to finish every page, read Chaplain’s Chat near the end of this report.
With that being said, Forward March.
Sebastian DiGiovanni
Those planning to enlist in any military branch with a unit likely to be deployed in a combat zone or recently enlisted in such a unit will find this unofficial military guide to be a treasure trove of tips that could prevent loss of pay grade, and maybe even their life.
Also, survivalists, campers, military enthusiasts/history buffs, and those interested in getting an up-front-and-personal perspective of what really went on in Iraq, will find this special report of great interest.
Auhor's Note:
Rules of an intelligence agent:
Admit nothing
Deny everything.
Make counter accusations.
Demand proof.
The good news
If you survive your tour, by God’s Grace, you’ll have stories to tell your grandkids.
The bad news…
…well, don’t think about that. Pessimists do not belong on the battlefield, especially when the insurgents can smell fear like a fart at a party. I’m going to give it to you straight from a grunt’s point of view.
My Tour of Duties were primarily Asia and the Middle East. However, the experience I’ve gained is also valuable to anyone stationed or contracted anywhere in the military ranks. For as many years as I’ve been an Infantryman (trusted, busted and trusted again) the combat missions were nothing like I’d ever expected.
Training is important, but what gets you through is adaptability. Up was down over there, left was right, and circles were squares. There were battles going on all around us, some of the most powerful were waged from within.
This manual is a little unorthodox and there is very little structure to it, which is fitting to the subject matter. Foreign soil makes hardly any sense to the average Westerner, and the people we fight have absolutely no clue about our culture except that they envy it. So much so that some are set to destroy all freedom with terrorist acts. A lot of violence occurred because of a newly-liberated Iraq, and if there is even one paragraph of this manual that will contribute to your survival on the battlefield (or garrison) then my efforts were worth it.
Please take any knowledge here and from your own training, even though it may still not be enough. Think. Wherever you are. Think, but not too much. Your reactions are crucial. Two things a Special Forces Operative told me before I left:
“If something doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t.”
The second, “If something isn’t right, shoot it.”
His buddy added, “It’s better to be tried by twelve than carried by six.”
Some of the following chapters will contain a story about a crucial moment in my tour. Then we’ll go over what I did (or didn’t do) so that you don’t make those same mistakes. In this book are many short, brisk chapters that may imprint your subconscious more effectively than the less and thicker chapters would. As I just mentioned, you want to retain as much of this as possible when chaos strikes. God was very good to me. More than a few stupid choices I made during my military career should have left me kicking the ol’ oxygen habit. Instead of re-inventing the wheel, read this report from cover to cover, and any others on the subject. If you’ve already been deployed and the bullets are flying too soon for you to finish every page, read Chaplain’s Chat near the end of this report.
With that being said, Forward March.
Sebastian DiGiovanni
