Visual Friendlies, Tally Target: How Close Air Support in the War on Terror Changed the Way America Made War: Volume I - Invasions

by Ethan Brown

With a new century and a new enemy came a new kind of low intensity and civilian-dominated, blending austere rural and dense urban environments alike. Into this new kind of war, the American military launched two invasions against terrorist networks and military rivals, relying on airpower—close air support (CAS)—at a scale never before seen in combat.

The Global War on Terror was the “CAS war.” Forward Air Controllers were on the front lines from the very first moments of the war, directing airstrikes against enemies in their safe havens, safeguarding friendly forces and civilians alike to their utmost, and achieving unprecedented success with limited resources. This volume captures the heroic accounts of the first Tactical Air Control Party (TACPs) in Afghanistan and Iraq, and how Close Air Support fundamentally reshaped the American war machine in the first five years of the War on Terror.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction

PART Retribution
2001–2003
1 Into the graveyard of empires
2 Ancient roads to a New War
3 Rearranging God’s furniture
4 Know thine enemy

PART A New World War
2003
5 The Pivot
6 Shock and Awe
7 Chasing Saddam
8 Dragging a nation out of a war

Part Evolving the Machine
Two distinct 2004-2006
9 Building a global architecture.
10 In Iraq's shadow
11 Rebuilding in ashes
12 Digitally aided Close Air Support

Scratching the surface

256 pages, Hardcover

First published November 30, 2024

About the author

Ethan is a veteran of the United States Air Force, having served as a Special Warfare TACP (Tactical Air Control Party) from 2009-2020. He deployed repeatedly to multiple warzones during the Global War on Terror, working with conventional and Joint special operations teams overseas. He has received multiple Combat Action awards, Air Force and Army Commendations, and is a Bronze Star recipient.

Mr. Brown is the author of the Visual Friendlies, Tally Target anthology (Vol. I Invasions, Vol. II, Surges, and Vol. III, Terminus) from Casemate Publishers. Visual Friendlies, Tally Target is a contemporary history of the Global War on Terror, focusing on the role of Air Power and Forward Air Controllers in America’s longest war. His other work has been featured in the Diplomatic Courier, Warontherocks, Task & Purpose, Defense One, the Modern War Institute (West Point), The Hill, Nineteen45, NextGenWarBlog, and other publications.

Originally from Wyoming, he now lives with his family in the Pacific Northwest, and when he's not writing military history, is hiking the mountains or playing Warhammer 40k tabletop games with his children.

Reviews

[William Yeske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic way to put these stories of JTAC involvement on the battlefield and their role in providing a force multiplier in modern day combat. I remember well serving alongside a soldier who operated as a JTAC and it was eye opening to see what expertise and support they could bring to the fight. If you want a good book that breaks down what an Air Force Joint Terminal Attack Controller does and faced during multiple fights in both Iraq and Afghanistan, this is a must read!