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Rachel Falk

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Clear concise narrative of the correct and honorable way to approach crisis management.

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 06-16-25

This book is a fine mix, with good balance, between the discussion of general principles of crisis management, set against compelling real-world crises and how they were managed or mismanaged. The listing of key takeaways for each major principle of crisis management was valuable in recapturing the crux of the message; it also served to give the reader/listener the opportunity to recognize how these components fit together to form a unified whole concept of action steps, to establishment of the teams that will be expected to be available to assist or facilitate carrying out these various operations, to the greater picture of how this pre-planning, in-crisis adaptation to accurate information as well as to set aside the unproductive blame game, and actually work the problem, to the after-effects of any such crisis on yourself, your workforce, and your brand. All can, should, indeed must be attended to if one hopes to preserve any semblance of viability.

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THE BEST NONFICTION BOOK I’VE EVER HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF READING IN MY 64 YEARS.

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 06-14-25

As a lifelong student of warfare, from the macro (political and economic forces that trigger conflict as opposed to diplomacy) to the strategic (the larger picture commanders objectives and intentions) to tactics (how small units actually accomplish the mission), and finally to the individual warrior (who is equipped and trained, then enters battle and their oftentimes compelling narratives), I’ve read well over 250 texts on the topic. Having briefly served as well (USMC), I’ve read the manuals, studied the TTPs, and have some albeit during peacetime, lived experiences in uniform, I truly thought there was no text, no treatment of the the topic that could not only jolt me out of my false belief that I was a well-rounded expert in the topic/field, but also move me emotionally to the point of tears; this book, “Never Quit”, by Air Force PJ Jimmy Settle, has profoundly impacted and inspired me. Inter-service rivalries might have been at there peak in the early 1980’s when I served, with both good natured jabs as well as serious debates and disagreements over funding per branch; with the Air Force being a large target for both jokes and frankly envy over their relatively large budget, nice accommodations, and professional but non-abusive approach to training. I knew there were tier one operators in the Air Force, but had little contact with then (though I was Force Recon), and knew even less about their training pipeline. Needless to say at this point in my narrative, I was ignorant in the extreme when it came to both the intensity and duration of their training cycles and various speciality schools, as well as to the core warrior ethos that drives their training and their abilities in combat action. The GWOT generation’s warriors, from across the branches of the service, are in my opinion a reflection of what made folks call WW II vets “The Greatest Generation”. Comparisons between the two sets of warriors would be unfair, unwise, and ultimately not a fruitful endeavor, for they served under very different circumstances (e.g., draft vs. all-volunteer; in combat until the conflict has concluded or the individual is killed or wounded vs. a set rotation with a known exit date for at least that deployment; a five year war vs. a twenty year war; and on and on). But I believe it is more than reasonable to assert that the current crop of warriors is worthy of being called a 21st Century version of The Greatest Generation. I owe the Air Force and its personnel a huge apology, for both my inter-service ribbing, but more importantly for my willful neglect to dig into their history, traditions, accomplishments, and most striking to me, the heroism that is the equal to any, and I mean any other inspirational historical figure, be it Alvin York (WW I), John Basalone (WW II), or the 3,000 folks who have earned our Nation’s highest military recognition, the MOH - Congressional Medal of Honor. While the author under consideration in this review did not receive the MOH, indeed he was in my opinion under-recognized for the valor he displayed in the toughest of circumstances, well beyond the call of duty. Of course, this can rightly be said for perhaps 80-85% of all who actually participated in combat. The point is not failure to adequately aware metals and citations, but rather how common the truly incredible is among our fine young men and women who volunteer to put service above self. I am in awe of your conviction, courage, and grit. I am inspired by these many selfless acts, and the backstory of training, long separations from loved ones, commitment to professionalism at the highest of levels in whatever chosen MOS, and being willing to step up and step in to slay the dragons in one of the most divisive and turbulent times in modern history. Bravery is insufficient a term. Thank you for penning this important book.

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If you know the name Alvin York, and Audie Murphy, you’d better know the name Robert “Bob” Howard!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 06-09-25

Throughout the Vietnam war there were many top secret programs that made a massive, albeit unrecognized by the public, and under-appreciated positive impact upon the war effort. Perhaps no other collection of elite military men in the history of modern warfare have a story bank as rich, powerful, and valiant as those involved in SOG. Yet, with the exceptional number of warriors whose personal contributions to the war’s effort are almost too outrageous to believe, believe them, believe them all. And above all other SOG warriors stands one apart, Robert Howard. To not know his story is to not know history, to not know what is possible when one has faith in one’s Country, courage to match, and a skillset diverse enough to advance upon any challenge and conquer it decisively. A must read.

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Unique take on war’s power on the mind.

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 06-05-25

An interesting collection of supernatural stories from wars across time that just don’t fit the classic combat narrative. While the book is definitely woo woo, it takes a more nonjudgmental stance on the matters retold, offers up a few rational alternative explanations, but leaves the reader to determine whether the events encountered are the effects if the stressors of war, the consequences of unfamiliar situations and unspeakable carnage, or otherworldly observations. Interesting.

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Unbelievable, but absolutely true combat stories.

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-19-25

A great series of recon missions “across the fence” during the Vietnam war. The author reads the text, which as it’s upside and downside; upside, first-hand accounts told by the person who lived them, downside, the author is perhaps not the most polished of narrators. On balance, the book, whether read or listened to, is well worth the time. It’s outstanding in its descriptions of the various missions undertook by MAC-V-SOG, from the mid 1960’s through the early 1970’s.

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Riveting Vignettes from the Greatest Generation.

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-09-25

The book, “The Rifle” does not disappoint the reader from its opening remarks to its conclusion. The real first-hand accounts of diverse citizen soldiers, sailors, airman, and marines from across the service sectors and throughout the battlefields of WW II provides a vivid account of how our diversity is indeed one of the great traits that makes America such a special place with such special everyday people. The book’s concept is unique, in providing an artifact that’s iconic to that period of our military history to those who would have trained and fought with it, seemingly did exactly what the book’s author intended; namely to trigger those strong yet far too often suppressed memories, feelings, and the context in which they found themselves in the struggle of their lives. A struggle that is intensely personal, yet profoundly important to how our world was shaped for the better, indeed saving us as a people from evil tyrannical rulers with twisted ideologies and horrific practices against both their own citizens and against the citizens of other sovereign nations. This book is outstanding at providing that first-person “I was there” narrative that really cuts to the heart of why we fight.

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The diversity of requirements and the unique experience that is being a US Border Patrol Agent!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-03-25

Wow… crazy series of exceedingly diverse experiences while performing the all-important duty of protecting our Nation’s sovereign borders! This book is NOT politically driven whatsoever, which was outstanding. The only times the author speaks of any sort of politically charged matters is when he makes the clear, concise, legally and ethically correct definition of what constitutes an “illegal alien”; namely, violating our Federal Laws regarding immigration and naturalization. “Undocumented alien” really has no meaning in terms of differentiating those who enter our Country through approved immigration or visitation channels, versus those who seek to enter our Country without permission or vetting. So, if you’re looking for a spirited debate on immigration as seen through politically divisive eyes, look elsewhere. The book “ Out On Foot” gives the reader/listener a rare glimpse into the day-to-day, and more harrowing, the night-to-night patrol activities of our Border Patrol LE members. I had no idea that they oftentimes/usually patrol as individuals, without a partner alongside them. To me, it would be akin to sending a single soldier or Marine into a remote area, alone, with spotty radio coverage, to find, fix, and detain anywhere between 7-25 folks, with unknown and diverse motives or intent for crossing at somewhere other than a designated border location/station. Just those stories would make this book worth the read. Added to this however is the author’s personal experience while on patrol with things that just can’t easily be explained… the paranormal. A great read. Highly recommended.

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Honest ground-truth account of modern urban warfare.

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
2 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-01-25

The actual storyline of this book is very well laid out, and articulated in a concise yet coherent manner. The key flaw in this book has nothing to do with the text whatsoever, rather, the “virtual voice” narration of it shows the glaring ignorance of military conventions and language usage. Even the non-servicemen will probably be as bothered as I was by the consistent misuse of acronyms and/or letter strings to describe the status of individuals or their weaponry. One example, when the author does, as he should, in listing the Marines or Navy Corpsmen who are injured or killed in combat, the darn virtually interpreted status is not “W “I” “A” - Wounded In Action, or “K” “I” “A” - Killed In Action, but rather it sounds like two girls and or Korean cars are injured or killed… Kia or Mia. That was more than off putting, it was at some level disrespectful of the sacrifice. I’ve come to learn, after having read well over 500 hard-copy texts on military history, strategy, tactics, and combat, and at least another 150 audio treatments of various books, the only true non-starter for me these days in terms of listening to a book is whether the title is read by a human or a machine. I will no longer pay anything for a book that’s “read” (misread) by a computer generated voice. Just not worth the distraction and aggravation. Nevertheless, this book was “free” with my Audible subscription, so it wasn’t as upsetting as if I’d put sown extra money to hear it. In short, if you can suffer through the poor use of military jargon, much of which is actually in common use among the general population, it’s worth a listen. More to the point, unless reconfigured to have been read by a human, I’d suggest actually purchasing the text itself. The story is good, important, and provides a grunt’s eye view of modern street warfare.

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Leadership manual applicable to all.

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-01-25

Band of Brothers, the mini-series from HBO became an instant classic “must watch” series upon its release. While Dick Winter’s character is given a central role in the series, the medium itself, television, is simply not the the venue to delve into the depths of a person as seemingly straightforward as the man truly is complex. His personality, character, thoughts, words and deeds are based on an exceedingly strong code of conduct. This war diary is really the original version of the currently popular “Extreme Ownership” movement, as popularized by Navy SEAL Jacko Willink. Must read/listen.

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Intense!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 04-29-25

As a student of military history and combat in the 20th and 21st Century to-date, this book provides the reader with the most glaringly apparent parallels to, and divergences from our long and ultimately ineffective attempts to bring peace, stability, and freedom to a foreign land. First and foremost, the SF officer who demanded that both the operation move forward without alteration, after the repeated and vigorous protests of those SF pros who would actually be executing the op, and demanded that it have “an Afghani face on it” should have faced a career ending event. If he was allowed to even remain in the military, much less SF, or worse still, continue to advance in rank would be, in my opinion, truly criminal. The second half of that condemnation also applies to whomever up the chain of command, including, perhaps especially politically driven leaders, should also be subject to career ending consequences. As to the account of the events of that particular op, it was as vivid, accurate, unflinchingly honest retelling of the chaos of battle that I’ve ever heard or read. The description and discussion of the strategy and tactics involved were spot on. Both how the attack should have been executed, as well as the debacle of a plan that was forced upon these SF operators, are easily understood by even the uninitiated in military TTPs. In comparison and contrast to the Viet Nam conflict, the current crop of SF direct action operators stacks up well with the professionalism, daring do, and ability to improvise under extreme conditions seen in the 8 year secret war in South East Asia by SOG recon teams. Ironically, by and large one glaring difference is the performance of the SF indigenous forces that were operating with our American force multipliers. The SOG indigenous forces were highly courageous, and performed in the field with expertise that can only be truly gained by actually living where you have to engage in battle. The Afghans were, contrary to the SOG ingenuous personnel, more akin to the reputation of the South Viet Nam Army’s, who on the whole seemed less invested in the protection and defense of their own country than were the American mainstream military forces. An unwillingness to fight, to misuse or fail to retain their American hardware, and leadership based more upon political or other (corrupt) considerations was also deeply flawed to the point of being reckless to pair them with American lives. The “commandos” indigenous forces that were demanded to be taken to this battle, to “put an Afghan face on it” stinks of political driven propaganda vs tactically sound practices. Again and again, the old and tired truth that we fail to heed our history and correct past mistakes is made completely apparent in this book. Politicians and officers seeking to advance in rank, both do not belong in the trenches making operational decisions. Yet again and again, such stupid and intransigent micromanagement of actual battle plans costs American lives; ultimately costs American victories. The book “No Way Out” is perhaps the best book I’ve ever read/heard in my 64 years. It encapsulates all that is wrong, and all that is right, with the American military and political landscape. Required reading by one wishing to understand how/why we lost our 20 plus year fight in Afghanistan.

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