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Leadership Material
Short Patrick McLanahan story.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2001
25 people want to read
About the author
Dale Brown
160 books1,139 followersFormer U.S. Air Force captain Dale Brown is the superstar author of 25 consecutive New York Times best-selling military-action-aviation adventure novels: FLIGHT OF THE OLD DOG (1987), SILVER TOWER (1988), DAY OF THE CHEETAH (1989), HAMMERHEADS (1990), SKY MASTERS (1991), NIGHT OF THE HAWK (1992), CHAINS OF COMMAND (1993), STORMING HEAVEN (1994), SHADOWS OF STEEL (1996) and FATAL TERRAIN (1997), THE TIN MAN (1998), BATTLE BORN (1999), and WARRIOR CLASS (2001). His Fourteenth Novel AIRBATTLE FORCE will be published in late Spring 2003... Dale's novels are published in 11 languages and distributed to over 70 countries. Worldwide sales of his novels, audiobooks and computer games exceed 10 million copies.
Dale was born in Buffalo, New York on November 2, 1956. He graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Western European History and received an Air Force commission in 1978. He was a navigator-bombardier in the B-52G Stratofortress heavy bomber and the FB-111A supersonic medium bomber, and is the recipient of several military decorations and awards including the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Combat Crew Award, and the Marksmanship ribbon.
Dale was also one of the nation's first Air Force ROTC cadets to qualify for and complete the grueling three-week U.S. Army Airborne Infantry paratrooper training course.
Dale is a director and volunteer pilot for AirLifeLine, a non-profit national charitable medical transportation organization who fly needy persons free of charge to receive treatment. He also supports a number of organizations to support and promote law enforcement and reading.
Dale Brown is a member of The Writers Guild and a Life Member of the Air Force Association and U.S. Naval Institute. He is a multi-engine and instrument-rated private pilot and can often be found in the skies all across the United States, piloting his own plane. On the ground, Dale enjoys tennis, skiing, scuba diving, and hockey. Dale, his wife Diane, and son Hunter live near the shores of Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Dale was born in Buffalo, New York on November 2, 1956. He graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Western European History and received an Air Force commission in 1978. He was a navigator-bombardier in the B-52G Stratofortress heavy bomber and the FB-111A supersonic medium bomber, and is the recipient of several military decorations and awards including the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Combat Crew Award, and the Marksmanship ribbon.
Dale was also one of the nation's first Air Force ROTC cadets to qualify for and complete the grueling three-week U.S. Army Airborne Infantry paratrooper training course.
Dale is a director and volunteer pilot for AirLifeLine, a non-profit national charitable medical transportation organization who fly needy persons free of charge to receive treatment. He also supports a number of organizations to support and promote law enforcement and reading.
Dale Brown is a member of The Writers Guild and a Life Member of the Air Force Association and U.S. Naval Institute. He is a multi-engine and instrument-rated private pilot and can often be found in the skies all across the United States, piloting his own plane. On the ground, Dale enjoys tennis, skiing, scuba diving, and hockey. Dale, his wife Diane, and son Hunter live near the shores of Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 19, 2016
It is often overlooked or forgotten altogether that the Air Force is composed of many functions and departments. In fact, all armed forces are the same, completely independent, autonomous, and self-sufficient: not just sky jockeys. Although the different service branches often operate in unison, there is a fierce competition and pride that keeps them as rivals. Inner-rivalries also play a part in these massive organizations, serving to add to the competitive edge.
This story is about two officers and their contribution to the air force. Major Patrick S. McLanahan is a bombardier assigned to a newly modified B-52 bomber, chuck full with the latest state of the art equipment and weapons. They are flying out of a secluded base on Diego Garcia, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean off the coast of India. During an unauthorized mission in the Gulf of Oman, they were intercepted by an unidentified warplane and bluffed their way out of a deadly confrontation.
The other officer is Colonel Norman Weir, an accountant by trade, but also a dedicated officer with an inbred prejudice toward pilots and aircrews (I think this strange for someone in the air force), but it takes all kinds to complete an organization. Normally these two officers would probably never cross paths, but for a twist of fate.
This tale gives the reader a glimpse at the inner-workings of that vast organization we know as the United States Air Force. The procedure required to move from company rank to field rank (major to Lt. Colonel and above) is examined. It seems like a lottery and appears to be fair (much less perfect) but it has served its purpose in all branches of the armed forces well.
The author throws acronyms around like a short-order cook flips hamburgers in a greasy spoon and the glossary at the end doesn’t even begin to clarify them. When everything is said and criticisms are vented I must admit that I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to all lovers of war and military literature.
This story is about two officers and their contribution to the air force. Major Patrick S. McLanahan is a bombardier assigned to a newly modified B-52 bomber, chuck full with the latest state of the art equipment and weapons. They are flying out of a secluded base on Diego Garcia, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean off the coast of India. During an unauthorized mission in the Gulf of Oman, they were intercepted by an unidentified warplane and bluffed their way out of a deadly confrontation.
The other officer is Colonel Norman Weir, an accountant by trade, but also a dedicated officer with an inbred prejudice toward pilots and aircrews (I think this strange for someone in the air force), but it takes all kinds to complete an organization. Normally these two officers would probably never cross paths, but for a twist of fate.
This tale gives the reader a glimpse at the inner-workings of that vast organization we know as the United States Air Force. The procedure required to move from company rank to field rank (major to Lt. Colonel and above) is examined. It seems like a lottery and appears to be fair (much less perfect) but it has served its purpose in all branches of the armed forces well.
The author throws acronyms around like a short-order cook flips hamburgers in a greasy spoon and the glossary at the end doesn’t even begin to clarify them. When everything is said and criticisms are vented I must admit that I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to all lovers of war and military literature.
March 12, 2017
Favourite quote:
"To say Norman was merely introverted was putting it mildly. He lived inside his own head, existing in a sterile, protected world of knowledge and reflection. Solving problems was an academic ecercise, not a physical or even a leadership one."
"To say Norman was merely introverted was putting it mildly. He lived inside his own head, existing in a sterile, protected world of knowledge and reflection. Solving problems was an academic ecercise, not a physical or even a leadership one."
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews