Stan R. Mitchell's Blog, page 40

Veteran of the week

One of the things I’ve been wanting to do for a while is a regular spotlight that honors our vets.

It wouldn’t be anything super complex. Just some questions. A few pictures. And one very small way for me to help honor those who have sacrficied so much.

So with that being said, I need your all’s help. Know a veteran you’d like to have honored? Email me.

You can reach me at stan@stanrmitchell.com.

Thank you in advance for helping me make this happen.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

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About me: I write exciting, fast-paced thrillers. Both military action and mystery whodunnits. Ten books penned. 70,000+ sold. I also try to only write about positive things on my blog, so please consider subscribing. Or, you can sign up for my new release mailing list, where I will literally only email you when I publish a book. And obviously, if you’re looking for a quick, fun read, then click the link to check out my books. #USMC #SemperFidelis

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8-year-old boy with terminal cancer named police chief for a day

This was a story too good not to share. And remember, we all can make a child’s day. (An adult’s, too. Just don’t overlook the opportunity.)

8-year-old boy with terminal cancer named police chief for a day https://t.co/g3rcZf7bqZ

— Tim Crowley (@tjc193) February 8, 2020

If the link up above won’t work, try this one:

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

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I write exciting, fast-paced thrillers. Both military action and mystery whodunnits. Ten books penned. 70,000+ sold. I also try to only write about positive things on my blog, so please consider subscribing. And obviously, if you’re looking for a quick, fun read, then click the link to check out my books. #USMC #SemperFidelis

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This one hits too close to home…

Hey guys,

I wanted to share a message from a veteran that I came across the other day on Twitter. To me, no one has better described what most of us deal with after we depart service.

I know I didn’t see a ton of action, but I saw enough, and I didn’t kill anyone, but I nearly did, and all of that changed me. And yet, after I exited active duty following four years of service in the infantry — only to later voluntarily rejoin the Reserves after 9/11, where I expected to be called up — I’d often feel guilty because I didn’t think I should be feeling the way I did.

And I for damn sure wouldn’t let anyone tell me it was PTSD. No, not at all. Not me. I didn’t have it. I was certain of that, and I wasn’t going to hear anything differently about the subject.

But my friends and family would tell you I was different. Way different.

And I couldn’t really understand it at the time. The hyper vigilance. The terrible nightmares. The irrational fear, even while back in the safety of the States.

Anyway, I hope the message I read the other day means as much to you and it did me. And if it does, please share it with others.

The following message is written by Jason Kander, a veteran of Afghanistan.

Jason Kander: “I’ve had something on my mind lately, and I want to share it. If you’ve ever been part of a group of people that went through something difficult together, don’t lose touch with each other. You may not realize how crucial those relationships are until it’s too late. A story:

“In Afghanistan, I was an Army Lieutenant in military intelligence. My main responsibility was to provide intelligence reports on Afghan officials suspected of corruption, narco-trafficking, and espionage.

“In layman’s terms: Figuring out which good guys were actually bad guys or working for the bad guys. This meant operating “outside the wire” about 4 days/week, in an unarmored, midsize SUV. Usually just me and my interpreter. Sometimes I wore street clothes instead of a uniform.

“We drove around and met with people whose allegiances we could never know for sure. Usually armed only with a pistol, I was almost always outgunned and outnumbered in these meetings, and that can be frightening to say the least.

“I sometimes got to work as part of a team alongside a couple other guys – let’s call them Mike and Jake – who did jobs very similar to mine. To my knowledge, Mike and Jake were the only two guys at my camp doing the type of job I was doing. Meeting with potential bad guys, etc.

“I’m certain there were others, because I’d sometimes see other guys in street clothes in the chow hall, but Mike and Jake were the only ones I got to know personally who I felt were out there experiencing Afghanistan in the unique way I was experiencing it.

“Mike was big, tall, and soft-spoken. He had a realistic respect for the dangers we confronted. Jake was the most enthusiastic about the work. Unlike Mike and myself, Jake always dressed like an Afghan, and he grew the best beard among us.

“It’s funny the things I remember, like Mike getting irritated when Jake would use his turn signal, because no one in Kabul ever did, or the day toward the end of my deployment when a clean-shaven officer in uniform greeted me warmly and it took me a beat to recognize Jake.

“Mike had a real sense for how insane this all was. One time, at a USO show, he turned to me and said, “An hour ago I was at the site of a suicide bombing and now I’m at a Darryl Worley concert. War is weird, man.”

“I was the youngest and greenest, and I really looked up to Mike and Jake. I never really thought about the fact that we were the only three people I knew who were experiencing Afghanistan in this odd way.

“When I came home and started having nightmares, hyper-vigilance, and other symptoms, I refused to allow for the possibility that it was post-traumatic stress, because I felt as though my deployment didn’t warrant it. I’d not been blown up or shot at and I hadn’t had to kill.

“Over there, I’d been in meetings where I feared I’d be kidnapped or killed. Sometimes tension ran high enough that I mentally prepared myself to take a life out of self-defense. Thankfully, I never had to shoot my way out of a meeting, but I had certainly come close.

“That said, I spent ten years enduring symptoms of post-traumatic stress and telling myself I had no right to them, because I was just some jerk who went to meetings, unlike the “real soldiers” who’d been in firefights.

“It never occurred to me to reach out to Jake and Mike to see how they were doing. Now, I look back and wonder if they were going through the same things and — just like me — denying themselves help because they didn’t see their combat experience as worthy.

“Were they racked with nightmares about being taken? Unable to turn their back to the door for long periods? Unable to be present in the moment with their family? Convinced they “hadn’t done enough” to warrant such problems?

“If the three of us had stayed in touch, would I have gotten help sooner? Would they? Since coming home, both Mike and Jake got into serious accidents. Both were one-vehicle accidents. Given what I know now, I doubt either accident was “accidental.” Mike survived. Jake did not.

“My point is this: If you’ve been through something traumatic, stay in touch with the other people who were there with you. For your sake and for theirs. I’m going to reach out to Mike and I hope you’ll stay in touch with your people. As we say in the Army, check your buddy.”

Again, please consider checking with those you served with. Or with those you know who served, if you never served.

And don’t forget to share the article if you think it’ll help.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

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I write exciting, fast-paced thrillers. Both military action and mystery whodunnits. Ten books penned. 70,000+ sold. I also try to only write about positive things on my blog, so please consider subscribing. And obviously, if you’re looking for a quick, fun read, then click the link to check out my books. #USMC #SemperFidelis

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Hill 406 gets a new foreword

Hey guys!

Hope everyone is doing well!

I’m writing because I wanted to share the new foreword that I recently wrote for Hill 406.

The book has been doing well — thankfully! — but I’d been wrestling with a foreword for the book for some time. (It originally published without one, because I didn’t’ want to hold up publication any longer while waiting on it.)

But it was one of those situations where I was too close to it, and there was so much to say, and so little space to say it. Plus, most readers — including myself!! — are like, “Just let me get to the story!” when they’re reading most forewords.

So, with all those thoughts in mind, I finally came up with something that I think works. And as I said, I finally completed it last night, so here it is:

Author’s Note

This book is dedicated to all of those who have served. Especially those who did their hard time in Afghanistan. To date, nearly 800,000 have served there. Of that number, nearly 30,000 have served more than five tours there. 

Also to date, almost 2,500 have died, and 20,000 have been wounded; many losing limbs or worse.

Finally, over 100,000 have reported having PTSD problems. 

A few things about this book…

I’ve obviously written a work of fiction about the Marine Corps and the war in Afghanistan. It’s (hopefully) both enjoyable and fast moving, and also real and harsh, like coarse sandpaper rubbed across your skin. 

It should be a lot of fun; a fast read. But it should also seem deeper and more real than a lot of those light military fiction books, where the good guys kick ass and go home unscarred.

With that being said, a few quick details about the book.

Camp Leatherneck is real.

The stats on deaths and the state of danger in Helmand Province are real. The terrain in that province is real. The tactics and weapons are real. 

On the other hand, the towns of “Alim Nuaz” and “Gorahumbira” are completely made up. Also, there is no Hill 406. All characters are made up. And all Marine Corps units are made up. I felt I needed to use these fictional elements because I wanted the freedom to have a little flexibility with the story. 

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And with all of this out of the way, I sincerely hope you enjoy the story. Oh, and if you do, please spread the word.

 Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

SGT, USMC

A/1/8,1995-99

Hopefully, that foreword helps capture what I felt needed to be said about the book. For those who’ve already read it, and reviewed it, THANK YOU!!

And if you haven’t taken a look at it yet, please consider giving it a try. You can read the short book description and even a long sample on Amazon at this link: Hill 406. (Or click the book cover at right.)

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

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I write exciting, fast-paced thrillers. Both military action and mystery whodunnits. Ten books penned. 70,000+ sold. I try to only write about positive things. If you’re looking for a quick, fun read, then click the link to check out my books. #USMC

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Little Man gets a revamp

Hey guys,

Just wanted to let everyone know that I’ve completely reworked the original book, “Little Man, and the Dixon County War.”

It was one of my first books I ever published, way back in 2012, and recently it had started selling a bit again on its own. I was pleased by that, but then re-picked it up one day to skim it to see what all the fuss was about — a dangerous thing for an author to do — and I was horrified that it wasn’t anywhere near my present standard.

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So, being the author that I am, I just had to do a complete rework of it. (Now I know why Vince Flynn said he NEVER re-read his books after they were published. It’s a bit of a horrifying experience.)

Regardless, I was pleased to see that the bones of the book were there. It’s a great, rip-roaring ride. But it had some fluff, which I realized could be removed with the benefit of hindsight and distance.

I also found some places to ramp up the tension even higher.

For years I’ve heard feedback by email, Twitter, etc., that Little Man was one of their favor books of all the ones that I had written. But typically, Westerns don’t sell that well, so I was reluctant to get serious with writing another one.

But with this rewrite, I probably will get serious with Book 2 of the series.

Okay, I’ve babbled enough. If you’ve read and enjoyed it, I’d love it if you told your friends about the book. By email, facebook, Twitter, etc. I assure you, it’s better now than it was in its original form — and I don’t think the original form was that bad. (4.4 stars on Amazon with a 109 reviews.)

And if you’ve never picked Little Man up, give it a try. I think you’ll find it a heck of a ride. (And definitely one of the best twist/surprise endings I’ve ever written.)

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

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Stan R. Mitchell, a prior infantry Marine, is the author of ten, fast-paced novels. He’s sold more than 70,000 books, and his favorite authors are Vince Flynn, Tom Clancy, and Stephen King. If you’re looking for a quick, fun read, then click the link below to check out his books.

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Pensacola shooting victim saved countless lives

I came across an incredible story today in USA Today and simply had to share it.

During the recent shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola, an unbelievable story of courage has emerged.

[image error] Joshua Kaleb Watson, 23, recent
graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.

One of the sailors there — shot five times — left the safety of cover to tell the first response team where the shooter was located, which indirectly saved many lives.

But what’s even more shocking is that this sailor, Joshua Kaleb Watson, was only 23, and was a recent graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.

Watson, who was the officer on deck at the time of the shooting, was shot at least five times, but he still somehow decided to exit cover and flag down first responders, giving an accurate description of the shooter and pointing out the man’s location.

Watson’s father, Benjamin Watson, said that his son “died serving his country.”

His father also said that his son had dreamed of becoming a Navy pilot and had only reported to Pensacola for flight training the week of Veterans Day.

Somehow, for me at least, this makes the story all the more tragic. That Watson had pursued his dream to fly and had that dream cut short because of circumstances beyond his control.

But at the same time, it also makes the story all the more impressive. I’m pretty sure a lot of young officers might have thought, “That’s not my job. And I’ve already been shot five times. I’m going to stay in here and try to just stay alive.”

But Watson didn’t. He left cover, he showed incredible bravery, and he ultimately sacrificed his life in the service of others.

I know the men and women of our military REGULARLY show incredible bravery and courage, and it would be impossible for me to document them all. But let’s never take these kinds of sacrifice for granted in our increasingly selfish, self-centered world.

Please keep the family of Watson in your thoughts, and let’s never forget his sacrifice. Try to tell someone else about the actions that he took. Either today, or even months or years from now, if you’re talking to some young kid or future grandchild. Such courage and sacrifice by service members like Watson should be properly honored.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

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Stan R. Mitchell, a prior infantry Marine, is the author of ten, fast-paced novels. He’s sold more than 70,000 books and his favorite authors are Vince Flynn, Tom Clancy, and Stephen King. If you’re looking for an independent artist to support, look no further. You’ll love Mitchell’s books. Click the link below to check out his books.

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Even the Marine Corps band will kick your sand in your face

My word, I love being a Marine.

Came across this video again on Facebook and just had to post it.

I know, I know. We Marines can be a little bit proud. Especially, ground pounders (i.e. infantry) like myself.

But, even the band members of the Corps are aggressive, unrivaled, and hypnotizing to watch. They just simply make an impression.

And if I was a thirteen-year-old kid and saw the video below, I’d be wanting to join the Corps. (Just like as a kid back in the day, I saw how well the Corps fought in Desert Storm and Mogadishu, and immediately decided that’s the outfit I wanted to join.)

Best of all, the Marine band of the III Marine Expeditionary Force (which isn’t even our best band) even showed some humility at the end with their counterparts from the South Korean Army.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

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Stan R. Mitchell is the author of ten, fast-paced novels. He’s sold more than 70,000 books and writes military action and mystery genre, mostly. He’s also a prior infantry Marine, who LOVES writing!! If you’re looking for an independent artist to support, look no further. You’ll love Mitchell’s books. Click the link below to check out his books.

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The Battle of Mogadishu

On Twitter today, U.S. Army Special Operations Command tweeted a link out about the Battle of Mogadishu. (See below.)

As our 30th year as a command approaches, we'll be taking a look back at some of our key and defining moments. With that, we'll honor those who have given their all to protect our Nation. #USASOC30th pic.twitter.com/rVgq6jfTj0

— USASOC (@USASOCNews) November 18, 2019

That tweet brought back some memories.

I was finishing high school when this battle happened, and I can distinctly remember cutting out newspaper clippings and stuffing them in a file folder. In the weeks leading up to this, I wanted to know everything.

Where troops were positioned. Information about the raids. And eventually the infamous 18-hour battle. All of this nearly caused me to drop my childhood dream to become a Marine and join the Army instead, with the hopes that I could eventually become a Ranger myself. (Especially since my Marine recruiter was saying they had no guaranteed infantry slots…)

But this battle — and the horror of seeing Americans dragged through the streets — infuriated me. And the visuals and nightmares of this hellacious firefight would push me and my men to train as hard as we possibly could once I finally made it into an infantry platoon.

Besides motivating front-line troops like myself, the battle also motivated the Corps and Army to take more serious their urban tactics. Long term, the battle probably saved lots of lives. But for those who lived it, that’s probably little comfort.

Did this battle make an impact on you? Do you remember seeing the horrendous footage of the American dead dragged through the street? Or of Mogadishu civilians bouncing on helicopter blades from a crashed helo?

It might have just been me and my tightly-focused world, but I’m betting this battle impacted many of you as well.

If it did, comment below. I’d love to hear about it. And if you personally knew of anyone who served in it, sound off with their name below. Let’s honor them.

And whether the battle did or didn’t impact you, let’s never forget the sacrifices made on that day. Roughly 160 Americans fought thousands of Somali fighters on that day, in some of the most brutal combat seen since at least Vietnam.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

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Stan R. Mitchell is the author of ten, fast-paced novels. He’s sold more than 70,000 books and writes military action and mystery genre, mostly. He’s also a prior infantry Marine, who LOVES writing!! If you’re looking for an independent artist to support, look no further. You’ll love Mitchell’s books. Click the link below to check out his books.

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Detective Danny Acuff arrives again in book, ‘Gravel Road’

Hey guys!

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As promised, the new book has been released.

Detective Danny Acuff arrives again soon…

Hey guys,

[image error]I’ve got some great news!! I’ve finished yet another book and we’re wrapping up the final edits as we speak. So, I should be posting a link to it later this week!!

The book is called “Gravel Road” and it’s a follow-up book to “Take Down.” For those who don’t know, “Take Down” introduced readers to Detective Danny Acuff. “Gravel Road” is Book 2 of that series.

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Like I said, I should have it uploaded and ready for purchase later this week, but if you haven’t read “Take Down” yet, now would be a great time to get started on it.

In other publishing news, I’ve placed all my books back into Kindle Unlimited. I had a few complaints that “Hill 406” wasn’t in the program when I released it, so if you were waiting for “Hill 406” to be in the program, then you’re in luck.